Waterside Transfers - Keeping the Water Warm

[Chas Levin]

Interesting discussion, but I'd have to agree with those saying they've never used anything other than cold water! I'd not noticed the suggestion in Fox's instructions and it's never occurred to me to use warm water.

 

Actually, I often find that transfers separate too quickly, while I'm still busy organising decal softener, propping up the model in the right way or double-checking that I'm putting the right number in the right place, so if using warm water speeds things up, I'll pass. Stands to reason though, that warm water would soften / dissolve / detach / activate a glue or similar substance faster than cold water.

[durham light infantry]

On 26/10/2023 at 13:44, JeremyC said:

Fox Transfers instruction recommend using hot (not boiling) water for soaking their transfers. Fine, but when doing a long job such as lining a loco the water goes cold so I find I'm continually back and forwards refreshing the water. So the question is, does anyone have a tip on how to keep the water warm?

 

USB mug warmer from ebay for around £10. I use an old foil cat food dish. The decals release quicker and conform to undulating or raised surfaces better, helps reduce silvering.

[Mallard60022]

14 hours ago, Chas Levin said:

Interesting discussion, but I'd have to agree with those saying they've never used anything other than cold water! I'd not noticed the suggestion in Fox's instructions and it's never occurred to me to use warm water.

 

Actually, I often find that transfers separate too quickly, while I'm still busy organising decal softener, propping up the model in the right way or double-checking that I'm putting the right number in the right place, so if using warm water speeds things up, I'll pass. Stands to reason though, that warm water would soften / dissolve / detach / activate a glue or similar substance faster than cold water.

I find I need to get all that done and then pop the Decal in the Water. then you can remove the decal and have it on the model (if possible) and be ready to slide it onto the surface.

Phil

[Chas Levin]

2 hours ago, Mallard60022 said:

I find I need to get all that done and then pop the Decal in the Water. then you can remove the decal and have it on the model (if possible) and be ready to slide it onto the surface.

Phil

That's always the plan, Phil, but although I'm quite meticulous and careful, I still sometimes find myself scrabbling even as I see, out of the corner of my eye, a piece of backing paper spiralling gently to the bottom of the water… 

[Daddyman]

2 hours ago, Chas Levin said:

That's always the plan, Phil, but although I'm quite meticulous and careful, I still sometimes find myself scrabbling even as I see, out of the corner of my eye, a piece of backing paper spiralling gently to the bottom of the water… 

I'm not sure it should be in the water that long, Chas. Don't the instructions say just to dip it in the water and then lay it on the model - to avoid diluting the glue? It's certainly the way I do it. 

 

. 

[cctransuk]

1 minute ago, Daddyman said:

I'm not sure it should be in the water that long, Chas. Don't the instructions say just to dip it in the water and then lay it on the model - to avoid diluting the glue? It's certainly the way I do it. 

 

. 

 

There's a lot to be said for placing the transfer dry onto the model, and applying a little water to it with a brush.

 

That way, none of the adhesive is lost and the image slides straight off the paper directly onto the model.

 

John Isherwood,

Cambridge Custom Transfers.

[Chas Levin]

5 minutes ago, Daddyman said:

I'm not sure it should be in the water that long, Chas. Don't the instructions say just to dip it in the water and then lay it on the model - to avoid diluting the glue? It's certainly the way I do it. 

 

. 

I've always done waterslide the same way, paying them on the water surface (paper side down) until the water's soaked through the paper sufficiently to loosen the glue bond between it and the transfer, so that the transfer can be slid off the paper by holding the paper in tweezers and applying gentle sideways slip pressure to the transfer using a cocktail stick.

Judging that point usually involves trial and error, but sometimes - especially with transfers from a maker I haven't used before, or with very old transfers - I realise I've left it too long because as noted above, the paper detaches completely and sinks.

You're right David about the dilution if they stay in the ware too long and I never intend doing that, but in almost all cases (99%) it's not a problem and the transfer can be gently scopped up using the paper. I use Humbrol Decalfix to help settle transfers over lumps and bumps and at least two coats of varnish once the applied transfers are fully dry and I've never had a transfer lift yet.

[Gareth Collier]

I always lay the transfer on the model and then add a drop of cold water from a paint brush. Been doing it 20+years and never a problem.

[Chas Levin]

35 minutes ago, Gareth Collier said:

I always lay the transfer on the model and then add a drop of cold water from a paint brush. Been doing it 20+years and never a problem.

Hello Gareth, can I just ask you - and others doing it this way - just to be clear: do you mean that you cut out the transfer and lay it - still dry and on its backing paper - on the model; then you drop some water on it and then (if I understand correctly) when the water loosens the glue, you slide the paper out from under the transfer, which drops into place on the model (as it's already positioned pretty much where it needs to be anyway)?

Sorry to be long-winded, but I don't think I'd quite understood this method and I want to be sure I do now 🙂

[Gareth Collier]

9 hours ago, Chas Levin said:

Hello Gareth, can I just ask you - and others doing it this way - just to be clear: do you mean that you cut out the transfer and lay it - still dry and on its backing paper - on the model; then you drop some water on it and then (if I understand correctly) when the water loosens the glue, you slide the paper out from under the transfer, which drops into place on the model (as it's already positioned pretty much where it needs to be anyway)?

Sorry to be long-winded, but I don't think I'd quite understood this method and I want to be sure I do now 🙂

Pretty much except I use a needle or cocktail stick to slide the transfer off the backing paper. Initially I lay it on the model next to where the transfer needs to go so when sliding it off it's more or less where it should be before adjusting. 

I model in N so no transfers are that large although this process works just as well on coach lining which is about a long a transfer as I'll ever use.

[Steadfast]

Leaving a waterslide in a bowl of water won't make it release any quicker. Once the paper is saturated, you're not gaining anything, other than potentially losing the decal as it floats off into the water if its a quick release.

 

Tiny decals I often just put a blob of water on the cutting mat with a brush and soak the decal in it there.

 

Always take the backing paper to the model and slide them off - picking the decal up on a brush or tweezers risks it wrapping round and being ruined. I like @Gareth Collier's suggestion, will have to give that a go.

 

Jo

[Daddyman]

I agree with the last few posts, Chas. I have a bowl of water by me, but only dip the transfer in it, and then put the damp/wet transfer next to or below where it needs to go on the model. If it's reluctant to move off the backing paper, I apply a little more water with a brush. 

Edited November 13, 2023 by Daddyman

[Chas Levin]

Very interesting: thanks gents! I shall experiment forthwith, on my next transfer application...