I am building a 1/25 Charger funny car body and am applying the decals now. In the picture, you can see that the wheel opening on the decal is smaller than the actual wheel opening on the model. What is the proper way to trim out the decal so that it matches the wheel opening on the model?
Do you apply the decal, let it dry and the trim it with an exacto knife using the wheel opening on the model as a guide? Seems that this would leave a ragged edge?
Do you apply the decal, let it dry. Then do you cut slits in the decal up to against the model wheel opening and fold them over, maybe using Micro Sol as an adhesive? Probable wouldn’t look very good from underneath with the pie shapes folded over?
Do you apply the decal, let it dry. Then later soak the edge of the decal around the wheel opening with Micro Sol, let it soften and then push/mold it around the wheel opening?
This one has me puzzled. Ideally, Slixx decals would have made the decal opening an exact match to the wheel opening or at least a 1/16th smaller. But instead they left some extra material. This is an older model and Slixx doesn’t carry replacement of this decal set anymore, so I only have one chance at this.
Enclosed is a picture below. The decal in the picture is still attached to the backing paper. What do you guys do so that it looks proper?
We find similar situations when doing aircraft with complex graphics. The way I do it is to apply the decal as I always would. As the decal begins to cure, I use my polishing stick to carefully rub the access decal away from the edge where it protrudes past.
Since it is a car you might need to make a series of relief slices into the decal to get it to lay and contour around the wheel well. Once you get the decal to do that, all of the trimming can be done on the inside where it won’t be seen.
Your other option is to make a paper template of the shape of the side of the car and use it to trim the decal before you begin. Take a look at reference photos to see how the scheme was laid out on the real deal. Was this sheet designed for this kit? Sometimes decal mfrs will use one kit as their bases which doesn’t exactly match the same subject made by someone else.
Gerald, thanks for replying. All input is appreciated as I am at a standstill until I figure out how to do this. As you can tell, I am new to doing finishing these new models. These decals are a far cry from the decals when I was a kid. These decals today are so thin and delicate, it’s not funny. I’ve torn a few already but fortunately, I was able to piece them together on the car and they are not noticible. Now adays you have products like Micro Set/Sol, stuff we never had in the old days. After all the decals are on, I will be clear coating it.
Anyway, I am unfamiliar with a polishing stick. I’m thinking it is a wooden or plastic round stick that you use to rub the decal along an edge to get it to form/adhere to an edge? I don’t have one but maybe I can use one of my paint brush handles?
I see what you are saying about making some relief cuts so the decal wraps around the edge of the wheelwell opening. I may end up doing it that way.
I thought about making a template like you said but I think it would be hard to do because the decal has reference points on the body that it has to sit on. So I would be estimating as to where the template would be sitting on the decal. Also I have been having trouble with trimming the decals without making the cut line sloppy with my sissors, I’m not very steady. I do think Slixx made the decals for this exact model, it’s just funny they left the excess material on the wheelwells. All the other decals were spot on. It’s almost like they did it on purpose and I’m supposed to know how to finish it around the wheelwells, LOL.
Anyway, thanks for your input and any other input would also be appreciated.
A polishing stick is a sanding stick that has three different grits on it. You usually have two grits, both fine, on one side and then you turn it over and there is a gray polishing surface on the other. You can actually use it to remove scratches from clear parts. The ones I have have a dark gray fine grit, a white super fine, and then the light gray I mentioned above.
I’ve used a very sharp xacto to trim away excess decal after it has set. As long as the knife is sharp it leaves a smooth edge. I’ve done this a few times on aircraft that had more decal than wing as with lozenge decals on WW1 german aircraft.
The thing you really have to watch is that the decal is sitting right where it will stay, sometimes the excess decal will cause part of the decal to lift where you want it to lay snug.
