I am applying waterslide decals to my rods. I do an "A" sized thread wrap then apply a coat of LS supreme with holographic dust. After appling the decal I applied another layer of LS supreme.It is really wavy only over the decal. The decal wraps almost fully around the blank and is 2.5" tall. I have researched here and some suggest using a coating or 2 of CP over the decal.

After I print the decals(inkjet) I coat with a couple thin coats of Deft gloss to keep the ink from running. If I were to use the CP over the decal would I still coat the decal with Deft before applying then use the CP after it is applied or use the CP in place of the Deft before it is applied?

I am putting the LS supreme over a 6" area and it is perfect on either side of the decal so I have ruled out applying too much or temp issues.

Thanks for you help Rick

If you use a water based CP, directly on the decal, it will cause the ink to run.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/24/2017 05:52PM by Phil Erickson.

The slick surface of many decals tends to repel epoxy finish. You should apply a clear acrylic spray or CP to the decal surface before applying epoxy.

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I do apply the acrylic spray to the decals to stop the ink from running when setting in warm water. I will try the CP on top after I apply the decal to see if it helps.

Is it possible to put the thinnest coat of LS supreme on the decal without turning with the dryer motor? And then when dry do a normal coat over the whole area?


Thanks Rick

You don't need a dryer motor to begin with, although you have to turn the rod by hand every so often. This does allow you to get the finish to settle where you want it, of course.

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I use microsol and microset solutions on my water slide decals. Does anyone else use these. Seems to help.

I use the Microscale microset but am out of microsol. I have the Microscale liquid decal film. It is made to put over decal after printing to protect the image from smudging while handling. It will also strengthen the film so it will not bunch up when applying it to your object. I did not use this last time so maybe I will try it on a sample instead of the Deft spray and see if it helps.

Thanks Rick

On the 4th attempt I finally got the decal coated. I did a very thin coat and it looked a little uneven over the decal. I added another thin coat and it was still a bit wavy but looked better. I then put on a thick coat and it stayed nice and smooth over the whole wrap and decal.

At one point with the wavy layers I thought of trying to fine sand it smooth before doing the next layer. I was not sure how long you need to let the LS Supreme cure before attempting to sand so I did not sand. But in the future If I want to try the sanding, how long should LS Supreme cure before sanding? And what would be the best grit?


Thanks Rick