advice needed about painting and decals

[dealers choice]

Hi guys, I was wondering. If you are going to fit decals over a fresh paint job,and you wont see the paint anyway. can you just clear over undercoat, or is there a reason why you would have to undercoat, colour and then clear?
Thanks Bren
 

[pinball god]

I didn't know you had to clear 

[Retropin]

Hi guys, I was wondering. If you are going to fit decals over a fresh paint job,and you wont see the paint anyway. can you just clear over undercoat, or is there a reason why you would have to undercoat, colour and then clear?
Thanks Bren
 

Er no... only reason behind any of the prep work is that decals adhere better to smooth surfaces than rough. Any undercoat or acrylic is a rough surface... a clear or enamel is considered a smooth surface.
There is absolutely nothing stopping you from getting great adhesion by simply clearing the plain timber.
Any paint prep is done to make sure that on the cabinet edges you don't have a colour difference.. for instance, if decals are mainly black then paint all corners black and any gaps between the front and side decal is invisible.. leave this area another colour and it notices big time. Back of cabinet needs to be painted also.
But to reiterate.. if you can get the bare timber to a nice glassy finish you will have just as good adhesion as you would have if you had a painted glassy finish

[joele]

my best results (so far) has been by not painting but using the orbital sander first with 80 grit to remove old gunk, 120 grit to clear up more and then a good go with 240 grit to get it super smooth and applying decals to smooth bare wood..

[dealers choice]

First off I cant copy and paste with my phone so I have to answer this way lol
pinball god: Ive noticed that bare timber really sucks up the first coat of paint, so I asume it would do tbe same to a decal adhesive and over time maybe let go in places.
joele: I understand your geting a super smooth finish, but my thaughts are the same as what I explained above. Im just trying to get maximum adhesion with less time, effort and cost.
Gav: that sounds like a plan for future referance. It will save a lot of time doing just 2 coats of clear instead of the undercoat, colour and clear.
thanks for your wisdom guys.

[Strangeways]

Primer / Undercoat prepares the surface for the basecoat. Something to do with "adhesion" - But the opportunity is there to spend more time preparing for the basecoat. You want a smooth surface. A "flat" smooth rather than a "finish" smooth. Then the base should go on like glass - but that's only for the decal to be applied to a flat surface. A clear is overkill. Even the clear will have the extra step of scuffing the surface to allow the decal to adhere to it. A light scuff is a good idea on the basecoat. I never clear cabinets.

[Marty Machine]

Im just trying to get maximum adhesion with less time, effort and cost.

A rush job is a poor job....take your time.

If it's worth doing, it's worth doing properly.

my 2c.

[pinball god]

Im just trying to get maximum adhesion with less time, effort and cost.

A rush job is a poor job....take your time.

If it's worth doing, it's worth doing properly.

my 2c.

sounds pretty close to a Dulux slogan????

[Marty Machine]

Im just trying to get maximum adhesion with less time, effort and cost.

A rush job is a poor job....take your time.
If it's worth doing, it's worth doing properly.
my 2c.

sounds pretty close to a Dulux slogan????

Well, he *might* be using Dulux paints 

[dealers choice]

Thanks again guys, I'm taking all this info on board.

[Dluth]

how long do you guys recommend to wait to apply the decals after painting. I've been doing this for weeks and just finished the final coat - itching to put those damn stickers on!!

[pinsanity]

Depends on the paint you have used, but I leave it for at least a few days.

Like a fine wine, it needs time to breathe for best results. 

[Dluth]

I just want to pop the cork and be done with it! But will wait...it's already taken 50 hours to get to this point!

[pinball god]

I just want to pop the cork and be done with it! But will wait...it's already taken 50 hours to get to this point!

50 hours is a great effort. Don't be like me and be inpatient. With the chill it may take a little longer to dry and de-gas

[Dluth]

Back of cabinet needs to be painted also.
[/quote]

Does it really? Mine's in pretty good nick, and I'll lose the yellow warning writing (I don't have a silk screen/stencil on hand)...plus I'm sooooo over painting :(