When placing decals on canopies, how do you set them? With normal decals you put dullcoat over them but on canopies they’ll glaze over. Would re-dipping them in future cause the decals to slide off? Any ideas?
I suggest you experiment with a spare decal and canopy, or piece of clear acetate plastic, such as from a pack of batteries, etc.
I do not automatically put either dull or gloss coat on decals, I simply use whichever type of coating I want for a finish, and half the time I use a satin (semi-gloss) finish anyway, since most military aircraft start out glossy and wind up oxidized to a semi-dull finish, or start out with a matt finish and wind up getting somewhat polished here and there due to the mechanic’s/armorer’s/fuel man’s coveralls and hoses rubbing them, or from friction with particles in the air, etc.
The decals all look the same when I am finished, except the fine white powder in the dull-coat tends to lighten them up a little, which can be good for a weathered effect, unless you are touchy about the exact shade the decal happens to be when you first apply it.
Tom [C):-)]
I’d first apply Future to the canopy and let it dry. Then apply the decal using Future as the set. After that was dry, I’d give the whole thing another quick dip in Future to seal it all up.
Decals anywhere else on the model can be sealed in with Future after they are applied, as well. I don’t use dullcoat so much as a decal sealer, since sealing with Future allows you to weather and apply washes over the decals – before the final dullcoat.
[2c]Andy
Thanks guys. That’s what i was looking for.
I do the same as andy. Ive only ever had to put decals on 2 canopies anyways lol Future does this purpose very well.
I heard on FSM awhile ago that future was to be “Updated” new ingredients etc Is this still true? Wonder if it will be the same. Maybe a model company (Revell, tamiya etc) should invest in selling this themselves as its clearly one of the best finishing products for a model kit.
I have not had any problems with decals on canopies, but I would tend to thin my Future with water. You are usng it as an adhesive/ filling agent on something that bears no weight or load, so the thinnest possible amount is what I would use after cutting the decal down to the bare minimums.
On the Future being reformulated, here in the Baton Rouge area it is disappearing off store shelves, it is almost un-findable inWallyWorld, but available in small independant stores.
David