Clearing over a water transfer decal?

I am looking into doing a honey do project for my wife's newest project (a vintage travel trailer). She has her eye on a vintage water transfer decal from the 50's.

She is wanting to use it and we know that the transfer will fall apart if it gets wet. We were thinking about clearing it to the piece as is.

Has anyone tried this? I hate to experiment with an expensive decal.

Thanks

 

Years ago I cleared over decals on bicycles I painted, worked just fine. The clear at the time was Del Clear a catalyzed acrylic enamel. Don't know if modern clears would work the same. Buy some cheap decals, put them on something you don't care about (maybe the bottom of a wheel barrow?), then shoot your clear and see what happens. That way you didn't risk the expensive decal or messing up your trailer. Hope this helps.

 

you might ask Muttly.

 

Take the old decal to a graphics shop and they can reproduce it. It won't fall apart when wet, and you don't have to clear over it, unless you want to. I had some rare Isky decals reproduced because I didn't want to destroy the originals.

 

Chris,
Scale modelers often clear vintage decals, using Testors Dull-cote.
Modern automotive clear may be too hot for a decal, though.
I'd certainly try a test.

Good Luck!

 

the key is very light misting coats gradually building up the coats.

 

^^^^^what txrat said. i cleared over a piece of heavy bond paper to put on a sign for our antique kiddie car ride. just slowly build it up and let it cure a bit between coats. i used martin senour automotive clear, the same stuff i use on crash work.

 

I've used a product from Sikkens called "basefix". Its supposed to be used in between your coats of base in a two part ,base coat / clear coat paint job. Sometimes you would get some flash in your base showing sand scratches or something. Simply let the base flash off fix the problem with a super fine sandpaper and spray the basefix. Now start your color again, problem solved. Then clear when ready.

Anyhow, I used it over some vintage Honda XR75 decals when I restored my friends gas tanks. It worked VERY well allowing the decal to be sealed in and I was able to rub the tanks smooth. Great product comes ready to spray, NO MIXING !! What you don't use just pour back into the can and save it for next time. I've been using the same can for over 12 years now. Worth a shot.

 

I like Texas********'s idea. Then take that old decal, put it on a chunk of painted sheet metal, frame it and hang it in your garage.

 

Texas******** is right.I'm a scale modeller and can say there is WAY too much room for error in clearing waterslides. Acrylics and enamels are touchy, and Lacquers are FAR too hot. Have 'em scanned and made into vinyl decals...

 

The only time I've had trouble with any old decal is if it has cracks in it, as long as they are in one piece they have always worked fine for me. Just a few years ago I used a Bonneville decal from 1953 on my '39 pickup with no problems at all. I've never tried using clear over an old decal. Are you planning to apply it to the inside of a window or the outside of the window/body?

 

I could see Testors clear, normal procedure to use it to seal in decals on model trains. Have heard of guys using clear on old model decals to save them, too. I'd be afraid of automotive clear being too hot... the cheapo 99 cents (okay, probably $1.59 now) a can spray enamel in a clear might be okay though.

 

Cheap spray bomb clear won't hold up in the elements. Use automotive paint. You can go to the paint store and get a good clear in a aerosol can. Take Ryan up on his offer and practice on some blem stickers. A few lite coats with cure time between then acouple of heavy coats.

 

Thanks for the info guys. I have cleared over modern deacls, but I was just afraid to use it on the old platics. I was afraid it would melt. It's an OT project. It a metal match box holder and she is wanting to paint it first then add an old Oklahoma travel decal, like something you would see at an old roadside gas station. I have located a company that has some reproduced in vinyl, but I haven't seen the quality of the print yet.

Thanks for the offer Ryan, I'll let you know.

 

You could try Future brand floor polish...

 

You might want to read this article first before you try it....

http://www.swannysmodels.com/TheCompleteFuture.html

 

Just in case anyone cares......we figured out something on this decal dilemma.

http://theadventuresofavalair.blogspot.com/

 

I found a group of four old Coke water transfers from 1951. After dissolving two of them in water, I heavily cleared the back of the third. It worked great and now rides on my windshield.

(Not the best picture, but you get the idea.)