Decals!!

Today is the day I describe how I applied decals to Ms. Rusty.  The decals I’m using are waterslide decals that I found for a Singer 301 (3/4 size bed) so they aren't quite long enough nor have enough corner decals for the bed of a 201. However, they have the same design and Ms. Rusty originally had and one sheet of decals is enough for two 3/4 size machines so I'll have enough extra decals to make them fit my machine.
One sheet of decals: 
The first step in the decal process is to cut out and trim all the decals.

Corner decal trimmed out: 
To apply the decal, you first have to soak the decal in water for ~30 seconds.  I was so anxious to get the first decal on Ms. Rusty that I forgot to take any pictures of the first decal other than it sitting water and after it was put on the machine!

So on the next set (top decal) I took more pictures – step-by-step

The top decal was split into two pieces, so after trimming them out, I laid them on the machine to make sure I had the placement correct. Then one piece was placed in water to soak for a few seconds.  In the meantime, I used a small paint brush to apply some water to the machine where the decal will go.

After soaking the decal, it is placed on a paper towel to absorb the excess water and sit until the decal slides easily off the paper backing.  This takes only a few seconds. Then the decal, with the paper backing is put into place.  It helps to try to place it as close as possible to the final desired position.

Then slowly pull the paper backing away from the decal.  Using a small brush to hold one end of the decal while pulling the paper away helps.  It is also better to use a brush than your finger since your finger has a tendency to stick to the decal and is also more likely to tear the decal than a brush.  The brush is also needed to brush out any air bubbles trapped between the decal and the machine.

Here are some finished pictures of the decals after they have been applied.

After all the decals had been applied I let them fully dry and cure for 1-2 days.  A few of the decals had not adhered completely, so I followed the directions included with the decals and applied some Decal Setting Solution to them.  This stuff can be purchased at your local hobby shop.  Based on the smell of the stuff, and my experience working in a chemistry lab, I would guess the primary ingredient of the decal set solution is glacial acetic acid, which is a really strong version of vinegar.  In any case, this solution works really well for “gluing” down any corners that may peel up.
The final step in the decal process is applying a clear coat.  The clear coat helps to protect and seal the decals.  I used clear Krylon spray paint and applied several coats.  Here are the finished results:

I’m pretty pleased with the results overall. 

Next time I’ll remove all the protective plugs and tape and start on reassembly.