HOW IT WORKS

Dry-transfer decals work on the principle of "Differential Transfer"

It might look complicated but it's really a very simple process. To make a successful dry-transfer you only need to manipulate two different adhesives - one applied to each side of the graphic. The bottom of the image has the stronger of the two so when the image is rubbed down on the target surface the clear "carrier film" is able to let go of the graphic without damaging the image in the process.

NOTE: If you don't see the "player" below right away, please give our server a few seconds to pre-load from our separate streaming video server. You may not see the first frame of the video clip so just click on "PLAY" to begin.

There are 9 quick steps to make a full-color, dry-transfer, pressure sensitive graphic in under 10 minutes.

1) Remove Moisture
2) Apply Clearcoat
3) Remove Excess
4) Clean Surfaces
5) Bond the Carrier
6) Water Bath
7) Dry the Graphic
8) Apply Adhesive
9) Transfer graphic

With these amazing foils, you can convert any printed graphic or text using any ordinary black-toner laser printer (or copier) into white, gray, black, 2 holographic effects or any of the12 real metallic foil colors. (There is even a "clear" foil for adding a true "sealer" over a full-color imge!) It's actually quite amazing and simple to use.The graphic doesn't even have to be a computer generated image. You coould just as easily sign your name on a white piece of paper and using a copier, convert the signature to a "toner-reprodudtion", convert it to cobalt metallic blue and make the transfer to a round golfball. The entire process is very simple and extremely versitle!

Going back to our first example for a moment, take a quick look at the effects of "Differential Transfer" on the carrier...

Once the decal touches the target surface, the adhesive under the decal image has a much stronger bond to the new surface than does the decal to the mylar carrier with its light "static-cling" bond that was created in the above "STEP 1". This is the "differential" in adhesion that makes the process work so well.

After the image has been rubbed down, the carrier is peeled back and discarded. The spray adhesive under the decal image is stronger than the "static-cling" holding the decal to the mylar sheet, so it will win out and the image has to let go of the carrier.

Notice the frosted sillouette created around the areas where the decal letters used to be on the carrier before it was peeled back. The spray adhesive stays on the clear mylar carrier as it is being peeled back because adhesives always have a stronger bond to what they are applied to first!

You can make all three "types" of images with the DecalPRO system; white, color and metallic. Use a B&W laser printer (or photo-copier) for making all white & metallic decals, and Color laser printer (or color copier) for full color decals.

Putting Color Toner Images on DARK or BLACK Target Surfaces!

Up to this point, we've been showing you color images that have been put on light colored surfaces (eg. white cardboard and a soft yellow as shown on the bottle above) however, this is cheating a little bit. Color toner by its very nature must be printed on white paper in order to see vibrant color. If you were to put a yellow piece of paper into a color printer and print a bright RED square, your result will be a very stunning ORANGE! If you will take a peek again at the two images above where we are applying the adhesive and then then applying the image to the decorative yellow toned bottle, notice the shade difference in the green leaves of the graphic before and after the mage is transferred to the bottle. There is a definite color shift.

The reason is, the 4 toner colors (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) are EXTREMELY thin. Because of this, they have no 'body'. They are so thin in fact, that they don't even reflect light directly. Light actually passes mostly between the toner particles, hits the white background (eg. a white piece of paper that the image was printed on) and then as it is reflecting off the white paper, it's tinted by the toner color and eventually makes it back to your eye. It's such a neat trick that you'd swear you are seeing pure vibrant color... but you aren't! So, if you need to put an image on a dark or even black background, how do we get vibrant color? Simple... put the same white foil (WhiteTRF) that we've used before to turn black toner white UNDER the toner.One of the more advanced DecalPRO techniques involves putting a full color image on target surface that is not white. In the picture above, we made two identical columns of colored text. The right side is plain toner on the black background, however, the left side has had the "trick" performedIf the background is black as shown above, you can see just how much.

So how do you get access to the bottom of the toner you ask? ... print it in "mirror"! In the DecalPRO starter kit there is a set of full color graphics, half of which have already been printed in reverse so you can practice this technique right out of the box. (Actually, you need to practice the simpler techiques first, but after gaining proficiency, then you'd tackle this technique). As shown above, you see two identical columns of color "words". The right side shows how transparent color toner actually is. The left column was printed in reverse so we could apply the white foil UNDER the toner.

This next video clip shows the complete process for putting a full color logo on a drinking glass. Unless you want a transparent image, full color graphics on glass must also have a white reflector applied to the back of the toner image. The same white foil used to turn black toner white is used here to create a reflector for the back of the color image. (The player below may take a minute for it to show up as it pre-loads the "flash" video clip).

The "starter kit" (loocated under the COMPONENTS button above) contains two specially prepared, pre-printed pages on our special transfer paper, ready for you to be able to start practicing with the system immediatley out of the box. One of the two sheets is shown here on the right.

