Any expert advice on applying these , I Tried it one and ghey intitialy looked good , but after time , they lifted and silvered.
Of course you need a good gloss coat to avoid silvering,and a good softener to get them to conform.Sometimes I have to apply the solution and keep going back and and press on the decal with a brush and add a little more solution.
Since you are applying them to irregular (ie not flat) surfaces you really need to use good decal procedures. First, apply gloss where the decal will go - this helps remove the tiny pockets in flat paints that trap air bubbles. Then use a combo of Micro-Sol and Micro-Set when applying the decals. The blue one goes first, then the decal, blot it down, then gently apply the red one and leave it to do its magic. If there are air bubbles when it dries, prick them with the tip of a sharp knife and apply the red stuff again. For really irregular sleeves I may do this half a dozen times to get the decal to lay down properly! (And if all else fails I use a coat of Walthers Solvaset - the sledgehammer of decal setting solutions!) When you are completely happy and everything is dry, add a coat of gloss again, and rthen use a flat coat to seal and finish your fig.
Hope this helps!
These are all using the Tamiya decals:
As mentioned a gloss coat where the decals will sit and softening agent are your very best friend here. A lint-free cotton bud or piece of paper towel to press it against irregularities to get them to conform to the topography is also great.
Very nice ![]()
Another point that I didn’t want to lose by adding it to the previous post:
Don’t be afraid to smooth down the shoulder boards to make the fit better; you can do the other markings that are molded on as well but just be careful obviously.
Thanks so much guys for such great responses
Obviously im brushing on the gloss cote , which do you reccomend?
I use Micro Gloss for brushing. I do all my painting with acrylics these days. For the final flat coat I airbrush on Tamiya XF-86 Clear Flatt. There is a Micro Flat you can brush on too…
I use Tamiya’s clear gloss at the moment. I was using Testors Glosscote but Tamiya was quicker and easier just for decaling.
I use AK Gauzy Agent Glass Coat,and Alclad Flat,really takes the sheen off
