I’ve given up on trying to brush Micro Set on a plastic surface I just coated in glossy clear coat. The stuff just sits there in a puddle and eventually runs off the spot where I want to apply the decal. I now soak the decal directly in the Micro Set to loosen it from its paper backing. I then lay the decal directly on the gloss-coated surface, align it, smooth it, and gently apply some Micro Sol. Works more consistently than anything else I have tried, but it’s very delicate work. The decals won’t take much abuse once you expose them to those chemicals. What’s your technique?
Yep, it will puddle up on a gloss surface (it will spread and wet more on matt paint). But, when you put the decal down it will still mix with the excess water that comes along with the decal, so it still works okay.
It may help to add a drop of dish detergent to Micro Set while in the bottle. That will break the surface tension and it will not puddle up. It works with water, and I usually use water, because if you use Micro Set, you will have very little time to slide the decal around into position.
Hmm, dish detergent. Really interesting. I’ll give that a try, because you’re right, you get much less time with the decal once the Micro Set hits it.
I gave up and went straight to Solvaset…
I was going to start a new thread to ask a question, but this thread seems to have answered it.
In reading/viewing several tutorials on making and affixing decals to plastic model airplanes, I found that some people suggest making the surface glossy to improve adhesion, and some people suggest using a setting agent like Micro Set to improve adhesion.
It sounds like I can avoid making the surface glossy if I use a setting agent like Micro Set. Is that correct? Because the model I’m working on is a WWI fabric-covered pursuit plane, I’d like to avoid using a glossy spray altogether, if possible.
By the way, concerning the original topic of this thread, if a glossy surface causes a problem with (some?) setting agents, would it make sense to apply any gloss after the decals have been affixed and cured, not before?
Thanks,
Bill
The surface must be glossy to apply decals,otherwise silvering will occur.It is possible to to gloss the small surface where the deal will be only instead of the whole model.
Some will apply a gloss over the decal to protect.I feel it could be gloss or clear,whatever your final finish will be,as long as you protect the decal from weathering.
Hello!
It really helps to have a glossy surface to put the decals on. Then it’s also good to put gloss over the decals to protect them, and to blend the edges of the decal film a little. If you then spray the whole thing with clear flat or semi-flat, the surface looks very consistent, and the decals get that wanted “painted on” look. Good luck with your builds and have a nice day
Paweł
Thanks, both of you. That helps a lot to keep me from getting off track.
Bill
As mentioned, a gloss surface is a must to eliminate silvering. I also brush on Future then slide the decal on the wet Future. Wait a couple of minutes to let the Future grab the decal then brush on Future over to seal it.
Micro set and sol are fairly mild. Solvaset will tame the wildest decal out there. It will melt the film and make it conform on just about any complex shape.
Very helpful. I copied the following from another thread. Thanks to Phil_H. It helped me understand what silvering is:
Silvering is air trapped between the decal and the model’s surface. Silvering is more prevalent on surfaces painted with flat paints because by their very nature, flat paints have microscopic pits on the surface. Usually you can prevent silvering, setting solution or not, by gloss coating the surface you’re applying the decal to.
It’s really annoying the way they scrunch up and won’t lay flat.
Shrivelling and wrinkling is normal after application of a setting solution. As it dries, it will flatten out on its own. Once it starts to shrivel, you should never touch it until its completely dry. HOWEVER, you should only apply a setting solution to a decal on a gloss painted surface. If you apply it to a decal on a “flat” painted surface, those microscopic pits which make the paint “flat” will cause resistance to the decal as it flattens out, which may result in the decal not flattening out completely, leaving wrinkles and creases.
Bill
Gloss surface is a must. Sometimes there’s silvering you can’t see, but it will show up in photos.
I think setting solutions are very optional. I try not to use them unless the decal is refusing to sit flat.
And when I do, I wouldn’t set the decal in a puddle of it. The idea is for the stuff to attack the decal and soften it, not stick it to the surface. I’ll brush a thin coat over the top, and if I have to, just poke a little in around the edges, but I try not to.
I have not had any problems with setting solutions- every one I have tried is pretty benign. However, solvents are something else. First problem- they vary in strength. Second, decals vary in their susceptibility. I generally do use setting solutions, but only use solvents when repeated application of setting solution is not adequate to get the decal to nestle down on compound curves are fine detail.
Setting solutions and solvent solutions are not the same thing. Some people use them interchangably. When it comes to decals, there are two types of modelers- those who have had trouble with decal solvents and those who will have problems with decal solvents.
A very useful discussion. I realize now that I need to do some more research before taking the plunge. It’s interesting, looking at YouTube videos that present a variety of points of view on the topic. This discussion, and others like it on this forum, will help a lot.
I see you’re a fellow Minnesotan, Don. Enjoy the nice weather; it has been a long time a comin’.
Bill
Taking this discussion one step further, in the YouTube video titled How to apply water slide decals – Hobby Express USA, the demonstrator applies Micro Sol to the model’s wing, not to the decal and then positions the decal on top of the Micro Sol. He says he does that so that the Micro Sol will soften the decal on its bottom side and help it “suck down” against the surface.
I didn’t see that approach anywhere else during my research so far. I’d be interested in any comments on this approach. By the way, he’s using commercially produced, not DIY, decals.
Thanks,
Bill
If you read the directions on the bottle, it clearly states to brush on Set on the model and to slide the decal on the solution followed by an application of Sol on top of the decal. This has worked for most of the time for me but for stubburn decals then Solvaset is what you need.
Solvaset applies in one step by sliding the decal on then press out any air bubbles. Brush on Solvaset and watch the decal wrinkle up and look like crap. Come back the next morning and it looks like it was painted on.
After researching what’s involved in making one’s own decals, I realize that, for now at least, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to invest in all the materials needed for DIY. I need decals for just the one model (Revell Sopwith Triplane 1/72) and won’t be needing any more in the foreseeable future.
I considered buying another kit to get the decal sheet (it was missing from the one I bought). The description of the kit I found on Amazon says decals are included, but one of the buyers says the decals are missing (just as they were from my kit)! So, that doesn’t look like a promising solution.
Next, I started looking for commercial decal sheets online. At eBay, mrairfix has a ton of decals that are reasonably priced. I even found one for the same Revell model I had built, but it looks yellowed. Also on eBay, I found a few decals for other 1/72 British aircraft whose roundels are the same size. But none of them quite fit the bill.
I’ll keep looking. Does anyone have any suggestions for other online resources for used or new, reasonably priced decal sheets?
I don’t suppose there’s a way to “unyellow” an old decal. I didn’t think so …
Thanks,
Bill
You can attempt to unyellow a decal sheet by putting it by a sunny window. The sun light will eventually bleach all or most of the yellowing. It may take a few days or even a couple of weeks. It has worked for me in the past.
The sunlight trick works like a charm.Just be sure to either put it in a baggie, or keep it away from condensation. And give it a few weeks.
What a great idea! Thanks!
Bill