Decaling is still a challenge for me and I have two questions.
What do you use to clean up excess Micro Set & Sol without damaging decals? Water, Windex, or something else?
When do you clean up excess Micro Set & Sol? After decals are completely set, or while they are setting?
Never mess with these products while they are wworking, i.e., wet. Let them dry thouroughly to set the decals. If you have a tide line, a Q tip with plain water should take care of that.
Not sure what you mean by cleaning up. If I just want to remove the excess fluid while it is still wet, I just touch the tip of a Kleenex into the liquid. It sucks up the fluid. After the decals are set (and the fluid dry) there should not be any residue that needs cleanup. Are you getting a residue left after everything is dry?
I do what Don does for excess fluid but if you’re talking about the ‘haze’ sometimes left behind after the decal is dry - particularly if Future is used as a gloss coat - then I simply spray another light coat of Future and the haze is gone. Other than positioning and, if necessary, removing excess fluid I DON’T do anything with the decal until fully dry.
sometimes there can be a discoloration around a decal,usually looks like a pool of saltwater run down from the decal and evaporated there, when I still lived on the farm it could look like dried rust sometimes (well water with very old pipes)
I used to have this happen until I started using distilled water, warmed in the microwave, to apply decals
Now, I see a small amount of it once in a great while
Clean up is still the same, if you are painting with enamels, use a little Windex on a cotton swab to clean the area after it is dry
if you are using Acrylics, then use a gentle mixture of dish liquid and distilled water,with a second attempt with distilled water only to make sure you leave no soap behind
Hazy spots occasionally appear around the dried decal on a Future’d surface. I thought they were residues of Set & Sol. That’s why I was asking. Apparently it’s nothing to worry about.
How long are you letting the Future dry before applying the decals? Leave it at least overnight to give it time to cure before applying the decals.
I recommend not using vinegar as a setting solution- even white vinegar. Some of it has spices in it that can leave a residue. Use either dilute acetic acid, or store-bought decal set.
Also, sometimes I add just the tiniest drop of detergent to the decal water. Use too much and it will leave residue, but it acts the same way as setting solutions, and when used with setting solution enhances the setting effect.
After Future, I tend to let the model sit for 24-48 hours to cure. It tends to be closer to 48 hours due to work schedules.