Turning dry transfers into decals. How?

[Chris333]

Yeah so I just now built up a Kaslo shops resin CN 36' wood boxcar. I proceeded to use the only known lettering for it, CDS dry transfers, and well that didn't go well at all with all the outside bracing on the car. Tape would not remove all of the lettering so I had to strip and re-paint the car. I have another set of transfers.

The only clear decal paper I have is on white paper. If I rub the transfers onto the paper I won't be able to see them.

Also have some New Haven boxcar transfers that will the same thing done.

Any ideas?

[central.vermont]

Chris,
One thing I have have done with decals with white lettering on white paper is to take a Sharpie and write on the back side of the decal. It will bleed through and darken the paper so you can see the lettering. The only down side is it will take a bit longer for the decal to loosen up and slide off the paper when you wet it..

Jon

[Rasputen]

Do you need me to send you a sheet of decal paper that has a blue background ?  I have a bunch from Tango Papa, but the paper itself is a little soft, so the process of rubbing the dry transfers on will result in some minor distortion.

[peteski]

Very strong workbench lighting helps, but white-on-white is a pain.

I'm not a big fan of Tangopapa decal film, but Bare Metal Foil Co. also sells blue-backed decal film (at least it was blue lat time I bought it) which I use and like.  I know that there were some worldwide problems with decal paper supply - not sure where that went. Make sure to get the laser (not ink jet) paper.  The black Sharpie trick might work too.

Microscale clear decal film also has blue background.

[wazzou]

Yeah, I only do this on Microscale clear film and that is my preferred method for any Dry Transfer application.

[davefoxx]

@Chris333,

I'm pretty sure that MicroMark has decal on blue decal paper.

DFF

[Chris333]

Do the transfers need to be sealed once down on the paper?

[wazzou]

Do the transfers need to be sealed once down on the paper?

I don't know if it requires it, but I do hit the cutout decal with some Dullcoat because it seems the prudent thing to do.

[peteski]

I didn't feel the need to seal the rubbery dry transfer images on flexible clear decal film. But I do apply clear coat to the entire model after applying the decal to the model. This is what I do when I apply standard decals, Alps-printed decals, and dry transfers directly to the models - only clear-coat the entire model.  To me every layer (like additional clear coat over the decal film) adds thickness to the film (not a good thing).

Dry transfers on decal film are about as fragile (or robust) as Alps-printed decals.

[nkalanaga]

I've put a lot of dry transfers on decal film, both for lettering cars using CDS sets, and "bits and pieces" for end reporting marks, etc.  like Peteski, I don't seal them until the final clear coat. 

Many of my small DTs are on the edges of decal sheets.  MS won't work, as they only put film under the images, but most others have blank film around the edges, and small lettering fits nicely there.  No point chopping up a big sheet when one only needs a small bit.

[Chris333]

This did not work at all in any way.

Half of the transfer didn't even transfer to the decal sheet. The half that did the lettering slid right off the decal sheet while sliding the decal onto the model.

The one part of a decal I sealed worked best, but once it was on the model it just broke into a million pieces.

Are there any decals out there even close to these:
http://mrr.trains.com/-/media/import/images/0/7/e/mrr-np0407_10.jpg?mw=600
I don't want to see another dry transfer in my life. This model sat in the box for 5 years just because of the decal situation.

I suppose CP would work as well:
http://www.protocraft.com/category.cfm?ItemID=969&Categoryid=20&This_Sub_Sub_Category=CP
any decals out there?

[peteski]

That's odd Chris - how old were the dry transfers? Usually they have a waxy adhesive which sticks quite and transfers fairly easily to most smooth surfaces (like clear decal film).  Maybe the dry transfer was old and dried up?  I wonder if moistening the adhesive side of the dry transfer with Naphtha would refresh the adhesive. Either airbrush it or use a large soft brush and do it in a single stroke.

You mentioned that the decal broke up into small pieces on the model?  What the decal film also very old?  Usually old film develops fractures and falls apart into tiny pieces after it is wet.  Sealing it might have given the film a it more strength before it was applied to the model, then as you were moving it around it shattered?

[Chris333]

I probably bought the dry transfers 10-12 years ago from CDS before they closed. The decal film is the stuff that says "ink jet only" on the back. It's what everyone told me to buy.

I've had one side of a car with dry transfers turnout good, but never both sides.

[Missaberoad]

Try emailing Al Ferguson at Black cat decals... He makes the CN decals you need in HO and is usually willing to run custom sets in other scales for a fee.
They are micro-scale quality or better, I've been very happy with everything I've gotten from him so far...


http://www.blackcatdecals.com/

http://www.blackcatdecals.com/product/cnr426038-cnr-36-steel-frame-single-sheath-dominion-or-fowler-car/

[Chris333]

I'll give that a try. Thanks!