This really does a good job and if you are interested in transferring
images to wood or metal you should at least test it out.

Using decal paper with ink jet printers presents some problems;

1- Ink jet inks will fade in time if they receive direct sunlight
2- The inks are transparent. Put them on anything that isn't white and
your image is worthless.
3- Handling and smoothing out a large water slide decal can be difficult.

This method overcomes these problems;

1-Print your decal in reverse [mirror image]
2- Give it an even spray of Krylon clear to seal the ink if you are
going to use a brush in the next step.
3- Give it a thin, even coat of white acrylic paint. Test on a small
piece first if you use spray can paint.
4- Use an acrylic glue, I use Minwax's Polycrylic, to glue the decal down
5- Put the decal paper paint side down on the wet glue.
6- You want to avoid air bubbles, so I roll it with one of those little
wooden wheels that wallpaperers use on
seams. Have a damp rag ready to wipe off the Polycrylic that is
sqooshed out.
7- Give the glue some time to dry and then soak the backing paper until
you can slide it off. Wipe off the decal with water and you are done.

You will see your correct image through the paper and it will look as
good as any other decal. The inks will be behind the decal paper and
under your finish and will have added protection from fading.

Decal paper for color copiers- This is the best to use because the inks
are permanent, but they don't print white so follow the steps above.

Decal paper- Be sure you get the really thin decal paper. Use it and
after your finish coats are on, you won't be able to tell by feeling or
seeing that a decal was applied.

I'd like to add a note about "acrylic image transfer". As far as I am
concerned, this was "discovered" by a kid in one of my art classes back
in the early 1960s when acrylic paint was first coming into use as an
art medium.
It was a case of serendipity at it's best and I used it in art projects
until I retired.

Here's another thing you can do with this method by using any any thin
cellophane or plastic sheets you can find that you can brush Elmer's
Washable School Gel on. You can buy a small bottle anywhere school
supplies are sold.

Thin the Elmers with water about 25% or a little more. Brush a thin,
even coat on the cellophane and let dry.

Run it through your ink jet printer and get a print on it. Print your
image in reverse. The Elmers accepts the ink..
Put a thin coat of white paint on it.
Glue it paint side down.
Everything is the same as before. The Elmers dries clear and you see the
image through the cellophane.