Decals on a motor

[boater1234]

I would just like to know if anyone has stuck new outboard decals on a freshly painted cowl without like the soap and water deal.Can you just peel and stick them?Has anyone done this?Also how did it turn out?Also is there a better way to stick them?

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Decals on a motor

You can peel and stick if you want, its just a lot easier to use water and a drop or two of soap.

You don't like soap and water?

 

[JimS123]

Re: Decals on a motor

Never got the soap and water trick to work. I'm probably doing something wrong, but after ruining a $40 decal I chose to do it my way now.

If the backer is wider than the decal I trim it so that only the decal is showing. Then I lay it out and find the spot it needs to go. Put masking tape around several spots to identify the postion. Then I remove about 1/3 of the backer, position the part that still has backer on it where it needs to go, then gently roll the unbacked portion onto the surface. Then, lift up the other part, remove the rest of the backer and roll down the rest of it.

Always start from the middle. Remember, once its on, if its crooked you're going to have to like it that way!

The experts recommend 7 days cure on the paint before applying decals.

Look up North York Marine's website. He only sells vintage decals, but his are stickers too, not waterslide decals. At any rate he details some painting and decal procedures.

 

[boater1234]

Re: Decals on a motor

Do i like soap and water?I have never stuck decals.I don't have the slightest idea what i'm doing.So waht do you do just peel the backing off put soap and water on then stick in place.

 

[boater1234]

Re: Decals on a motor

I would guess that no matter what there will be some bubbles in them.It's probally very hard to get them down perfect.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Decals on a motor

Soap and water allows you to remover the air bubbles fairly easily, the bigger the sticker, the more important the soap and water is.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Apply-Big-Decals-Without-Wrinkles-or-Bubbles/

 

[5150abf]

Re: Decals on a motor

Jim123 has it, worked for a sign shop years ago and that is how we did it, put masking tape all the way across the middle of the sticker and place it on the engine exactly where you want it then put a peice of tape on one end.

Lift the other end and peel the backing off that half, working from the center out with a paddle(spend the $2 bucks to get one)the peel the other half and work from the center to the edge.

We never used soap but had a commercial product, you spray it on before you stick the sticker adn paddle out the water, it keeps it from sticking before you get it where you want it.

The tape hinge works really well if you take your time, I once did a bunch of letters 3' tall that way and they came out really well.

If you do get a bubble pop it with a pin and rub the bubble out.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Decals on a motor

I hate to burst anybody's bubble (pun intended), but I've been doing this for many many years and all I can say is that its not a job for beginners!

Little stickers are fairly straight forward and if they end up crooked you might not tell. But the huge ones like on the side of a Merc are going to be quite a chore if you never did it before.

If you haven't painted the cowl yet, don't. Leave well enough alone. If you intend to go forward, don't forget that you can't paint over the old stickers.

Since you intend to sell the motor anyway, why not just give the new owner the stickers and let him do it?

 

[boater1234]

Re: Decals on a motor

Well thats just the whole thing i don't know if i want to sell it for sure.I will have alot into it buy putting a paint job in it.plus i have a brand new prop i bought for it in the box.Also i kind of want to keep it as it is darn near impossible to ever find a near new motor like this for what i paid for it.Also i took the decals off the cowl along time ago and even sanded down the cowl as it is ready for primer and paint.Also i was thinking with my inexperience of sticking decals it may be better off making a soap spray so at least if i screw it up it can still be moved around.So it says just remove the backing which would be the waxpaper and spray the decal with the soap and water and slide into place were you want it,let it dry for a bit then press the bubbles out with a squeegee.That actually sounds probally the best for someone like myself.After i paint the cowl what should i use to clean the area were i'm sticking the decals?Will alcohol work and not hurt the paint in any way?

 

[carholme]

Re: Decals on a motor

I always use a few drops of dishwashing liquid in a spray bottle full of water. Mix well!

Spray a moderate dusting of the mix onto the area where you want the decal to go. Then peel the decal and apply it to the surface and it will be easy to move into the exact position you want it to go.

You can test this beforehand by taking a cheap number decal which you can buy at any hardware store and trying it on a piece of scrap painted surface.