In the above sample set of images (that are included in the kit) the bottom half is a duplicate of the top half except they are printed in reverse. We did this so you have images to practice doing "reflective" graphics.

When you run this video clip you'll see we used the reversed (mirrored) Apple logo. In the menu above there is a button for "TEST IMAGES". Here you can print more of these very high resolution logos for extended practice sessions with your starter kit, and if you have Adobe Illustrator or Corel-Draw (illustration type programs) you can download the raw files to be able to change specific colors and sizes without any change in resolution.

"TOP-10" Features & Capabilities
*1. COLOR TONER ON BLACK BACKGOUNDS*	A very simple process to be able to actually apply a white reflective pigment foil under just the color toner image allowing the think color toner image to maintain total color vibrancy as if it were printed on white paper! We're taling something that has never been done before.
*2. COLORIZE BLACK TONER*	Easily convert regular old black toner into any true metallic shade, pure white, gray, super-black with one quick step thanks to 19 very special foils for doing special effects on your graphic image, albiet text or graphics - whatever your laser printer or copier can print out.
*3. REAL "DRY TRANSFER"*	Rub down your custom made decal to just about any surface. You can even make a decal transfer perfectly to a Teflon coated frying pan!
*4. NO CARRIER*	No visible means for securing the transferred image. This is what separates our process for ALL water-slide types of decals. Graphics made with our "DecalPRO" system do not require any sort of permanent, visible "carrier" to remain with the image. Once applied, anyone viewing your work will not be able to tell how it was done... it's that good of a result.
*5. NO RESIDUE*	No signs of residual adhesive around the decal. Even though we are working with a spray adhesive, the technique is setup in such a way as to prevent any residual adhesive from transferring to the 'target' location. If by chance some did, which can happen on some exotic materials, it can easily be removed with plain old denatured alcohol without damaging the transferred image. It's like pure magic!
*6. SCRATCH RESISTANT*	Extremely thin decal images inherently resist scratching. Another feature of using DecalPRO. We're talking about a graphic that is the thickness of the toner plus a micro-thin foil "top coat" and an equally thin amount of adhesive. It's so thin that you are hard pressd to be able to run your fingers over the image and barely detect its presence.
*7. REMOVABLE*	Denatured alcohol will remove a decal that was accidentaly put in the wrong location without harming delicate plastics. This is part of the beauty of the system, to use an adhesive that can be removed by a chemical that won't harm any surfaces. That's a neat trick and is just part of the overall "neatness" that makes up the DecalPRO system.
*8. FAST*	Average time from start to finish, under 5 minutes. Granted, your first attemps will take a few minutes longer only because there is a bit of a learning curve since this process is quite unique, however, after you get your feet wet, they go quite fast. Even the most difficult technique of applying a white foil UNDER a color toner image, only takes about 6 minutes to do.
*9. LOW START-UP COSTS*	Startup costs are generally considered quite low. Even though the kit is not expensive at $89.85, you will need a few other "support" items, namely a good laminator, paper cutter and a hot-air gun. Some customers already have one of the laminators that will work with this sytem. If not, you are looking at about $70 for a good "pouch laminator". We sell what we feel is the best laminator for the money from GBC called the "Personal" model but there are others out there what will also work fine. The paper cutter is another item needed. All you need is any 9" model from Staples, Office Depot, Office Max or look on the web for great private deals on eBay.
*10. TOTAL CUSTOMER SUPPORT*	We maintain communication with you for any problem you might encounter along the way. We are only a phone call or mouse click away. The web site will be our main "center of attention" for all new tricks, tips and techniques as well as trouble shooting ideas along the way.

Are there any limitations to DecalPRO?
Well, a couple, but then again... doesn't everything?

#1: No INKJET or WAX printers!

This process requires the use of either a laser printer or a photo-static copier. Both use "toner" which is imparitive becasue of the plastic property of toner and the fact that it is also waterproof! You can, however, you use an ink-jet printer, but only indirectly. By that we mean you would make your B&W or color printout on regular white paper as a "master" printout then make a duplicate on the blue TTS transfer paper using a photo-copier. (Don't confuse the new 'breed' of scanner/ink-jet printer "combo units" to be the same as a conventional "toner-based" copier. Yes they are copiers - they they are NOT "toner-based" which makes al the difference! When ever we speak of a "copier" we are referring to the conventional, toner-based "photo-static" type of device that uses powdered toner.

#2: Maximum Image Size:

The maximum decal size Is about 7-1/2" x 10". Even though the paper is 8-1/2" x 11 "letter-size", your actual maximum printable area by your printer is about 1/2" less all around giving you a maximum printing area of about 8" x 10-1/2". Since there must be a 1/4" wide temporary master border all around the graphic image, your usable size comes down another 1/2" to 7-1/2" x 10". This example is for making one very large graphic, of course, you can make a lot of smaller ones and still keep just one master border around all smaller graphics that can be cut away and transferred separately at a later time.