Newbie with decal question

[gypsy jim]

Hello All,

My name is Jimmy. I am not a modeler although in my youth I built quite a few. I'm 55 years old. I built airplanes, cars, and the series with the Mummy, Dracula, Frankenstein etc. I think they all met destruction via firecrackers or fire. Kids! These days I have an old farmhouse in the Maryland suburbs and a 1967 Camaro RS/SS convertible 4 speed 350 to keep me busy as well as my wife and eleven year old son. Now to my question. I have an old Fender Telecaster waterslide decal which I wish to apply to a tele headstock. I got it from a guitar shop owner who told me to shoot it with lacquer before application to prevent it from falling apart. The decal looks fine. Is there a technique you guys use for applying old decals? Thanks in advance for any replies and have a Happy Thanksgiving!! Jimmy

[Jairus]

The lacquer clear is suppose to help hold the carrier together when in the water. His suggestion is a good one regardless of how "good" the decal looks. The older the decal gets the more brittle the carrier becomes and when emersed into water the paper will swell. This swelling will bend and stretch the carrier possibly cracking it into many pieces.

Clear lacquer can be found at the local hobby shop. Tamiya's clear coat spray is probably the best and the shinyest plus it is a small can!

The paint drys quickly... but I would give it a day before you apply the decal to water. Tape the decal down by the backing paper to a piece of cardboard and shoot about two thin coats leaving 10 minutes between coats. This is just to make sure it is covered. Then after a day give it a try with the water. If it was me I would do 3 or 4 coats building up the paint slowly. Good luck!

Edit: One more thing... if you can do a test first on a piece of the decal... a logo of the decal printing company or a trimmed edge it might avoid a harrowing experience. Some decal film (carrier) will react badly to Tamiya's paint forumula. So a test is always best first!

Edited November 26, 2009 by Jairus

[Jon Cole]

What Jairus says! Although I would mention ('tho it may seem obvious) that once you have sprayed the clear, the decal now must be carefully cut out along the edges of the image. No so on the original decal.

[gypsy jim]

Thanks. Here's a pic of the guitar and the car. Jimmy

[jbwelda]

i would personally brush Future floor polish (or whatever it is called these days) on it and let that dry. its what i have been using for quite some time.

now a problem you will face is that when youve coated the decal, with laquer or acrylic (eg: future), you will need to trim around the decal with a preferably brand new x acto #11 blade or razor blade or something. and trim as closely as you can because it will define the outer edge of the decal, regardless of where the image actually ends.

then you might have to keep the decal wet for an extended time to get it to break loose from the paper. be careful with it still because it will rip with enough pressure.

and dont soak the decal in the water; dip it in for like 5 seconds or so and then place it on a paper towel to loosen. if its kinda dry still after a minute maybe give it another dip and then let it sit for close to a couple minutes at least. that will assure the decal will still have its adhesive.

then its best to let the decal dry and probably follow up with a clear coat or (my choice), Future to seal the decal.

this whole process will probably take a couple days. be sure to let the decal dry out well before the clear coat.