Dry transfers?

[Darth_Santa_Fe]

Hey guys,

I’m working on restoring an American Flyer O gauge Royal Blue steam engine (one of my first non-HO projects!), and it needs to be repainted and relettered. At the moment, dry transfer lettering seems to be the best way to go (I can’t find any Royal Blue decals, and rubber stamps are too expensive). My question is:

Is it OK to put the lettering on and do a clear laquer coat over it, or should the dry transfers go on after the clear coat?

I’d like to know, because I was told dry transfers can be scratched or worn off pretty easily, but I don’t know if a laquer over-coat would ruin it or not.

[R_T_POTEET]

Darth, dry transfers are a mite more fragile than decals but I’m not sure I would say they are damaged very easily as your posting implies you were advised; I would imagine that on something like motive power or rolling stock you should over spray the model after application of the dry transfers. The only place I have ever used dry transfers is on structures and, of course, they are not handled on a regular basis so are not particularly subject to damage.

[cjcrescent]

Darth, dry transfers are a mite more fragile than decals but I’m not sure I would say they are damaged very easily as your posting implies you were advised; I would imagine that on something like motive power or rolling stock you should over spray the model after application of the dry transfers. The only place I have ever used dry transfers is on structures and, of course, they are not handled on a regular basis so are not particularly subject to damage.

Correct!

[Darth_Santa_Fe]

Thanks for the quick response, guys![:D] Clear coat over the lettering it is!

I’ll be sure to post some pictures when it’s done, which will be in a few weeks minimum. This is kind of exciting for me, because I’ve never restored a 60-year-old classic toy train before![:D] All of the toy train stuff I have has been in boxes for around 40 years now, and this thing’s mechanism has been gone for that long!

Its current condition!

[Soo_Line_fan]

I would probably do a test using the same paint and similar transfers. You may want to apply the clear very light at first.

Jim

[SteamFreak]

It’ll look great, Darth. The guys I’ve seen who restore AF clear coat over the dry-transfer lettering to preserve it, just as others have advised.

I see the drive units on eBay frequently, so they can be had without spending too much $. You’ll need a 6-wheel frame with the E-unit. (Unfortunately, I only have a 4-wheel unit in my parts collection.) It doesn’t appear to be a smoke-in-tender model, so the tender frame should be inexpensive as well.

[Darth_Santa_Fe]

It’ll look great, Darth. The guys I’ve seen who restore AF clear coat over the dry-transfer lettering to preserve it, just as others have advised.

I see the drive units on eBay frequently, so they can be had without spending too much $. You’ll need a 6-wheel frame with the E-unit. (Unfortunately, I only have a 4-wheel unit in my parts collection.) It doesn’t appear to be a smoke-in-tender model, so the tender frame should be inexpensive as well.

OK, so I guess knowing that’s how the experts do it means there shouldn’t be any problems when I get around to it.[:D]

I actually just won a beat-up old Royal Blue off eBay last night with a good mechanism, so I think I’ve got that area covered. My tender still has its frame and wheels, which I took off so I could easily work on the shell.[:D]