Waterslide paper frustrations

[darrenw6000]

Lately I've not been having much luck applying decals. I would place them on the enclosure only to find that a day or 2 later they can easily be peeled off. I've tried cold/warm/hot water 20 secs/30 secs/1 minute. Laser paper I get is off eBay UK sellers. Anyone got some good tips on this.

[jimilee]

Easily peeled off of what, the enclosure? After mine dry, I use rustoleum clear rattle can.


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[beneharris]

I've had this trouble, too. It was only on paper that was sitting around for a month or so after I bought it. I dunno if age has anything to do with it, I haven't tried again.

[jball85]

Use papilio waterslide laser paper. Use luke warm water with less than a drop of mild dish detergent. Only let the decal soak for 1-2 minutes max. I usually try to break/slide the decal from the backing paper while still in the water. I then place about a centimeter of the edge of the decal on the enclosure that has a dampened surface and carefully pull the rest of the backing paper (a little at a time) off while pressing the decal onto the surface. Use some rubber gloves like the ones your general physician uses. Once the decal is on the enclosure I squeeze the air and water bubbles out with a damp foam brush or my thumb (with gloves). Plastic model building forums are another great place to look for tips on this.

[jball85]

You have to finish the decals on the enclosure with some kind of clear coat, I use Krylon or Rustoleum. I'm sure there are other types of clear coat paint that others use, it's basically trial and error.

[flanagan0718]

I use the Papillio stuff too. I don't use any dish detergent but I haven't tried it either. The decal can be peeled off the enclosure if you don't use a clear coat. I have had mixed results with the enamel / acrylic clear. I recently started using  a lacquer  clear coat and it works great every time. The issue I have with the others is the curing time. I could never get it right and it almost always ruined the decal when I applied the 2nd or 3rd coat.


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[Willybomb]

I was getting great looking results with waterslide, but the edges would always curl up away from the enclosure as it dried, and before I could safely clear coat it.  I'm assuming that was from the glue getting dissolved in the original soaking process, but it didn't seen to matter if the decal was curving down the sides or smaller than the top and completely flat.

Any suggestions?

[flanagan0718]

Do you apply any of the water to the enclosure? This typically helps with moving the decal around when aligning it. I believe it might also help with the decal "bonding" to the enclosure.


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[jimilee]

I spray the decal with a couple of Ciara if clear, this make it a little more stiff and easier to slide off. I then soak both the enclosure and the decal in the same container, and I use just regular cold water, I found warm water makes the decal want to stretch when you're sliding it off. I let it dry for about hours on top of a cup or something that will let air flow through the underside as well as the top. It's fairly quick and easy.


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[jball85]

If you soak the decal too long the adhesive will dissolve and leave you with a decal that won't bond. When using Krylon I will do about 9 light coats on every side of the enclosure, the top too of course. I wait 5 minutes in between each coat. Then I will spray a very light coat and wait 2-3 minutes, then finish it off with a thick coat. These last two steps ensure that I don't end up with an orange peel finish. Either way the curing time does suck. I usually wait at least a month or two before I put the pedal back together. I've heard that lacquer is a quicker drying and harder finish, I just haven't tried it yet.

[jball85]

The detergent is supposed to decrease the surface tension of the water enabling the decal to set into the fluid rather than sit on top, just don't quote me on that.
Another thing to check out is decal setting solution like micro sol.

[gtr2]

I use micromark decal paper and never had that issue.  I soak for 30 seconds, apply, then let it dry 12 hours, cut the holes, and then clear coat with rustolium crystal clear.