>In a message dated 5/13/02 7:59:43 AM, youngc@NetReach.Net writes:
>
>purchased waterslide Reynolds transfers from Ray Etherton at the Cirque
>and need some advice on how to mount them.
Go to a model/hobby store and buy a bottle of Decal Set. When you're ready to put the decal on, use a softhair brush (like a #4 sable brush) and evenly wet the area where the decal is to be applied. Do the same on the decal itself and then put it in a bowl of tepid water for 30-60 seconds.
Remove the decal from the water and gently move it on the paper backing to make sure it will slide off easily. If it doesn't seem real loose, put it back in the water for a little longer.
When the decal is ready to slide off, put the decal and the paper backing on the seat tube. Hold the decal in place and slide the paper out from underneath it. Use the brush again to remove excess water and smooth it out. Make sure there are no air bubbles under the decal- if there are, use the brush to gently move the bubble to the edge of the decal.
You can use a Q-tip slightly moistened in Decal Set to do the final smoothing of the decal and to remove the last of the excess water. Don't use Kleenex- it leaves behind little fibers that stick to the decal itself.
When it's at this point, leave it alone, because the decal is starting to set. If you mess with it, it will tear.
When it's about 6-8 hours old (depending on relative humidity), you can spray it. If you don't have an airbrush, or a friend with an airbrush, buy a spraycan of ModelMaster clear gloss enamel. Then mask a square area around the decal, leaving 1mm between the tape and the decal itself. I use 1" transparent tape because the edges are real smooth, but you can use masking tape if that's all you got.
Since spraycans spray in a wide arc, get lots of newspaper and cover up everything within two feet of the decal, up to the mask around the decal itself. Spray the clear coat on from a distance of about 12", in even, short passes. Don't hold the nozzle down and just spray back and forth.
You want the sprayed decal to look slightly and evenly moist- if it looks real wet and glossy, there's too much paint, and it's liable to leave a noticeable edge when the masking is removed. You can always spray another real thin coat a few hours later. I think less clearcoat on decals is better than too much.
Don't remove the masking tape until the paint has dried for 8-12 hours.
Herb Langston
Evanston, IL