Cal-Grafx Hints & Tips

Hints and Tips

Cal-Grafx offers several different media (materials) for decals including thermally-printed PSA vinyl, machine-cut or "vinyl graphics" and water slide, sometimes called water transfer decals. Each type requires the proper preparation, tools and application procedure to obtain the best outcome.

This page discusses each media type and includes links to detailed instructions on how each should be properly applied. We recommend you take the time to review this material if you plan to place an order on our web site. Many of our customer's orders include several different media in a single graphics package.

PSA (pressure sensitive adhesive) vinyl is by far the most popular media we offer. These decals are thermally printed on very thin cast vinyl with an outdoor rating of 8 years. Colors are bright, vivid and permanent. In most cases these decals are profile or contour-cut to eliminate hand trimming. Unless otherwise requested, all Cal-Grafx PSA vinyl decals are treated for UV, abrasion and fuel resistance with our proprietary 4-step finishing process which results in a low sheen painted finish, not the "cheap shine" you will often see in competitive products.

These decals are very durable and will last the life of the model. For builders that like to use a clear coat as the final finish, our decals can be clear-coated over as long as light mist coats are used initially. Because they are so thin and have an extremely aggressive adhesive, all but very small decals must be floated into position using Windex® or a soapy water solution. A squeegee is used to smooth the decal and remove moisture and bubbles.

Water slide is probably the grand-daddy of all decal media. Before they were invented, graphics on models were most likely drawn or painted on. Many scale modelers prefer water slide because the carrier is very thin and, when applied by a skilled craftsman can almost disappear into the background giving the graphic a painted-on look, which is the ultimate goal. Like PSA vinyl decals, water slides are fully treated with our 4-step proprietary process and can be clear-coated over.

We offer water slide decals up to a size limit of about 2.5" in length and width or diameter, however we can allow some exceptions. Water slides also have a cost premium over a similar size PSA vinyl decal. The reason for this is explained here. Click on the button below for detailed instructions on the application of our water slide decals.

Vinyl graphics is a decal or graphic created by cutting vinyl on a special machine designed for precision cutting and plotting. It is one of the core technologies for the custom sign business, but it is also very useful for letter and numbers that are frequently applied to models. With vinyl graphics there is no carrier between the letters or numbers, so in that sense it has the best "painted on" appearance.

There are some limitations however. At Cal-Grafx we do not build up multiple layers of cut vinyl because you quickly lose the painted-on look. Therefore, with rare exceptions, only a single color is available for a vinyl graphics decal, however, many individual colors are available.

Vinyl graphics are applied using a temporary tape or "transfer tape" that keeps all the individual elements (letters, numbers, etc.) together in the proper alignment until they are on the model. After placement, the tape is removed and discarded. Letters and numbers that are a single color and 1/2" height or larger are excellent candidates for vinyl graphics. For smaller characters, either of the other two media described above can be used.