SirFrancis
Airman 1st Class
- 166
- Feb 10, 2022
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I've done that in the past with the Microscale Gloss to save decals that would explode on hitting water. Use a Decal from the sheet that wasn't going to be used to test.When making your own decals with decal paper on the computer, two coats of clear coating from a spray can seals the decal. I have wondered if old decals should have a coat before soaking. My own experience is two coats as per the instructions for making the decals is best because I decided on one I was making needed to be more sturdy for application, and put seven coats. The application thickness shows and should be removed and remade, but I'm lazy.
Sounds like you have an oldish kit and the decals will have dried out over time. With old decals it is best to give them a brush coat or two of a Liquid Decal Film, I use Microscale. This forms a sort of membrane over the decals and helps to hold them together. To be honest, if I have any doubt about the age of the decals even if I have just purchased the kit, I will give the decals a coat of the film just to be on the safe side.
I bought the kit a few weeks ago 'new' from an online model shop. The decal sheet looked new, no aged look to them at all. I've got plenty of old kits and know what old decals look like.Sounds like you have an oldish kit and the decals will have dried out over time. With old decals it is best to give them a brush coat or two of a Liquid Decal Film, I use Microscale. This forms a sort of membrane over the decals and helps to hold them together. To be honest, if I have any doubt about the age of the decals even if I have just purchased the kit, I will give the decals a coat of the film just to be on the safe side.
Hi Wojtek, so is this the same as clear gloss paint? I don't understand how the decals don't become stuck to the backing sheet if glossed over? Clearly they don't as you do it, but I'm mystified....I agree with Vic and all posted above. The main reason for a such issue with decal markings is the time the decal sheet was printed. Also the conditions of storaging may affect the decals. Addtionally the kind and thickness of the paint coat used for printing can have the impact on. A couple of yours ago I discussed about the issue with Terry to whom I sent decals that seemed to be new. Unfortunately the decal markings got apart while soaking.Actually there should have been any reason for that because a week earlier my mate here had used the same decal sheet from the same series and these were applied without any problems. So I concluded that this might have been the chemical composition of water. Possible the water "ingridients" of the water in Poland and the UK could be different. Anyway the best solution to the problem is applying of a clear gloss coat at the entire sheet like S special ed mentioned that. No matter how old the decal sheet is. In the way the decal markings are always protected against the cracking and falling apart. Just a note .. although the clear gloss coat may be both of the acrylic and oil kind I would suaggest the oil one. The varnish is more elastic/flexible than the acrylic one. Personally I use the Humbrol non yellowish oil Gloss Cote. It may be applied both with a brush and airbrush.
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