Decals for the Holidays
By Tom Ellis and Lauren Bradley
Thompson carries a wide variety of decal images for use in making unique jewelry and decorative housewares such as trays, shallow bowls and light switch covers.
For Halloween there are skulls, witches, black cats, spider webs, ghosts and haunted houses. For Thanksgiving there are pumpkins, trees and leaves. For Christmas there are Snowflakes, and Christmas trees. Of course there are also many other images options for any time of the year.
To use the decals, first pick a copper piece suitable for the size and shape of the decal. Next, pick colors that will contrast with the color of the decal. For instance, there are metallic gold Christmas trees that would look great against a dark green or rich red for the background.
Coat and fire the back and front of the copper piece. File or stone the edges clean to the copper.
Cut out the decal you are going to use from the decal sheet. Soak the cut decal in warm water for 2 to 5 minutes until the decal image on a gel surface separates from the paper.
Carefully slide the wet decal onto the fired enamel surface. Keep it wet until you have it positioned where you want it. Pat dry with a paper towel, then using paper the thickness of a matchbook cover carefully squeegee out any remaining water with the stiff paper.
Place the piece on a trivet and dry on top of the kiln or under a heat lamp, until thoroughly dry.
This next step is crucial and if ommitted can cause the decal to fire speckled with breaks in the decal image. The decal on the enamel needs to be heated hot enough to burn out the organic material in the decal gel. This is done by placing into a kiln that has been heated to only 750 degrees F. Leave in the kiln for approximately 2 to 3 minutes, then remove from kiln and set to one side. Increase the temperature to 1450 degrees F. and when that temperature is reached, fire the decal on enamel for 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds, then remove and let cool. File or polish edges if desired.
If firing decals onto a bowl or tray, the time in the 750 degree F. step may need to be extended by a minute or two. The actual firing of the decal may need to be extended to 1-1/2 to 2 minutes at 1450 degrees F.
Firing times and temperatures are meant as a guide. Not everyone’s pyrometers read exactly the same. Some may be a little hotter, and some a little cooler. Minor adjustments to your own equipment may be necessary, if there are any problems with your results.
For gold metallic decals rub a little mild toothpaste over the fired decal to burnish and brighten the gold.
Happy Holidays Decal Making!
The EMC-Enamel Marking Crayons and PEMC-Mechanical Pencil Crayons are temporarily discontinued.
We are working on the issue in making these 2 products and hope to have them back in production very soon!
Sorry for the inconvenience.
