Waterslide decal / Tru-oil (aka I'm an idiot)

timmypix · December 2019

So I got very excited and ordered a Rothko & Frost custom waterslide decal for my parts Tele, didn't think too much about it until the decal's arrived and the supplied guidance says it won't stick to a Tru-oil finish.
Balls.

Any suggestions/work-arounds or is this just a case of tough, I'm an idiot and should have checked before I bought it?

gary_mac · December 2019

I seem to recall a vid on U tube that proves otherwise, will go and have a look

gary_mac · December 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bSAID6nUYc

paulnb57 · December 2019

I have used R and K on Tru Oil...however my last one (last week) on lacquer fell off before I sealed it in lacquer, I put it down to me rushing the job, but perhaps there is an issue with the waterslide adhesive?
Dunno, I sulked and gave up!!......

timmypix · December 2019

@gary_mac thank you very much indeed!

mrkb · December 2019

Ive put a water slide decal on tru oil. Then a bit or truoil over the top to seal/help it stick at the edges. Works well.

timmypix · December 2019

paulnb57 said:

I have used R and K on Tru Oil...however my last one (last week) on lacquer fell off before I sealed it in lacquer, I put it down to me rushing the job, but perhaps there is an issue with the waterslide adhesive?
Dunno, I sulked and gave up!!......

Interesting - would I need to put another coat of oil over the decal once it's on? Wasn't planning on lacquering this neck.

Roland · December 2019

I’ve used waterslide transfers over Tru-Oil. Admittedly they were print-it-yourself rather than R&F. The solvents in Tru-Oil can cause transfers to shrink and buckle. My solution is a light coat of spray varnish to protect the transfer, followed by more coats of Tru-Oil.

paulnb57 · December 2019

timmypix said:

paulnb57 said:

I have used R and K on Tru Oil...however my last one (last week) on lacquer fell off before I sealed it in lacquer, I put it down to me rushing the job, but perhaps there is an issue with the waterslide adhesive?
Dunno, I sulked and gave up!!......

Interesting - would I need to put another coat of oil over the decal once it's on? Wasn't planning on lacquering this neck.

I would as without that or lacquer the decal would be quite fragile and at risk of being scratched/rubbed off...

timmypix · December 2019

Cheers everyone, crisis averted!

timmypix · December 2019

timmypix said:

Cheers everyone, crisis averted!

Well, I say this, I haven't tried it yet - will post to the board with results in due course.

gary_mac · December 2019

Hope it goes well.

Sarge · December 2019

I have attached the R&K metallic decals to Tru oil headstocks, but always sealed them with acrylic clear afterwards.
Those decals are so incredibly thin so it's imperative that only the lightest of dusting coats are applied over the decal to avoid it shrinking and wrinkling.
6 or 7 coats did it for me.

Rabs · December 2019

Sarge said:

I have attached the R&K metallic decals to Tru oil headstocks, but always sealed them with acrylic clear afterwards.
Those decals are so incredibly thin so it's imperative that only the lightest of dusting coats are applied over the decal to avoid it shrinking and wrinkling.
6 or 7 coats did it for me.

Yes this.. I put the decal on and then spray a thin layer of clear coat on the top of it.. Let it dry and you are sorted..

prowla · December 2019

On the bright side, at least it means you won't be able to put a fake Fender logo onto a parts guitar.

Sarge · December 2019

Do R&K still send a test piece with the decals?
If so try it out on a piece of Tru oiled scrap wood first.

timmypix · December 2019

Sarge said:

Do R&K still send a test piece with the decals?
If so try it out on a piece of Tru oiled scrap wood first.

Unfortunately I'm not exactly the most practical person and I'm in a flat in an city - as such, no scrap wood and no facility/space to spray lacquer on afterwards. Could I rub some more Tru-Oil on after? or would this risk removing the decal?

Sarge · December 2019

timmypix said:

Sarge said:

Do R&K still send a test piece with the decals?
If so try it out on a piece of Tru oiled scrap wood first.

Unfortunately I'm not exactly the most practical person and I'm in a flat in an city - as such, no scrap wood and no facility/space to spray lacquer on afterwards. Could I rub some more Tru-Oil on after? or would this risk removing the decal?

Personally I wouldn't be rubbing anything over their decals.
I once sprayed the first coat of clear slightly too wet, but not what you would call "wet" and the decal wrinkled as it started to dry.
I don't recommend it but as I've not tried it I don't know for sure.

Surely you can oil and apply the test piece to something around the house? A cd /dvd case maybe?

jaymenon · January 2021

Roland said:

I’ve used waterslide transfers over Tru-Oil. Admittedly they were print-it-yourself rather than R&F. The solvents in Tru-Oil can cause transfers to shrink and buckle. My solution is a light coat of spray varnish to protect the transfer, followed by more coats of Tru-Oil.

What spray varnish did you use Roland? Halfords spray lacquer okay?
https://www.halfords.com/motoring/paints-and-body-repair/car-spray-paints/halfords-clear-lacquer-500ml-468843.html

With Rothko and Frost decals, if you apply tru oil (or any other finish) over the decal manually, the ink rubs off.

I found out the hard way...

Roland · February 2021

I used a polyurethane varnish. That Halfords example is acrylic based. I don’t know what the impact would be.

WezV · February 2021

I always lacquer the headstock face when doing oiled necks, then I oil the rest of the neck once the decal is on and covered in lacquer.

You can still do this, sand the oil off the headstock first.

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Become a Subscriber!

Waterslide decal / Tru-oil (aka I'm an idiot)

Comments