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Help wanted - applying a waterslide decal on leather & cloth

Officer Dibley

Well-Known Member
Thinking of applying a waterslide meatball to a Saddlery A-2 & possibly a repro M1943 - just because i can :)
There have been threads on this before but pictures no longer visible.
Here’s what i plan to do, feel free to correct me !
1. Clean area where decal is to be applied (a quite wipe with white spirit ?)
2. Cut the decal so the meatball letters are separate
3. Trim meatball down to size
4. Lightly pencil a circle just smaller than the meatball / rectangle for the letters
5. Apply decal set to areas
6. Soak decals for 5 mins (or until the move freely over paper)
7. Put decals where they are to be applied & start to slide the decal onto the surface pulling paper to one side but decal in place.. Ensure any air bubbles are smoothed out.
8. Let decal set start to dry
9. Apply decal fix to surface of decal
10. Wait patiently
11. Apply varnish

Sound ok ?

Thanks
Dave
 

B-Man2

Well-Known Member
Hi Dave
I’m not too sure about applying a decal to a cloth jacket like the M-1943 . I’m pretty sure it won’t take or adhere to the cloth . I believe that most USAAF Roundels that were on cloth were silk screened. Good Luck with it all .
 

bazzer

Well-Known Member
Thinking of applying a waterslide meatball to a Saddlery A-2 & possibly a repro M1943 - just because i can :)
There have been threads on this before but pictures no longer visible.
Here’s what i plan to do, feel free to correct me !
1. Clean area where decal is to be applied (a quite wipe with white spirit ?)
2. Cut the decal so the meatball letters are separate
3. Trim meatball down to size
4. Lightly pencil a circle just smaller than the meatball / rectangle for the letters
5. Apply decal set to areas
6. Soak decals for 5 mins (or until the move freely over paper)
7. Put decals where they are to be applied & start to slide the decal onto the surface pulling paper to one side but decal in place.. Ensure any air bubbles are smoothed out.
8. Let decal set start to dry
9. Apply decal fix to surface of decal
10. Wait patiently
11. Apply varnish

Sound ok ?

Thanks
Dave


Hope this may help you
Baz
 
Last edited:

Micawber

Well-Known Member
Whue spirit will leave a white residue Dave. Fast evaporating stuff like meths, isopropyl alcohol, meths, lighter fluid, carb cleaner, cellulose thinners, Xylene or even petrol etc etc would be a better bet. BUT if you have white spirit on hand use it but make sure you thoroughly clean any residue away before proceeding.
 

Smithy

Well-Known Member
I'm with Burt Dave in the idea that a waterslide decal wouldn't work on cloth.

I haven't done the decal on jacket thing but use waterslide decals for modelling, they require a non porous surface to adhere properly to. You'd need some kind of heat applied transfer for a cloth jacket almost certainly.

Can't comment too much on your method but will say that it's probably wise to trim as close to the design as possible to minimise the possible appearance of the carrier film which carries the design and can cause "silvering" - where microscopic air bubbles get trapped under the surface and cause a silverish noticeability of any residual carrier film.
 

Officer Dibley

Well-Known Member
I’ve only used the Mash decal on a B-6 and that requires an iron to apply heat after the water slide decal is applied.

I had a MASH iron on but it was crap TBH. Very rubbery. Hence going for waterslide.
Didn’t know you should apply heat to a waterslide.
Dave
 

Officer Dibley

Well-Known Member
I'm with Burt Dave in the idea that a waterslide decal wouldn't work on cloth.

I haven't done the decal on jacket thing but use waterslide decals for modelling, they require a non porous surface to adhere properly to. You'd need some kind of heat applied transfer for a cloth jacket almost certainly.

Can't comment too much on your method but will say that it's probably wise to trim as close to the design as possible to minimise the possible appearance of the carrier film which carries the design and can cause "silvering" - where microscopic air bubbles get trapped under the surface and cause a silverish noticeability of any residual carrier film.
Great advice Tim (& Burt), i’ll leave the M43 for now
Dave
 

leper-colony

Well-Known Member
Thinking of applying a waterslide meatball to a Saddlery A-2 & possibly a repro M1943 - just because i can :)
There have been threads on this before but pictures no longer visible.
Here’s what i plan to do, feel free to correct me !
1. Clean area where decal is to be applied (a quite wipe with white spirit ?)
2. Cut the decal so the meatball letters are separate
3. Trim meatball down to size
4. Lightly pencil a circle just smaller than the meatball / rectangle for the letters
5. Apply decal set to areas
6. Soak decals for 5 mins (or until the move freely over paper)
7. Put decals where they are to be applied & start to slide the decal onto the surface pulling paper to one side but decal in place.. Ensure any air bubbles are smoothed out.
8. Let decal set start to dry
9. Apply decal fix to surface of decal
10. Wait patiently
11. Apply varnish

Sound ok ?

Thanks
Dave
Mash Japan has a B10/B15 transfer for cloth that would most likely work for the M1943.
 

Shropshire-lad

Well-Known Member
I would go careful with any spirit on leather as I would be afraid of removing the surface finish? Soapy water to degrease and dab dry thoroughly, not rub, or better a hair dryer on low heat..... I’d just go careful! It’s a one way street.....;)
Good luck
Jim
 
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