Not sure if anyone here will be able to help but I bought some original 60's water slide decals from the US but after trying one last night I have a problem that I can't work out. I wetted the decal in warm water as usual and slid it into place, then I used a squeegee to remove all the air bubbles out, There were absolutely no air bubbles left in it, left this to dry overnight. Looked at it this morning and its stuck perfectly around the perimeter but the middle has lots of bubbles and hasn't stuck at all. Anybody have any ideas whats going on ??? Heres a pic i took last night This is a pic I took this morning after 12 hrs drying time
I have NEVER trusted OLD water slides..... when I get one I HAVE to have on the widow of the car I careful cut around the decal & then apply clear package tape to he back of it (face down) & then trim off the extra until there is just a small amount of the tape around the decal..... when dash mounting. etc I just use thin double-sided tape on the back. I think your experience tells what the years can do to water slide decals
Looks like the little green man took off !! You know i had 60s decals in the 60s that did,nt allways work out, and they were new then. Sometimes too much water and not enough sticky stuff or bad quality.
Old decals need to be clear coated before you use them as insurance against, basically, falling apart because they get brittle with age (who doesn't). Some hold up well, others not. So clear coating them is your best insurance. Light coats of Krylon spray gloss work fine. Wet coats might melt the decals, so take your time. After drying a day, cut them close to the image with scissors before using. As for the bubbles, you just need better technique. Practice on some old model car decals. Using a wetting agent (a very, very small drop of dish soap or photo flo) also helps. You need to smooth out the bubbles from the center out, very gently. I like to use a small, very soft paint brush for this. I'm sure the Muttley will chime in soon to help, also. Gary
They looked good wet because the water was adhering it. but when the water dried overnight the glue that was there 40 years ago did little to keep it in place. next time try to cut it out and put your own glue on it. Then when dry you can add a clear coat to strengthen it.
General rule of thumb when coating decals is to use VERY DRY COATS, just mist whatever you are coating it with, even if if takes a few hrs, never spray a "wet" coat on decals........but take your time......andyd
I'm completely up to speed on applying them guys, done lots of the years, last night there wasn't a bubble in sight. Can't clear over them as car has a primer finish. The perimeter stuck perfectly, it's only the centre that didn't stick. I did wonder if the age would be a problem. Sent from my iPhone using TJJ app
I've had great luck with a UV clear adhesive "vinyl' overlay from a friend's sign shop. Muttley and Marcy accorded me favor and great deals on some old Roth float-on decals and the UV (cut to just overlay) the decals worked great! Best of luck in the future.
"Can't clear over them as car has a primer finish." Apply clear to sticker before applying sticker to object.
You need to clear them before you put them on. RE the bubbles, perhaps the rough texture / porosity of the primer allowed air to come back up under the decals? Just a WAG on that. Gary
Somebody will correct me if I'm wrong.... I *think* those Rocco and Cheater decals were meant to be applied INSIDE window glass. The last one I had went in my vent window, and did just fine.
Waterslide decals were printed with a lacquer ink. It dries out with age and makes for a brittle decal. No clue as to why some last forever while others never seemed to have a chance right from the start. Many can be saved by lightly fogging them with a very mild clear before you wet them ( I use Testors model car clear). Obviously this will only work on an outside apply decal There was no carved in stone rule to what side the glue is on. Some are glued on both sides for a more versatile product. There are still a lot of original stickers around as well. There is a place for high quality reproduction decals for some. I'm not talking about low end computer inkjet or those crappy ass laminated color photocopies. Self adhesive decals were taking over in the later 60's due to the ease of printing, self life, etc.
Definitely clear coat old decals before using them. If you're concerned that the old glue won't be any good, or you've sprayed over it, try soaking in diluted PVA adhesive instead of plain water.
My buddy had a wagon, filled the rear side windows with vintage decals, took it to a car wash and blew them all off. Laughed my ass off!!!!!!
Sanded with 800 wet and baked before applying mate so it's pretty smooth Sent from my iPhone using TJJ app
I see what your saying but the perimeter was stuck fast, why would the perimeter stick but not the centre ???
Andy i can see the thought behind clearing them on the outside but thats not going to help them stick is it ???
ahhhhh I'm gonna disagree. I've got a stack of those right here on my desk. I'd bet you would have no problem with adhesion if ya stuck it on the inside of a window. Sam's nephew? or son? is selling them here in the classifieds---ask him
Sorry to see that happen, did you have any trouble with the ones you got from me? They are ment to work either way.
Don't feel bad,your not the only one that had that problem.I put some on my truck last tuesday, and a couple day later was driving to a big show and i noticed one had blown off.the other one blew off on the way home.satin paint will not hold them for some reason
Jeff i think your maybe right, I tried another on the same panel last night, cleared it as some suggested and this morning its the same
Here is what many scale modellers use; http://www.microscale.com/Merchant2...de=MI-1&Category_Code=FINPROD&Product_Count=1 might be worth a try. Cheers RM
I've been shipping so many overseas lately I cant keep straight who's bought them and who hasnt. You did inquire about them though right? In case anyone needs any tips on applying them here's how I do it. There's one on my tool cabinet:
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