# Decal use.



## okiebugg (Sep 16, 2011)

I am thinking about trying to make waterslide decals.

Best brand of paper for inkjet?

If you only need to make one or two decals at a time, can the sheet be reused to make more or different decals?

Doing my research, it is recommended that you use a clear Krylon spray to coat the decal prior to mounting it. Is this necessary?

If I am going to make decals for use on pens and other small projects do I or should I order the clear spray stuff to use over the decal? I assume that if you do, you would do this at your workbench rather than the pen?

I also wonder if using the clear rather than the white paper would be best so you can control the colors of your creation.

I have never used such a thing as this, so I am completely baffled unless one of you fine gentlemen help me.

Thanks in advance for your help....Jim


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## ribanett (Sep 16, 2011)

Best brand of decal paper
I have used inkjet paper both clear and white from decalpaper.com for years with no problems. 

If you only need to make a few decals. Run a sheet of bond paper thru the printer, then cut a piece of decal stock to cover the images and tape it to the paper and re-run the paper thru the printer.

Inkjet printers use water-base inks. The Krylon is used to fix the ink to the base. If you don't cover the images with a fixer, the ink will run when you wet the decal.

Clear or White Stock.

Depends of what your printing. 

Inkjet printers cannot print the color white. Say you want to print a pink  cancer ribbon. The color pink, for the most part is a blend of red and white. The printed image will be a light red color. The white color has to be added from the base you are applying it to. You can either print it on white stock or apply it to a white base.

Using white stock will prevent the base colors from showing through the decal. However, trying to trim white stock and keeping a constant size boarder around the image is hard to do.

Hope this helps


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## okiebugg (Sep 16, 2011)

*Decal info*

Thanks for the information Larry. I'll give it a tryout.

One more question???  What is the best/worst brand of decal paper?


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## Rick_G (Sep 16, 2011)

I have only used lazertran decal paper.  I print a row of decals across the top and then slice them off using a paper cutter.  Next time I print another row and cut it off.  When I get near the bottom I will finish the page off with the yellow ribbons I put on the pens I give to families with military members.  

With this paper there is no need to spray anything on to fix the ink.  Just let it dry for 1/2 hour or so.  

Disadvantage of this paper is the background dries white but a coat or two of oil based poly turns it clear.  I build up my CA finish over the poly to get a smooth surface with no problems.

So far this is all I have used and am happy with the way it works.  Directions on their website are pretty clear.
http://www.lazertran.com/products/lazertran_products_inkjet.htm


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