dry transfer or waterslide?

Transfers are easier but you should try the stamp first. If your ink is water base you can wipe any mistakes off with a damp cloth, if solvent base mineral spirits will remove it.

Pete

as stupid as this sounds, I don't have a piece of glass to practice with. Any other ideas?

You need something flat to roll the ink on to begin with. Metal or plastic would work.

Then stamp any other flat surface even wood but best if you use the engine itself. I have wiped off 100 bad stamps. Its all part of the learning process. You really can’t damage the engine. Just wipe it off right away.

Pete

Cool. You renewed my faith just a little bit. I'll give it a try. Yes I can wipe it off.   And here's unprepared hobbyist problem number two. I don't have a roller either. This  may sound trivial, but I live way out in the Sticks so it's not very easy for me to just stop at a Hobby Lobby. Because they don't exist. I think I've read that I can spread it out with a razor blade or something to that effect  to get an even layer. I appreciate the input

You want to spread the ink very thin and evenly. I think I got my rubber roller from Olsens when I bought the ink but check your local hardware or home store for a wall paper seam roller or similar. They may be wood or plastic but should work better than a razor blade. If you can find a rubber one even better.

https://www.amazon.com/Rubber-...TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

Pete

Great. It's not like I NEED this done today. I'll wait till I get to a town and get a roller. I appreciate it.

So then I should also go to Vinny's or somewhere and get a piece of glass to do this on?

Here is an example of waterslide and dry transfer.

UI 1847 is dry transfer.  The rest are waterslide.  I think waterslide is easier.  To do the dry transfer, I put the numbers backwards and reversed on a piece of scotch tape aligned with the top of the tape.  Then I applied the tape to the model and started to rub the tape/numbers with dull pencil.  Then I removed the tape.