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I'm having a hard time getting the imperial fist shoulder decals to stick properly on my marines. Has anyone else had this problem? Has anyone solved this problem?

I thought about getting the FW IF shouder pads, but you can't use them for the marines from the starter set. I thought about making my own decals, but how do you print white? I've been hand painting them for now, but it's just takes such a long time.

Try Microsol decal softening fluid, a small bottle will last years. There's two sorts, a red and a blue bottle, the red is the stronger IIRC, but has been known to dissolve some decals, though I've have no trouble with GW ones, but it does eat Tamyia ones.

Also decals adhere better to a gloss surface than a matt one, and you don't get the silvering effect on the clear parts of the decal either.

So, gloss varnish the shoulder pads (leave overnight), then soak the decal in the Microsol fluid. Then apply the decal as normal. Once fully dry (give overnight) paint over the shoulderpad in Humbrol dull coat, and you'll never be able to see the decal lines, it'll look like it was printed or painted on.

For Black Templars I made little cuts into the decal between the arms of the cross before soaking, but you won't be able to do this with circular decals. If you do cut a decal, I'm told you should use scissors as it makes the edge of the decal curl down slightly. Cutting up decals with the knife makes the edge of the transfer curl up slightly and it'll want to peel on the model.

Sweet. Appreciate it bro.

I am on lunch break. so here is the quicky.

Carefully cut out the decal around the black to remove the excess film.

place on top of water

slide transfer onto model

cut at 12 o'clock 2 o'clock 6 o'clock and 10 o'clock. (from the outer edge going to about half way to the center)

manipulate so that the image overlaps at the cuts. (this and step 1 is what gets rid of the folds. You dont notice any overlap when done.)

blow dry to melt in place.

gloss varnish to make it one with the model.

matt varnish when dry.

Yeah they always look and stick better to a glossed surface. I hadnt thought of the cuts to get rid of annoying folds, very nice!

I sometimes wonder how long GW has been useing those same marine transfer sheets, like maybe you have really old one? I dont really know if that would effect anything.

I dont really know if that would effect anything.

Well, all decal sheets are not created equal.

Obviously everyone has seen the sheets where the different colors don't line up perfectly. This is an issue with the colors of the Imp Fist decal. It's also an issue with the clear layer of the decal too. In some cases, you can use this to your advantage to avoid having to trim it off. Generally a trimmed decal will have a harder edge than "natural."

More importantly, some sheets just have a better thickness of ink and clearcoat. Some are too thin and fall apart, but for shoulderpads, where there are a lot of compound curves, you want them thin, even if it means being careful with them, as they'll lay flat faster.