Waterslide decal on Satin Nitro finish

[ghostrider25]

So yesterday was a NND :blob7: (sorry no pics yet). It's a Black Korina + Ebony. The BK is finished in satin nitro—I know gloss looks better for BK but it's too sticky for me. Anyway, I want to put a waterslide decal on the headstock and finish it (the front of the headstock) with gloss. I found these steps which are very helpful and the results look good...

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=17997.msg266285#msg266285

Even though my experience level in finishing is zero, the steps seem pretty straight forward and I want to give it a go, but I'm unsure about one thing. Should I completely sand off the finish from the headstock or just lightly sand (600-800grit) over the spot where I want to put the decal?

:icon_scratch:

 

[anorakDan]

Waterslide decals want a smooth, glossy finish to look best. Sanded, satin anything else is just no good. You'll get what model builders call "silvering" under the decal. This is where micro bubbles of air get trapped between the microscopically rough surface and the decal film. This produces a visible whitish or silvery effect, many times ruining the look.

If you want a waterslide decal to look as if it's been painted on, not like a decal, you need to follow these steps.

The surface to receive the decal must be smooth, glossy, and free of dirt, wax and grease.

Trim the decal with scissors, not a blade like an X-acto knife. I recommend those tiny manicure scissors. Trim close to the decal image. I mean close. As long as you're not trimming away image, you're fine. Trim close!

While you're decal is softening in the water, wet the surface to be decalled with a little puddle of white vinegar. This will allow you some positioning time before the decal "grabs" the surface. It gives you a better chance of getting the decal where you want it, not where it wants to stick.

Gently slide the decal just a little way off the paper, place it where you want the decal and slide the paper out from under the decal. Resist the temptation to slide the decal off the paper and then try to put it into place. This rarely works well.

Then, wiggle the decal around if it's not exactly right and then, with something very soft (Kleenex, cotton ball, Q-Tip) push the trapped air out from under the decal, working from the middle out.

Let it dry. While the decal is drying, you have time to test out your clear coat. Take some of the trimmed away decal paper, wet it and slide some of the film onto some scrap. Let that dry and test out your chosen clear coat on the decal scrap. If the clear reacts with the decal film, you'll not be ruining your project decal.

When you're certain your clear coat will not adversely affect your decal, clear the project with several light coats to bury that fragile decal under some tough clear.

Assemble your guitar and make some noise! :guitarplayer2:

 

[ghostrider25]

Very good tips. Thanks.

But I don't think that totally answers my question. If I want the surface to be as smooth as possible and I want the final result to be glossy and it's currently satin, should I sand off the satin and sand it as smooth as a baby's backside (and apply decal to bare wood)  or just smooth out the satin with fine grit (and apply decal on top of the smoothed out satin)?

In the example I linked to above, he started with satin and ended with satin.

 

[Cagey]

If it was me, I'd just shoot a couple coats of gloss over the satin, apply the decal to that, bury it in several more coats of gloss, sanding between coats to level the decal to the paint, then shoot some satin over that so it'll match the rest of the neck.

 

[ghostrider25]

If it was me, I'd just shoot a couple coats of gloss over the satin, apply the decal to that, bury it in several more coats of gloss, sanding between coats to level the decal to the paint, then shoot some satin over that so it'll match the rest of the neck.

OK, so maybe something like this... ?

[list type=decimal]
[*]couple coats of gloss
[*]shellac
[*]decal
[*]couple coats shellac
[*]coats of gloss (sanding between) until flush
[*](optional) satin to match the neck
[/list]

How does that sound? From the other guy's post, it sounded like the shellac was pretty important (?)

I'd like to have a glossy headstock but i'm not absolutely married to the idea.

 

[Cagey]

If the neck is already finished in nitro, you don't need the shellac. That's only used if you need a barrier coat, like if you were going from urethane to lacquer or vice-versa.

As for whether the end result is glossy or satin, that's up to you. Shoot what you want. You just can't start with satin if you're going to put a decal on.

 

[ghostrider25]

If the neck is already finished in nitro, you don't need the shellac. That's only used if you need a barrier coat, like if you were going from urethane to lacquer or vice-versa.

As for whether the end result is glossy or satin, that's up to you. Shoot what you want. You just can't start with satin if you're going to put a decal on.

Gotcha. Thanks  :glasses10:

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

I disagree, I.very lightly sanded with 800 grit to level the surface, cleaned it and applied the decal.  There are no bubbles under that decal at all.  The solvaset will make a huge difference.  That melts the decal into anything.  Model railroad people use it to apply decals over the top of details on models like door handles. Etc.  The decal will just melt right down to the finish.  I did it exactly as I outlined on that post and I've yet to have anyone that could tell it was a decal.  It is completely flush to the surface, and no edge lines are visible.