I use microscale products. I brush a little microset on the model, place the decal and then brush on a little microsol on the decal and don’t touch. microsol will cause the decal to wrinkle, soften and eventually conform to any contours, panel lines etc.
I do the same as keavdog, although I don’t really use Microset anymore. With the Microsol, I just brush some onto the decal and leave it alone. After about 20 minutes, I go back and brush more on, and leave it alone. I usually do this 3 times, and then I follow up with a couple of brush on and leave it applications of Solvaset to get it completely snuggled down. The main point is that once the solvent goes on the decal, you don’t want to touch the decal, even when you see it wrinkling. If you touch it while the solvent is still working, you’ll destroy the decal.
I will have to resist rolling with a cotton swab after somes minute…! For me it’s like have a fresh cold beer open up in front of me during a hot summer day!
I did’nt used micro products, will surely give them a try when being able to get somes. I have Vallejo equivalent and Mr Setter and Softener (thoses are better than Vallejo from my opinion).
I have to say that the decals I have are comming from old Revell models (30 years old) so they delicate and I’m aware that they may not react to products as fresh ones would do…
I use both MicroSet and MicroSol per instructions. I check the decal as the MicroSol works, and when it has almost completely dried/evaporated, I carefully press the decal onto the surface using a dry microfiber cloth. I know the conventional wisdom says you’re not to touch the decal, but doing it in this manner I’ve never had a problem with decals tearing.
Solvaset is good stuff, but it can be too “hot” for some decals. I’d suggesting testing it first on a scrap decal or one from the sheet but not used on your model.
Setting solution is a wetting agent. I put some down on the model surface before I put the decal down. It makes it very easy to rub out any air bubbles and really helps the decal nestle down tight on the surface. If needed I put more down to move or blot the decal. I only use solvent in tricky situations like compound curves where I need to actually melt and distort decal. It takes lots of TLC!
I have been doing my inkjet decals for quite awhile with Micro Mark decal paper. I find the decal film extremely thin, and it tends to melt even with setting solution. The last few times I just added a couple of drops to the water I soak the decals on. Before I apply the decals I brush on that water to the surface where the decal goes, and it makes a great setting solution.
As I found out recently, its only too hot if your decal isn’t properly conformed to the surface of the model. I found that using the less aggressive Microsol before Solvaset takes all of the guesswork out of it, and the results of the more aggressive Solvaset in the final step are undeniably fantastic. It wasn’t long ago I had sworn off using the stuff, but then I learned the best way to use it that worked for my decaling technique.
