Decals on wood and under varnish?

[lago]

I am in the process of building the Bistro stools for our daughter and SIL that were in the Wood Magazine about a year or so ago. The chairs will be used in a protected area and not exposed to the weather full time.

I am making them out of red oak and since they are sailing enthusiasts, I want to put some sailing clipart decals on the top of the chair. I am considering putting a coat of varnish on first to seal the wood then apply 2 or 3 coats after the decal has been applied.

Any thoughts on how successful this would be. Also, what would be the best varnish to use. It would have to be clear since I will also be wood burning a few clipart pictures also
TIA
Lago

[chopnhack]

That sounds really cool Lago. I'm not sure that you would want to coat the decal with varnish though... If I were doing it I would probably go with something like lacquer or shellac that would adhere the decal. Build over it using the same and then poly over for increased resistance to the elements.

[cabinetman]

A clear gloss polyurethane would work, but it would add a slight amber tone with multiple coats. You could use a two part pour on bar top epoxy. One pour would likely be sufficient.

.

[LCHIEN]

you have to be careful that the coating you apply over the decals does not dissolve the decals or the decal adhesive.

[downtheroad]

Our shop had a client who inherited her mother's antique baby grand piano. Her mother had it refinished in the mid '60s. She distinctly remembered the piano as being a Baldwin, but it had a Knabe decal on the fallboard. We were called in to do some touchup and "deluxing" on several furniture pieces, including the piano. After we located some numbers in several places on the piano, she was able to verify online that it was indeed a Baldwin and not a Knabe, and her memory was correct. When her mother had it refinished, the Knabe decal was used by the refinisher. I guess this is a common practice?

She was able to locate online a source for piano decals and asked if we could replace the decal with the proper one. We did this for her after learning the procedure from the decal manufacturer's online site. We used the varnish transfer (VT) type that we got from them and it worked out very well. We used sprayed light mist coats of thinned Zinsser SealCoat before topcoating with waterborne polyurethane.

Here's their site's application procedure page for VT style decals:
http://www.pianoatlas.com/vt.html

[chopnhack]

If you read the instructions, they are somewhat hilarious.... test varnish tackiness by using nose. If it tends to stick to the end of your nose, its not ready, lol

[LCHIEN]

Our shop had a client who inherited her mother's antique baby grand piano. Her mother had it refinished in the mid '60s. She distinctly remembered the piano as being a Baldwin, but it had a Knabe decal on the fallboard. We were called in to do some touchup and "deluxing" on several furniture pieces, including the piano. After we located some numbers in several places on the piano, she was able to verify online that it was indeed a Baldwin and not a Knabe, and her memory was correct. When her mother had it refinished, the Knabe decal was used by the refinisher. I guess this is a common practice?

She was able to locate online a source for piano decals and asked if we could replace the decal with the proper one. We did this for her after learning the procedure from the decal manufacturer's online site. We used the varnish transfer (VT) type that we got from them and it worked out very well. We used sprayed light mist coats of thinned Zinsser SealCoat before topcoating with waterborne polyurethane.

Here's their site's application procedure page for VT style decals:
http://www.pianoatlas.com/vt.html

you might be interested in this discussion thread.
http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbt...ics/48438.html

[lago]

NOt ready at this point to apply the actual decals but guess I need to do some test applications.

CA is used widely to apply to decals on pens and I have done a few on some cartridge pens. I can also do a test on that and then followup with a final coat of varnish.

Lago

[lago]

I forgot to mention that after I print the decal, I let the ink dry and then it is sprayed with 2-3 coats of a clear lacquer spray.

[downtheroad]

If you read the instructions, they are somewhat hilarious.... test varnish tackiness by using nose. If it tends to stick to the end of your nose, its not ready, lol

Yup, I remember we got a chuckle when we read that, too.

you might be interested in this discussion thread.
http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbt...ics/48438.html

Loring, thanks for the link. Our client's piano was circa 1911 if I remember correctly. It just seems odd that the Knabe decal was used on the Baldwin.

[cabinetman]

I've done many decals and other varied paper type applications under finishes, and have used a light coating of the finish coat for the first coat to stick the item. Air bubbles have to be eliminated.

.

[iceman61]

I forgot to mention that after I print the decal, I let the ink dry and then it is sprayed with 2-3 coats of a clear lacquer spray.

Exactly right.

If you print decals from an inkjet printer and don't do a few light sprays to seal the decal, you run the risk of the ink running or leaching out ruining your nice decal. Laserjet printers are not as prone to this. I think Testors makes a decal sealer but you can use regular "rattle can" lacquer.

Also, don't cut your decals out before you spray them. The decal's edges may stick to whatever backing you have laid it on. It's alot easier to leave the whole sheet intact, spray to seal, then cut your decals out.