Decal print disaster, what am I doing wrong?

[Weaver]

If you spray it with clear varnish, tape it to a firm surface first (I use a sheet of aluminium), otherwise there's a chance it'll curl as it dries.

...what IMHO indicates that you used too much varnish or fixative, because it affected the carrying paper under the decal film. From my experience, a thin "hush" with varnish is enough to fixate the ink. You just have to be careful later when you put the decal into water that it stays afloat at the surface, so that the paper soaks wet only from underneath, while the decal film stays above the surface and dry - at least with the decal paper I use. It becomes wet almost instantaneously, and then I place it quickly on the model and slide the decal film over to the surface. Delicate, but the best method I have found out so far.

Almost certainly the case, but since the varnish comes out of a rattle can, I don't have much choice about the heaviness of the coat.

I have one of those decal trays with a perforated inner tray that you can use to lift the decals out whether they sink or not. It's very good.

[PR19_Kit]

another tip i can give you is to spray the decalpaper with a fin layer of clear matt coating before using it.

In my  experience that's NOT a good idea.

I read that many years ago when I started doing my own decals and it didn't work for me worth a light. All the prints came out with very fuzzy demarcations to the various colour areas. Nowadays I use the decal paper just as it comes out of the packet.

[zenrat]

Print first, coat second.

[Dizzyfugu]

Almost certainly the case, but since the varnish comes out of a rattle can, I don't have much choice about the heaviness of the coat.

You still have, through distance and motion - and better two layers too than than one too thick!

[The Rat]

Thanks everyone, I'll keep trying. 

[Weaver]

Almost certainly the case, but since the varnish comes out of a rattle can, I don't have much choice about the heaviness of the coat.

You still have, through distance and motion - and better two layers too than than one too thick!

Or you can just tape it to a board inside 5 minutes... 

[zenrat]

Tried this set up today.  Enough water in the tray so the top of the sponge was wet but not floating.  It worked very well.  Far better than my previous method of just dropping the transfers into the water.

Spungg by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

I just grabbed a fresh washing up sponge from the garage but it does have large holes which could be an issue with very tiny transfers.  A piece of finer cell foam rubber might be better.

[The Rat]

That looks good! 

[The Rat]

Still having trouble. Using the recommended settings got around the problem of ink spread, but the colours are rather washed out. Also, the decals tend to curl upward away from the surface, even with setting solution. I'm going to keep trying, but might have to start a gofundme to buy all the decal paper for practising.