Has anyone used dry transfers and if so what advice do you have?
I have some lettering sets from CDS that I about ready to use.
I have some lettering sets from CDS that I about ready to use.
Dry Transfers
- Thread starter TomPM
- Start date
Yes and GOOD LUCK! 
I'll stick with decals, why? Well I can make my own on my puter and if you are talking about lettering locos or rolling stock I can put the whole name on at once. I never could master putting the letters on one at a time and have them be straight and level when I was done. However things such as a sign that is a one-piece transfer I will still use. There are people that swear by transfers and wouldn't use anything else but then they probably aren't retards like me! 
I'll stick with decals, why? Well I can make my own on my puter and if you are talking about lettering locos or rolling stock I can put the whole name on at once. I never could master putting the letters on one at a time and have them be straight and level when I was done. However things such as a sign that is a one-piece transfer I will still use. There are people that swear by transfers and wouldn't use anything else but then they probably aren't retards like me! Here's part of an e-mail I sent to Errol sometime back. Hope that it might help with using dry dry transfers.
Hi Errol, I don't have a whole lot of experience with the dry transfers. I've used them a few times for making signs and they seem to have worked ok. Since you mentioned that they seem to fall apart or fail to transfer I am just wondering if the ones that you have been using may be old and dried out. Another thing that comes to mind is how you may be rubbing them on. In the few times that I have used them I noticed that the smaller the image to be transferred the more careful I had to be with them to be sure that the entire image had been rubbed. I was using a dull pencil to rub the letters (a sign) onto the side of a brick building. I could not get the image to rub down into the mortar cracks. I consulted a friend of mine who is a commercial artist and he told me what to do.
1. A dull pencil is not hard enough to "burnish" the letters. He had me go to the art supply store and get a
burnishing tool. Its a little metal tool much like an Xacto knife but it has a little round metal ball on the end.
It was only a couple of dollars.
2. He told me to use the tool slowly and firmly against the transfer sheet and its image and that when
transfer is done correctly you can actually see that the image has separated from the sheet without lifting
the sheet. Be certain that you have covered all of the image and don't worry if you burnish into the blank
area outside of the image.
3. He further told me that after you are satisfied that the image has transferred begin to lift the sheet. If you
feel it "stick" stop, lay the sheet back down an burnish that area again.
4. After you have removed the transfer sheet inspect the image to see if it "laid down" properly. Then
position a clean/blank area of the transfer sheet over the image and burnish it again lightly. He also recommended
that if the piece was to be handled that a light coat of fixative be sprayed over the image.
Hi Errol, I don't have a whole lot of experience with the dry transfers. I've used them a few times for making signs and they seem to have worked ok. Since you mentioned that they seem to fall apart or fail to transfer I am just wondering if the ones that you have been using may be old and dried out. Another thing that comes to mind is how you may be rubbing them on. In the few times that I have used them I noticed that the smaller the image to be transferred the more careful I had to be with them to be sure that the entire image had been rubbed. I was using a dull pencil to rub the letters (a sign) onto the side of a brick building. I could not get the image to rub down into the mortar cracks. I consulted a friend of mine who is a commercial artist and he told me what to do.
1. A dull pencil is not hard enough to "burnish" the letters. He had me go to the art supply store and get a
burnishing tool. Its a little metal tool much like an Xacto knife but it has a little round metal ball on the end.
It was only a couple of dollars.
2. He told me to use the tool slowly and firmly against the transfer sheet and its image and that when
transfer is done correctly you can actually see that the image has separated from the sheet without lifting
the sheet. Be certain that you have covered all of the image and don't worry if you burnish into the blank
area outside of the image.
3. He further told me that after you are satisfied that the image has transferred begin to lift the sheet. If you
feel it "stick" stop, lay the sheet back down an burnish that area again.
4. After you have removed the transfer sheet inspect the image to see if it "laid down" properly. Then
position a clean/blank area of the transfer sheet over the image and burnish it again lightly. He also recommended
that if the piece was to be handled that a light coat of fixative be sprayed over the image.
I went back to wet slides for lettering for the same reasons Tyson mentioned. But like Tyson and Vic mentioned, I found dry transfer signs and other "artwork" to be ok.
Also, Woodland Scenics makes a burnishing tool made of hard nylon. It might be cheaper than a metal one. Walthers carries it for a little under $4.00. I've had one for about 15-20 years, and it works fine as long as you don't use dried out transfers like I did once. Then it's "flake city."
Also, Woodland Scenics makes a burnishing tool made of hard nylon. It might be cheaper than a metal one. Walthers carries it for a little under $4.00. I've had one for about 15-20 years, and it works fine as long as you don't use dried out transfers like I did once. Then it's "flake city."
Hi Casy and Tyson, Yeah, I prefer decals too. They're just a whole lot easier to use than transfers althoughs there's some pretty neat signs and stuff available as transfers.
The decals fit my level of retardedness just fine!
The decals fit my level of retardedness just fine! Ok I took a deep breath and gave it a try.
I think it came out well. The set was from CDS and for a LNE 2-Bay Offset Hopper. I had to do very little lining up as the different sections such as recording marks were together. The hearld however had to be done in three steps; first the red dot, then the white crcle then the lettering.
I don't like the matte sealer I used on the car. I think it came out to glossy. Well after I finish assembling the car I will have to weather it any way.
BTW it started out as a undecorated Atheran 34' Offset hopper.
I think it came out well. The set was from CDS and for a LNE 2-Bay Offset Hopper. I had to do very little lining up as the different sections such as recording marks were together. The hearld however had to be done in three steps; first the red dot, then the white crcle then the lettering.
I don't like the matte sealer I used on the car. I think it came out to glossy. Well after I finish assembling the car I will have to weather it any way.
BTW it started out as a undecorated Atheran 34' Offset hopper.
Attachments
Originally posted by Tyson Rayles
Thanks Casey, maybe I'm not as big a retard as I thought I was!
You realize that you're leaving yourself wide open on this one!
But that's OK... I'm a nice guy I'll let it go.... Tom, it could be the way "things" appear on my screen, but the matt sealer looks like a realy good base for final weathering with chalks.
By the way, the lettering looks really good. Mighty fine job from where I sit.
By the way, the lettering looks really good. Mighty fine job from where I sit.
I used to swear by dry transfers for lettering cars, that is until I did my "Guage" boxcar with waterslides. Piecing together letters with decals always scared me, but now, with a little patience and lots of luck (I mean lots), I find that its real easy.
Of course that HO. If I was still doing N scale.........
Of course that HO. If I was still doing N scale.........
There's nothing wrong with me....everyone else is crazy!
NOOOO!...NURSE MEANIE....NOT THE SHOT AGAIN!!....I WON'T SAY THAT AGAIN!!... OUCH !!!!.....THAT HURTS!!!
G'Nite everybody zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
NOOOO!...NURSE MEANIE....NOT THE SHOT AGAIN!!....I WON'T SAY THAT AGAIN!!... OUCH !!!!.....THAT HURTS!!!
G'Nite everybody
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzHi Tyson!
All I meant was to have a little fun with your comment to Casey. Sorry if there was any misunderstanding, but I couldn't resist the temptation! 
All I meant was to have a little fun with your comment to Casey. Sorry if there was any misunderstanding, but I couldn't resist the temptation!
Say, one more thought on dry transfers. I purchased some blank Microscale decal stock and 'burnished' a set of transfers to it. I then sprayed it off with a heavy coat of Testors Dullcoat and - - - Decals!!! ready to go. 
Thanks Vic for the detailed instruction on the dry transfer. I have some and have been afraid to try them.
