Instrument decals....

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B-17engineer

Colonel
14,949
65
Dec 9, 2007
Revis Island.
Hey guys was curious how do you cut out the individual dials? And how do you go about applying them? My P-51B has an instrument decal and I'd like to give it a try.

Thanks a bunch
 
You can use a punch and die set, but they're expensive, or you can very carefully cut around each instrument decal with a scalpel. Very often, the complete instrument panel decal will bed down and conform to raised surface detail with the use of Micro Sol or similar. Depends on the kit though. For example, Hasegawa decals seem to work, whereas Airfix from the 1990s are printed on a very 'stiff' carrier film, and don't work very well.
 
I'd do a test with one of the decals from the kit you're not going to use to see if it conforms to raised detail well with solvset, then do like Terry said and apply the entire decal. if it doesn't conform you can sand off the raised detail and apply the decal to the new flattened surface. Too much room for error trying to cut them out by hand and applying then without loosing any.
 
Right but the decals don't look right, they'll go on fine, I know but maybe just dry brushing..there's a good article on ARC about dry brushing.
 
Soaking: Hold the decal with fine tweezers, dip the cut decal in water, then take it out immediately and set onto a dish. Usually enough water comes with it to form a bit of a drop from which removal of the decal is easy.

I find cutting them easiest by cutting a square around the circle first, then cut the corners from the square to get an octogon. That's usually enough to get the circular pattern and more than enough trimming for 1/48 scale.
 
Appreciate the tip Andy!

Will probably try that. I have to of the same kit and decal sheet so if I eff up I can try again and dry brush or whatever on the next P-51B.
 
Hi Pete,

Today I tried it out and I did what Andy (Crimea River) said..... cut the decal a square, then carefully, carefully, cut an octagon out of them. Then what I did different is dipped my very fine tipped tweezers iin water touched the decals and let it sit for 15 seconds then with the now dried tip move the decal back and fourth till it stuck to the tweezer bottom then just placed it where I wanted.
 
Andy's method is how I do it! you must be very careful though you don't get a second chance.....Sometimes I will trim 2 or 3 to fit an area if I can get away with it! Also once set a small dob of gloss clear to simulate the glass...
 
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