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Made in us
Fresh-Faced New User




So, I plan on making an Imperial Fists Primaris army, but I don't have enough decals for them all. Is there a way I can print out decals? Do I need any special paper?
   
Made in au
Anti-Armour Swiss Guard






Newcastle, OZ

Yes, you can do it yourself.

Yes, you WILL need special paper.

Which decal film you need depends on what printer you have - as it comes in inkjet OR laser, and you need the right type for your printer. The wrong one either won't work (best case - laser film in an inkjet printer) or kills your printer (worst case - inkjet film in a laser printer).

Then you need to decide clear or white (if there's a lot of white, you'll need to print it on white film, or underpaint in white on the model where the decal goes).

Or use a site online that does waterslide decal printing with white (there's a couple out there).

After printing, inkjet decals need to be allowed to dry fully then varnished and that varnish allowed to dry so they become water resistant (otherwise, when you use the water to get them off the backing film, the inks will just run away).

I'm OVER 50 (and so far over everyone's BS, too).
Old enough to know better, young enough to not give a ****.

That is not dead which can eternal lie ...

... and yet, with strange aeons, even death may die.
 
   
Made in de
Longtime Dakkanaut






Custom decals are a lot of work and effort.

If you don't need custom looks and just have too few of a given type of standard GW decal sheet, ask your friends, your local friendly game store or gaming group. Odds are all of them have some transfers collecting dust and only a fraction of them will care at all about Imperial Fist decals.

   
Made in us
Lone Wolf Sentinel Pilot





Los Angeles, CA, USA

Check the Bolter and Chainsword's download section and buy some decal paper. Do a couple test prints on regular paper before using the decal paper to test size and fit.

It's a very simple process and clearly explained in every package of decal paper I have ever used.
   
Made in ca
Splattered With Acrylic Paint





Canada

I use Testors white decal inkjet sheets and testors bonding spray, they're thicker than GW decals.

Since you have imperial fists I would go buy GW transfer sheets off ebay or forgeworld. Much better quality.
[Thumb - 20170808_094844.jpg]

   
Made in us
Courageous Questing Knight





Texas

I have printed a number of custom decals. Your choice of papers are:
1. Clear backing for inkjet (good for dark images on light backgrounds)
2. Clear backing for laser
3. White backing for inkjet (needed if you either have a dark background/light image or any white in design)
4. White backing for laser

Just choose what you need based on your design and the printer you have. The hardest part is having to cut right up to the edges of your design when using white backing. Either inkjet or laser MUST be sealed with the sealer. Testors is a great sealer, but you can use clear acrylic sprayed lightly in a pinch.

Use some decal solvent when applying and I have had better luck with these than with decals that actually come with the models. Here is the paper I like best, since it is pretty cheap and can be found in some Hobby Stores in 1 and 3 sheet packs: http://www.decalpaper.com/


My Novella Collection is available on Amazon - Action/Fantasy/Sci-Fi - https://www.amazon.com/Three-Roads-Dreamt-Michael-Leonard/dp/1505716993/

 
   
Made in us
The New Miss Macross!





Deep Frier of Mount Doom

I wanted at one point to make my own decals and the most readily available source was the Testors kit in Michael's/Hobby Lobby stores. I luckily looked up the reviews first and they're not good.

https://www.amazon.com/Testor-Corp-9198-Decal-System/product-reviews/B0006O5F6Y

If you get an even earlier kit, you end up with useless "freeware" that won't let you do anything stated on the older box (like custom decals) unless you paid extra to unlock the software.
   
 
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