Author Topic: Anyone tried inkjet waterslide paper... and sealed the decals? (Read 3533 times)

RknRusty · « **on:** March 29, 2014, 04:16:02 PM »

I finally finished the Yak-9 I've been talking about since I joined SH. Now I want to make decals and bought clear waterslide film for inkjet printers. Six sheets for $12 bucks. They need protection from the slimy smoky old Fox 35 and my cleaning with alcohol. I'm wondering how to seal them without ruining the ink. In the past I've lightly sprayed Lustrekote on kit decals with success. Anyone have any experience with these?

Here she is. Maiden is set for Tuesday. Those stars are Monokote. I want to make a red Russian text decal for the nose under where the exhaust pipes still aren't. Also a number and something for the rudder.
Rusty

Will Hinton · « **Reply #1 on:** March 29, 2014, 04:24:05 PM »

Looking good, Rusty. Seal your decal paper the same way you did the kit decals. Be sure to do a very light coat for the first two, though, as I've had the ink blur a bit when I didn't. I just do a light dusting for those two coats, then I still stay light for a couple more, but not dusting them.
If you want to get really bummed out, try putting them in water before sealing! DON'T DO THAT! The inkjet ink doesn't like water, so be sure to seal them BEFORE transferring them. Enjoy the ship!

RknRusty · « **Reply #2 on:** March 29, 2014, 04:40:20 PM »

Sounds good. Thanks, Will.
Rusty

Avaiojet · « **Reply #3 on:** March 29, 2014, 06:38:47 PM »

Rusty,

Nice looking model! Came out really good!

Charles

RknRusty · « **Reply #4 on:** March 29, 2014, 08:42:16 PM »

Thanks Charles. After I posted that I searched for cool decals. I think I have what I need to finish the look now.
Text for the nose, a grim reaper for the tail, and a number 5 for the fuse.

Avaiojet · « **Reply #5 on:** March 29, 2014, 08:51:32 PM »

Quote from: RknRusty on March 29, 2014, 08:42:16 PM

Thanks Charles. After I posted that I searched for cool decals. I think I have what I need to finish the look now.
Text for the nose, a grim reaper for the tail, and a number 5 for the fuse.

Rusty,

Nice.

Did you print that sheet?

Charles

RknRusty · « **Reply #6 on:** March 30, 2014, 12:29:26 AM »

Yes. It's not perfect, there are some patches of light color, but should be fine for what I need. I'll give a few dustings of Lustrekote, wait 24 hours and apply them. Should be in time for my Tuesday maiden. All I won't have dode is the exhaust pipes where I'll tape over to keep clean. I'll make them when I can. I'm busy with my Coxengineforum Reed Speed plane which has to be photo-submitted by 11:59 Monday night, and I just started building it. I'll post another picture of the Yak when it's all decked out.
Rusty

Steve Thomas · « **Reply #7 on:** March 30, 2014, 01:56:19 AM »

It's a good idea to seal your decals before you cut them out, otherwise the sealant round the edges of the decal can stop it separating cleanly from the backing paper.

RknRusty · « **Reply #8 on:** March 30, 2014, 07:06:32 AM »

Quote from: Steve Thomas on March 30, 2014, 01:56:19 AM

It's a good idea to seal your decals before you cut them out, otherwise the sealant round the edges of the decal can stop it separating cleanly from the backing paper.

Thanks Steve, I was actually wondering about that. I'm going to seal them with Lustrekote today. I read on a rocketry forum where some people use Krylon crystal clear too, but I expect it's not fuelproof like the LK.
Rusty

Avaiojet · « **Reply #9 on:** March 30, 2014, 07:20:03 AM »

Rusty,

I should try to print "decals."

With electric, fuell proffing is no longer an issue.

I do know guys clear their decals but I have no idea what they use.

I also know that they use automotive clear over them also but not sure if they use something else first?

Information that can be had.

Plenty of art available for free as long as the resolution is favorable for printing.

I'm guessing you got your art on line?

Photoshop?

RknRusty · « **Reply #10 on:** March 30, 2014, 07:28:10 AM »

Cut and pasted from Google, then inserted into a Word document and resized where necessary. The text came from "Google Translate." I selected English to Russian, and I then pasted it into Word and changed the font size and color. With the "5", I just typed it at a 150 size font.
Rusty

Paul Smith · « **Reply #11 on:** March 30, 2014, 07:44:51 AM »

Print the decals

Seal them with about three or more thin coats of Krylon Crystal Clear.

Cut them out a little oversize so the ink does not enter the cut area. If you cut into the ink the water will dissolve some of the ink.

After application you will still need a fuel proofer.

