More and more, I’m seeing kits with roundel markings in which the white background and outer ring are printed, and then the dot for the center is printed separately. How do you guys handle these? Do you put down the larger decal, let it cure, clearcoat, and THEN install the center dot? Or can it all be done at once, where you’d put the center dot right on top of the freshly laid background?
And what is the reason for printing these in two parts anyway? I’m sure I’ve seen more complex color schemes printed on a decal. Or is it something to do with keeping the decal in register?
Personally I generally do those all at once, putting the center or whatever second part a decal needs before overcoating/sealing.
As far as why they do it that way, silkscreening is not the cheapest process in the world- the more colors you have in a decal set the more expensive the silkscreening. Consider that the actual decal film is also applied via silkscreen, so even a two-color decal is a three screen process.
I wait a day before putting on the red dot. Hopefully, that gives the main part of the roundel time to dry–and not respond to further decal setting solutions. I’ve never found it necessary to clear coat over the top of another decal. They seem slick enough as is. I’ve never tried putting two decals on top of each other immediately.
I never realized it was a cost saving measure on the manufacturer - actually don’t see how placing a red dot centrally on a roundel would cost more than having it isolated elsewhere on the decal sheet.
I have seen roundels that were out of register, I guess this way it’s up to the builder to get it right. Also sometimes you will find the location of the roundel is over some raised detail, so cutting out some of the white portion in this area and painting the required area white afterwards, followed by applying the red dot does make things easier.