I have several sheets of Archer dry transfers, and have always had difficulty getting them to transfer off the sheet and on to the model. I have tried the various tips, none of which seemed to make any difference, and note that the Archer website basically suggests that there may be a few duff sheets, or that they are very susceptible to contamination from dirt and oil, etc.,but either way they are happy to replace non working sheets. But who really wants to do that when you want a decal now? The other alternative is transferring them to decal paper.

Anyway, I have a solution... I followed a discussion elsewhere that noted that it was quite easy to get them to transfer to the glue on a post it note, which I found to be true, but how to make the surface of the model similarly sticky without ruiningg the painted finish?

Opening one of my cupboards I noticed a jar of Staedtler Fimo Size for leaf metal which is sold for sticking leaf metal to Fimo polymer clay. Instructions are to paint a thin even layer then allow to dry for 15 minutes. I did this straight on to the model which had been painted with aqueous acrylics, and it gave a slightly sheened surface, *very* slightly tacky, but less so than a post it note. Then applied the decal using masking tape to hold it in place as usual, and rubbed it down... and it worked. I then applied another six transfers in the same way, so not a fluke.

Thanks for the tip. Gotta get some and try for myself.

EJ

Interesting tip, Matthew! Your cupboards have some really esoteric stuff...

So far I've been ok with Archer transfers, but they do take a lot more burnishing than I originally thought they'd need. I understand the trick is to break the microbeads of glue on the back of them so they stick to the model, but of course there's no way of knowing exactly when that happens during the burnishing process.

Yes, I'm not even sure what that means... Sounds like one of those explanations designed to fob off those with supposedly less technical knowledge

Having applied one decal slightly wonky I was able to peel it off easily, in one piece, with masking tape. Basically that, the post it note, and the above method with the size, all seem to show that they'll stick to whatever is the stickiest.

I suspect it is true that the over time the wax they are printed with becomes less tacky due to drying out, dirt, oil, etc. so that you need more tack on the surface you want them to stick to.