Question for you guys who use dry transfers. Do you seal them before weathering? If so, what do you use to seal them? I’m nearing the home stretch in putting the Archer transfers on my Mack NO, and I’ve buffed them as Archer suggests, but my weathering will probably include some light washes for filtering and so on, and I’m worried the transfers may come off.
I sealed the transfers I used on my Panther early A, but that was purely a local thing – numbers on the turret only. I used some acrylic flat from Tamiya mixed with Tamiya thinner and a little Future floor polish to keep the Taimya Flat from getting opaque when it dried.
The big truck has transfers all over the place! So it’ll be a full kit seal, if I do it.
When using MIG’s dry transfers, I seal the whole thing as usual with Gunze’s Hobby Color flat clear, weather, then a final flat coat. Works like a charm!
I haven’t yet dealt with the the markings on my Sherman itself, however the rank and division logo patchs on the crew sealed fine with Testor’s Dullcote. As I recall, the instructions with the dry transfers warned about possible problems with clear lacquers, but I encountered none on my crew.
As long you’re reasonably careful with the washes, particulary if you use the acryIic sealing route, you should be fine. If you especially cautious, not necessaily a bad attitude to have, you always could mock up something with an extra transfer on some spare plastic (whatever’s in the parts bin) to duplicate your truck finish and planned weathering technique and really test ahead of time.
I have sealed Archer Dry-Transfers with Testor’s Dull-cote thinned with lacquer thinner, about a 50-50 mix. I’ve put on light misting coats and have had no problems. Done 4 armor kits this way so far!