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Has anyone tried this?

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  • Member since
    May 2016
Has anyone tried this?
Posted by RockyD on Wednesday, June 8, 2016 3:07 AM

 Has anyone ever tried applying dry transfer decals to decal paper, sealing and then applying them to a model? In theory it seems like it would work. 

 Any help would be apreciated.

 Rocky

  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
Posted by Pawel on Wednesday, June 8, 2016 4:48 AM

Hello!

The "Archer Dry Transfer" company recommends this approach, and I tried it too - it works, all right. I would just recommend sealing the decals after the "wet" application, not before - to allow for greater flexibility of the film at the time of application.

Hope it helps, have a nice day

Paweł

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

  • Member since
    January 2013
Posted by BlackSheepTwoOneFour on Wednesday, June 8, 2016 8:36 AM

Interesting way to do....

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Wednesday, June 8, 2016 9:48 AM

I have often done this- it works fine.  If the lettering goes down by itself okay, that is better because you do not see any decal film afterwards, but you can get rid of the visible decal film look with overcoat.

A nice thing about dry transfer lettering is that you can often put these down on flat paint without glossing the area.  No carrier film to silver.

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    May 2016
Posted by RockyD on Thursday, June 9, 2016 1:48 AM

Pawel

Hello!

The "Archer Dry Transfer" company recommends this approach, and I tried it too - it works, all right. I would just recommend sealing the decals after the "wet" application, not before - to allow for greater flexibility of the film at the time of application.

Hope it helps, have a nice day

Paweł

 

Thanks for the replies, so what you are saying is to not seal the dry transfer decals to the decal film as you would with a home printed decal? my fear is without sealing them prior to going into the water they may wash away?

I have very limited experience with dry transfers, mostly lettering box cars for my trains and have always had a problem keeping them straight and evenly spaced.

My current build requires custom nose art and as most printers dont print white, and I am not skilled enough to cut letters out of white decal film I thought white dry transfer letters on clear decal paper would solve my issue

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Thursday, June 9, 2016 9:40 AM

The wax adhesive of dry transfers is reasonably water resistant.  It is not super-strong, but strong enough that if you are not too rough with the resulting composite dry transfer on decal film, you will be all right without sealing.

This is not true of you make a decal with some dry transfer and some inkjet lettering or artwork.  Then the inkjet artwork will dissolve immediately while the dry transfer will remain.  If you need the dry transfer and inkjet artwork both, do them as seperate decals.

Indeed, the idea of an easier time lining up the dry transfer lettering, with ruler, etc.  is the big advantage of applying the dry transfers to decal sheet rather than directly to the model. It is hard to hold the ruler to a curved model surface.

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

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