I've had this go wrong sometimes. I somehow let the Krylon fuse the face of the decal to the backing. Maybe I put on too much wet Krylon.

Brian Massey · « **Reply #12 on:** March 30, 2014, 10:25:11 AM »

Like others have said; use the Krylon Crystal Clear lightly dusted for several coats; then I spray a couple coats more generously. After they're applied, I spray clear dope on the entire plane, as I always do. I've had no problems with clear dope doing any damage to the decals.

Brian

Andrew Hathaway · « **Reply #13 on:** March 30, 2014, 12:29:04 PM »

Dope will work as a fixative too. A couple light coats followed by a normal coat or two. Too much too soon and the ink runs, too little and the ink runs when submerged in water.

Jim Kraft · « **Reply #14 on:** March 30, 2014, 12:49:20 PM »

After the ink is set well, I just brush on a couple of heavy coats of butyrate low shrink dope. Then after cutting them out and applying them to the surface I give them a couple of more coats of dope. Works for me. I have never had a problem with the ink moving with dope, but the ink is not water proof as Andrew said.

RknRusty · « **Reply #15 on:** March 30, 2014, 02:50:05 PM »

Glad I checked in, lots of good replies. I'm headed out to the shop right now to spray the ones I printed last night. I'll wait a few hours before I spray the ones I just now printed.
Thanks. I'll show y'all the plane when she's all prettied up.
Rusty

Randy Cuberly · « **Reply #16 on:** March 31, 2014, 01:13:06 AM »

These were waterslides done on an Inkjet printer about 8 years ago.
Sprayed Sig Lite coat in two dust coats and the two heavy coats after each one dried before cutting out decals an applying. Three coats of Sig Lite coat after applying. Still look good after eight years.

Randy Cuberly

RknRusty · « **Reply #17 on:** March 31, 2014, 03:05:10 AM »

Nice, Randy. I'm looking forward to showing mine off.
It had cooled off too much last night to spray the Lustrekote. It's best to be about 70f with that stuff. I'll do it mid-day today. If the Lustrekote ruins them, I'll go get some Krylon. But it sounds like Will thinks Lustrekote is okay. I hope it's not too late to apply them before tomorrow morning's maiden flight. I'd have to thoroughly de-grease it after that. That Fox exhaust is worse than toxic snot.
Rusty

RknRusty · « **Reply #18 on:** March 31, 2014, 10:22:00 AM »

I just finished spraying them with Lustrekote. It works beautifully. Since I found the "High Quality" button in my new printer's options, I made another sheet, so I had a test sheet. I dusted it with spray once and no problems appeared, so in a few minutes again. Then once more, and it looked good, so I did the same to my good sheet. It has a nice clear glossy covering now. It's pretty cool in the shop so I have a space heater blowing on them, and I'll try one tonight and see how well they work.

Just to see what would happen, I clobbered the test sheet with way too much spray, and it didn't phase it. They may not release, but they sure are shiny. Good to know, L'kote works and they're fuelproof. Thanks for all the replies.
Rusty

Avaiojet · « **Reply #19 on:** March 31, 2014, 10:28:34 AM »

Rusty,

Which decal material paper and from who?

Randy,

Really nice looking model!

Tim Wescott · « **Reply #20 on:** March 31, 2014, 10:43:23 AM »

Quote from: Avaiojet on March 31, 2014, 10:28:34 AM

Which decal material paper and from who?

These folks are good.

http://www.decalpaper.com/

I was warned (by Randy Powell) before I used it that red ink will fade in the sun -- it does. So you either need to plan on a color scheme that'll bear up to that, or avoid colors that fade.

RknRusty · « **Reply #21 on:** March 31, 2014, 01:46:28 PM »

Quote from: Avaiojet on March 31, 2014, 10:28:34 AM

Rusty,

Which decal material paper and from who?...

Testors brand from Hobby Lobby. They have white and clear. The sheets are small, 8.5"x5.5".
I just checked Tim's link and they have all sizes of paper in many quantities, and the price per sq. inch is less expensive that my Testors. They also have Laser printer decals too. I bookmarked that site for future reference. Thanks, Tim. I wish I'd asked here before the last minute.

At least my stars are Monokote so they won't fade. I'd forgotten about red's way of fading in the Sun. I guess I'll have pink tail emblems. I snagged the Red Jacket Firearms logo for the tail. Maybe I should call Will Hayden from Sons of Guns and ask permission Lol. I don't want them shooting my commie menace out of the air.

Rusty

I'll cut it out around the outer black border.

Jim Kraft · « **Reply #22 on:** March 31, 2014, 03:21:33 PM »

Hey Randy; I love the colors on the Road Runner. For you guys looking for Old Time decals, go to RCGroups in the Old Timer section. They have thousands of them.