Decal advice

Tools, Techniques, and Reference Materials Decaling
1

Hello to all,

I have some Testors decal bonder. After I spray it on, do I still have to soak it in my water solution? Also, I have several decals that are no good. Where can I go to get a posable replacement? Mostly star wars, but I have a few kits on the shelf from the 80’s to 90’s that I want to start on in WWII.

Thanks,

D.

2

Testors decal bonder is primarily used as a sealer when you print your own decals. It’s sprayed over the printed decal to prevent the ink from running when you immerse them in water.

Yes, you will still have to soak the decals in water as usual when applying the decals.

When you say “no good”, what exactly do you mean?

  • If they are yellowed, this can often be reversed by placing them in a clear plastic bag and taping it printed side out to a window. This will gradually fade out the yellowing.
  • If they are cracking/disintegrating when you try to use them, spray a coat of your decal bonder and allow to dry before dipping them.

Depending on how your kits have been stored, the decals should be ok. I recently built a kit which had been sitting in the stash since at least the mid-80’s and the decals were fine (a little silvering but that’s probably more my fault).