Can anyone help me out on this one please? This is the situation:

Yesterday i finished painting my 1/48 Focke Wulf 190 (first aircraft kit ive build in 3 - 4 years)and started applying the decals. For the very first time in my life i used the Testor' s Decal Application System; i.e. a small bottle of Decal Solvent and a small bottle for general use. I followed the instructions mentioned on the back side of these bottles, so i thought everything went well, but............
After a good night sleep, i took a look at the model and saw that there was air underneath every, i repeat, every decal !!!!!!!!
Even after making some small holes in them and "repainting" them with the Decal system, the air wont go!
I really dont know what i did wrong. I'd really appriciate some info/advise on how to solve this problem and how to apply decals properly in the future.

Thanks in advance

Dolf

I use Micro Set and Sol, not Testors, but it should be the same idea. First of all, unless you are trying to get the decal to conform around a difficult shape, I wouldn't use the solvent, just the setting soloution. The solvent tends to wrinkle the decals, in my experience.
As to what you might have done wrong, I'm not really sure. Did you press down on the decal with a paper towel afterwards to get rid of the excess water? Did you apply the decal on a glossy surface?

Nic

Sounds like you may need a stronger setting solution in this case. I'd suggest Solvaset, as your decals sound pretty stubborn. Just be sure to use it sparingly, as Solvaset is quite a bit 'hotter' than Micro Sol/Set or the Testors solvents. This should take care of the problem - remember, the will wrinkel during the application of Solvaset, but after the solution dries, the decals will straighten back out and conform to the surface.

HTH-

Hi Thor,

Did you make sure you had a nice glossy surface for the decals to adhere to?

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Hmmm...........i see "glossy surface" mentoined a couple of times. Is that necessary for good adhesion of the decals? If so, do i use humbrol number 135 (satin varnish) or humbrol number 35 (clear poly) for that?
And do you give the entire aircraft a gloss coat, or just the parts where the decals are going to be (same question for the final matt varnish coat)?

I know, alot of questions, but i can see that my modelling skills are improving rapidly with all your advise, so ill keep asking

Thanks,

Dolf

Giving the enitire aircraft a gloss coat (some use Future floor polish, I use Testors gloss clear lacquer) is a good idea if you are going to apply a wash. It flows better on a glossy surface. If you don't do a wash, or prefer the wash on a dull surface, you may just shine up the areas where the decals will go.

Nic

I tend to gloss everything. As mentioned, a wash works better on gloss. Seond, by glossing everything, if the gloss has any tinting effect, it will be uniform. Much has been written about the need for a glossy surface to decal anything with any amount of carrier film. The short answer is that flat paint has many tiny bumps and your decal just can't settle into all of these. The glossier the surface, the fewer bumps you decal will have to conform to. Some suggest a second gloss coat before the final dull coat. That's up to you. You might want to be careful about Future if you're using solvents for the decals. Some MAY cause discoloration problems. While it's a bummer your decals got messed up, the good news is there are plnety of after market decals for German aircraft.

Gloss surface is very important for decals. Also, multiple layers of decal solution is recommendet so that the decal will soften and look like painted. After you're done, apply a matt coat.

As said above, a glossy surface is the best, but semi-gloss may work as well.

Reason being that the Surface over the paint gets smoothed out therefore creating a flatter surface for the decals to lay on.

If, after applying the decals, you want to make the model flat colored (like with tanks etc) you simply add a final layer of flat or semi-gloss coat, this way you get the flat volor and you also happen to seal in the decals, which is important too.

As for the stuff to use for applying decals, there are several. I use Microscale Microset with good effect, but it can also be done with vinegar, because that's what it is essentially. I also have the testors decal set and it smells the same as the above, so it probably is the same stuff.

Lemme know if there are more ?s.

Cheers,

I've never really had any trouble putting decals on a non-glossy surface, and I use plain old water.hmm...

I never have had a problem with setting decals on on gloss surface.Try polishing
the areas lighty with 1000 grit wet and dry or a very abrasive tooth paste ( the cheaper
the better) This requires a lite touch as either can burn through easliy. For those
of us that build combat aircraft also , this works well on those rounded wings and
fuselage surfaces.

ponysoldier

The Horse the Gun The Man

Sancho--I used to decal this way, too, and I thought they looked all right (and I guess they did), but after trying decaling on a glossy surface using a decal setting solution, the end product is noticably better. The decal seems to become part of the model, even those thick Tamiya ones. It is better, and decal set and gloss coat isn't that expensive, so I recommend you try it.

Nic