Not expecting any response from this because it is an obscure problem nobody has had to deal with or likely any experience with, so just thanks for reading.
 
I've bastardized a 65 dollar strat copy kit to up there in lights with every mod needed, physical and circuit beyond. Killer boutique axe now.
Local music store wants to take it on consignment, but got to get a custom logo on the head.
 
Doing waterslide decals, print on special paper, seal surface with acrylic spray, try to apply following soaking procedures that I'm getting better at after many failures.
 
Looks good til it dries and then the "silvering" from microscopic bubbles under the surface making it look like trash.
 
Have done vinegar prep. Have done Future floor shine prep. Experimenting with commercial Micro-set and Micro-Sol prep. Have picked the brains of every 6 year old model master I can find and it still won't lie down straight.
 
Surface is polyurathane thick enough to be "gloss" by requited standard.
 
Any ideas from anyone familiar with the technology? Have no idea what I am doing wrong.
 
John
 

This is a Spacey question.

I can only think of a couple of things. One, make sure that the surface you are applying the decal on is clean - no oils. It sounds like you have been trying several things and that might make the situation worse. Another thing you can try is to put a drop or two if liquid soap in the water to help the decal slide off the paper and onto the surface. Also make sure you put some water on the surface the decal is being applied to. Once in place, smooth out with a towel. The setting solution should take care of setting the decal into place. Usually the problems you describe come from applying a decal to a flat painted (as opposed to glossy) surface, but that doesn't sound like the problem here.
 
Good luck!

Thanks Mandolin,
 
Have to try again the dish soap drop and maybe get the proportions right. Beginning to think it might even be the quality of the paper or too thick a gloss coating to cover the ink.
 
Saw an interesting note on Micro-Set setting solution which has no ingredients listed on the homepage or bottle and people trying to figure out what's in the secret formula. Then some guy's kid got the bottle and drank it. Poison Control scrambled and told the guy not to worry. Contents were just vinegar, detergent and water.
 
Back to the drawing board.
 
John
 

JohnKenn
Saw an interesting note on Micro-Set setting solution which has no ingredients listed on the homepage or bottle and people trying to figure out what's in the secret formula. Then some guy's kid got the bottle and drank it. Poison Control scrambled and told the guy not to worry. Contents were just vinegar, detergent and water.
 

Well, I guess that is one way to find out what stuff is made of, although I don't think I would recommend it.

I've had the same issue with decals. It seems to be an issue with the decal sheet material used by less expensive ink jet printers. I had some made on a very expensive commercial printer and they came out fine. They also cost me $25 per decal.

John,
I think I am getting okay print from a generic Cannon as far as the logo looking good. The text comes out fine. Problem I'm having is getting the decal to merge flat enough to not haze underneath and make the end product look like crap. Possibly like you said the quality of the waterslide paper. I've burned up about any other possibility causing my screw ups.
Did one of these few years ago and came out perfect first time, beginner's luck.
Something I'm doing wrong, and trying to rule out the points of failure as incompetence is closing in on me. Luckily they are easy to peel off and getting slowly better with practice. Just not there yet.
John