You will have plenty of time but don't waste your time either. Once in the position you want, let it stand for a few minutes to set and then using a soft/pliable piece of plastic with a rounded smooth edge, gently scroll across the decal from centre to outside edges to remove any trapped solution and lightly rub dry with a soft cloth. Leave it for an hour to set properly and use straight water to clean up. After a day or so, polish gently around and over the decal and you are good to go.

The trouble with using masking tape on fresh/new paint, (dependant on the type of paint you use) unless you are a knowledgeable painter, is that you risk lifting some of the paint when you remove the masking tape.

Has worked for me for over fourty years on boats and aircraft.

Gerry

 

[boater1234]

Re: Decals on a motor

Thanks carholme i am actually printing what you wrote out now and i am saving it for when i apply the decals next week.That was the biggest concern for me the tape.I am putting a brand new paint job on the motor and the cowl and would def hate to take up any paint especially if i do a reelly good job on it.I have the frog green painters tape which seems to be the best for stuff like this but i don't want to take any chances.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Decals on a motor

I always use a few drops of dishwashing liquid in a spray bottle full of water. Mix well!

Spray a moderate dusting of the mix onto the area where you want the decal to go. Then peel the decal and apply it to the surface and it will be easy to move into the exact position you want it to go.

You can test this beforehand by taking a cheap number decal which you can buy at any hardware store and trying it on a piece of scrap painted surface.

You will have plenty of time but don't waste your time either. Once in the position you want, let it stand for a few minutes to set and then using a soft/pliable piece of plastic with a rounded smooth edge, gently scroll across the decal from centre to outside edges to remove any trapped solution and lightly rub dry with a soft cloth. Leave it for an hour to set properly and use straight water to clean up. After a day or so, polish gently around and over the decal and you are good to go.

The trouble with using masking tape on fresh/new paint, (dependant on the type of paint you use) unless you are a knowledgeable painter, is that you risk lifting some of the paint when you remove the masking tape.

Has worked for me for over fourty years on boats and aircraft.

Gerry

Sure sounds easy enough, but it hasn't worked for me. Not sure what I did wrong. I did exactly as you said above. Tried it twice then went back to the old way. I also tried a small number sticker with no problem, but when I got to the huge one that covered half of the side of the motor it got stuck right where I put it, rippled and wouldn't move a bit.

They recommend a 7 day cure before applying decals anyway. So, if you use good automotive painters tape it won't pull the paint. When I do a 2-color cowl paint job masking is required. The second color goes on in 72 hours and I've never pulled paint yet.

However, if you have a huge decal sticker and you try to relocate a little corner and reapply, even if its 7 days that WILL pull paint no question.

Here's a pair of Johnnyrude 7.5 cousins with 2-color cowls and NYMarine stickers. All done with blue tape.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Decals on a motor

Here's a couple that were put on with a Windex spray mist. They did get bubbles under them but most were rubbed out with a credit card or the decal paddle (best). I did pop a couple with a pin and rub them down and the smallest bubbles did disappear with age and summer heat.

I was told that these decals can be applied dry and moved BEFORE they are rubbed down, but my experience was that they pulled off the paint. Applying with the spray made things go a LOT smoother.

 

[boater1234]

Re: Decals on a motor

If i decide to go the soap route why can't you just put more soap then usual so it will slide easy?Like i hear like 5 to 10 drops for a full bottle why not more?You would think if you added like 20 drops to a full bottle it would go on better and i know you would have to work the bubbles out a little better but at least you won't have to fight it i would think.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Decals on a motor

Don't over think it, its not really that difficult.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Decals on a motor

Why bother making a solution when glass cleaner works? For that matter, if you are so nervous about it, buy a small bottle of automobile window tint application solution.

 

[boater1234]

Re: Decals on a motor

Reg good old windex you mean.That won't hurt the decals or paint?Does it work just as good as soap and water?Well maybe i will go that way if it works just as good.I just want to do what is going to be the least chance of hurting the paint because when i'm done with it i don't want to mess with it for a long time again unless i have to.

 

[carholme]

Re: Decals on a motor

Windex, Fantastic or any like product will do the same job.

Gerry

 

[boater1234]

Re: Decals on a motor

Cool that is what i will use then.Thanks fellows.