Just a quick one for you. I’ve AB’d my first Future coat-how long do I need to leave the Future until I apply the decals?
Tbh it looks like it almost dried instantly but I’m sure thats not the case!
I’m planning on soaking the decals in Decalfx then putting them on. When dry I’ll apply another coat of Future and add my washes-I’m doing this the right way aren’t I?
I’m also thinking od putting a couple of tiny dots of Umber oil paint by the pistol ports etc and dragging the paint down on top of the future with a tiny brush ala rust runs. If I do this will my final dull coat be ok on top of the oil paint or is there a better way of doing this?
If you have used Enamel paint and are doing an oil wash, i would give another coat of future and make sure its well covered. I didn’t with my Ostwind and paid the price. You shouldn’t need to leave the future that long, i find an hour or 2 is enough. I don’t bother with another coat of future over the decals as the wash won’t harm them.
I am not sure what decalfix is, i use Microsol and Micro Set. If yours is the same stuff, then no, use water as normal. For the stuff i use, i put the decal in water, then when ready i touch the back of the paper the decal is on onto some tissue to soak up access. I add a touch on the decal solution to where i need it then add the decal, once happy i add a bit more solution then leave for a bit.
‘Decalfix’ is made by Humbrol. It’s their version of Micro-Sol I think, it just softens the decal and prevents silvering. The Humbrol modellers tip book suggests immersing the decal in Decalfix instead of water too.
Anyway, making progress, my AB is working very well for a cheapy single action job-the Shurzen sprayed beautifully!
Bish: I’m not planning on an oil wash, just a dot filter for a few rust streaks.
I have 19 road wheels to paint now-I’ve done the centres so it’s just the rubbers (I can’t wait)!
Letting the Future dry 1-2 hours before applying the decals should be fine. Unlike Bish, I do recommend a 2nd sealing application for the decals. Depending on how heavy or aggressive you get with the weathering and washes, decals that aren’t sealed can develop silvering, lift off, or tear/damage in the process when you least expect it. I always seal my decals with a 2nd Future application to avoid this has it has happened to me in the past when I didn’t…different manufacturers’ decals vary in terms of quality and vulnerability and it’s always better to be safe than sorry IMHO. After I apply the 2nd coat, I let that cure up nice and hard overnight at a minimum before beginning any serious weathering efforts. Granted, when I apply dot filters I’m using raw thinner and repeated strokes with a square tipped brush and it’s that type of action that can be tough on unprotected decals based on my experience. I use Walther’s Solvaset to get the decals to snug down as I’ve found it to be perfect for even the most complex/tough surfaces to work with.
Well i have never heard that one about decal solutions. The instructions on set and sol say to imerse the decals in water.
I take it for the dot filtering you are useing terps or white spirit or somthing similar. If so and you have used enamel paint, be certain the future coat is total. If you have used acrylics and only used fiuture to apply your decals then its not so important.
I’ve applied the decals after leaving the Future coat for 2 hours. When the decals dried I used a brush to apply another layer of Future over the decals.
Bish: I was going to use Humbrol enamel thinners-iirc it’s all I have. I was going to use a paper clip bent open to put a spot near each pistol port and use a fine enamel soaked brush to ‘pull’ the rust streak down a bit. Will this be ok?
I was going to do a couple of standard enamel washes over the future but I’e now thought ‘why not use MIG pigments with MIG thinner for washes too’?
If I use a MIG pigment wash and let it dry overnight will it react adversly to the dull coat when I finally apply it?
I never applied decal solutions like that, i always add mine when the decal is still wet as its meant to soften the decal and pull it down tighter, but if that has worked for you, thats all that counts. As for your other questions, afraid i am not to sure, hopefully someone else can help. For rust streaks i use orange oil paint neat, and just pull it down. As for the MiG, i have never used them but instead use pastel chalks which are best applied last as the dull coat makes it vanish. Those more knowing in MiG’s should be able to help.
I’ll leave the pigments until after the dull coat. I was planning on using them dry after the dullcoat anyway following good old Tony’s advice so they have something to grab onto but I’m wondering will the dullcoat make the pigment wash go ‘funny’? I can’t put the thinner for washes over the dullcoat can I?
After this I’m switching to Acrylics-especially now my AB is working!
I’m building a DML 1/35 Brummbar, just like Tony is. As a newbie he’s been a great help to me on this build.
wbill76 Being new to both useing future and adding washers ( 3 kits so far) i haven’t had this problem (yet). Thanks for your comments, i know when to listen to experiance when given and i will start adding that extra coat from next time. After the dramas with my Ostwind, i figure its best not to take chances.
Mig’s thinner for washes is also enamel based so you aren’t really doing anything different there vs. using regular enamel paint washes. You are running a risk though that the pigment will disappear and/or be muted by the dull coat when you apply that. I would recommend applying the pigments after the dull coat and also that you not use the Mig thinner as it will interact with the lacquer-based dullcoat. Instead what I do is use ordinary tap water as a ‘fixer’ for the pigments if that’s what you’re after in terms of effect.
Remember that you aren’t in an either/or situation…using washes, then dull coating, then using pigments can provide you with a lot more flexibility and depth to your finish than if you just use only one method or another. [;)]
Bish, I work virtually exclusively with enamels and enamel-based thinners so results can vary when talking about acrylics. For example, Karl (doog) works with acrylics all the time and doesn’t use Future at all but instead has developed his own method for working with decals and decal setting solutions that doesn’t require it. More than one way to skin a cat of course! Since Ben is working exclusively with enamels my advice is tailored to that set of circumstances and shouldn’t be necessarily construed as a universal. [;)]
I normally use enamels also, only now and again will i use acrylics on armour. The problem i had with my Ostwind was that i did not cover the model completly with the future. There were no decals so that wasn’t an issue. Then i applied an oil wash and … well, sure you can guess.
For that reason alone i am now going to make extra sure my future cover is complete, and i might just as well add a second coat after the decals as before them. And on thinking about it, as i use gloss enamels anyway, i could just add it after the decals and not before
Bish - I work in acrylics, mainly Tamiya and Poly Scale but I still use the Future…Future…Decals…Future Sealcoat…washes…dullcoat…pigments.
I have tried the Doog method which works fine for smaller decals but I find the larger stars, vehicle numbers or “turret art” work best with the future method.
I have done one armour kit in Tamiya acrylics since i started doing washers, and i did use the same methods as with the enamels. And if i make any changes to the method with one paint type, i will do the same with the other, where the paint allows. The only difference will be that i will add my decals straight to the enamel paint then future, this will just save one layer.