DIY decal tip from a newbie

Tools, Techniques, and Reference Materials Decaling
1

I learned an important lesson about using DIY decals. Taking a close look at some red cross decals that I had printed, using Kodiak-brand clear decal material, on the model of the hospital ship U.S.S. Repose that I am building, I noticed that one of them had rough edges. It was clear that the soft paint brush I had used to position the decals had damaged them; the problem was that I had trimmed the red crosses right up to the red, which left the extremely fragile decal film vulnerable to damage.

I removed the decal (not easy — those decals are tough once the adhesive has dried) and cut out another one, leaving perhaps a .5mm border of clear decal film. It went on without a problem, and the clear border — undamaged! — is virtually invisible.

Bob

2

Or,

so many factors that need to be resolved for home brew decals.

Save you settings.

I let my prints on decal paper dry a week.

I put on decal film spray in the single pass in the air and wave the sheet through it, maybe three times with a day in between each.

I do not like any setting solutions but after a week or so I will seal them with some clear like Future.

Bill

3

BTW Bob, you are certainly no longer a newbie.

Not my call although I would certainly say so, but it’s a proven thing.

Your ship is a very fine model.

Bill

4

Thanks, Bill, but I feel like a newbie!

I normally spray my decals with three coats of clear Tamiya spray, waiting a few hours for each coat to dry, and then apply them a few days later. The red cross decals had a good two months to dry. I’m pretty sure that the damage resulted from cutting them too close.

Bob