Model Art Decals

[Blue Elephant]

Has anybody else used these decals? They have a great subject range and comprehensive decal sheets with lots of options....but a problem, the ones I have had for my Aerospatiale Gazelle in 1/72 simply fall apart in 8 out of 10 cases.........which is very frustrating. I don't have the water too hot.....baby-bath warm, in fact....and for some, I've almost only shown the decals the water, saying "look, water!" (basically, in & out) They still break up....this Gazelle is gettting to be expensive! Clues,please?

[Stevehnz]

Microscale Liquid decal film. It really does do what it says on the tin (or bottle). I've just used some on my Hurricane in the soon to finish group build with some Kora decals. I was advised to be wary of them & even with the MLDF, they were very thin & pliable but more importantly enabled me to reposition, lift with a brush to flood in more dilute Klear which I use as a setting solution & generally to use & abuse the decals, which came out Okish in the end. I do believe that if you've decals which show signs of shattering, this is by far the best way to go. Other folk use acrylic coats & Klear but this is designed exactly to fix your problem.
Steve

[Blue Elephant]

Thanks Steve, you're a champion! I'll hunt some of it up.

[DavidWomby]

Microscale Liquid decal film. It really does do what it says on the tin (or bottle). I've just used some on my Hurricane in the soon to finish group build with some Kora decals. I was advised to be wary of them & even with the MLDF, they were very thin & pliable but more importantly enabled me to reposition, lift with a brush to flood in more dilute Klear which I use as a setting solution & generally to use & abuse the decals, which came out Okish in the end. I do believe that if you've decals which show signs of shattering, this is by far the best way to go. Other folk use acrylic coats & Klear but this is designed exactly to fix your problem.
Steve

Steve

What do you use to cleanup that stuff from the airbrush or brush that you use to apply it, please?

David

[Stevehnz]

I put it on with cotton buds/q-tips. I picked this up as a tip off one of the forums. Supposedly almost impossible to clean out of a brush if it sets. That seems to work well for me, the stuff seems to self level quite well.
Steve.

[DavidWomby]

I put it on with cotton buds/q-tips. I picked this up as a tip off one of the forums. Supposedly almost impossible to clean out of a brush if it sets. That seems to work well for me, the stuff seems to self level quite well.
Steve.

Aha! great idea, Steve. Thanks.

David

[rob_van_riel]

I put it on with cotton buds/q-tips. I picked this up as a tip off one of the forums. Supposedly almost impossible to clean out of a brush if it sets. That seems to work well for me, the stuff seems to self level quite well.

I've been using the same brush for this stuff for years, and all I do clean it thouroughly with water, or sometimes alcohol. Sometimes I'm not thourough enough, and the brush is hard the next time I want to use it. So far, just bending and wiggling it a bit and another wash did the trick, if not, I'd try acetone. I've yet to find anything that could stand against it. Make sure all the acetone is gone before using the brush though..

I agree that liquid decal is a life saver. It's also essential when dealing with ALPS printed decals, or the will get damaged, so I regularly end up coating an entire A5 sheet with the stuff.

[Stevehnz]

Thanks for this info Rob, I wasn't game to try my brushes after what I read & the q-tips seems to work quite well. I know what you mean re the complete sheet, the Kora decals on my Finnish Hurricane sure seemed to need it.
Steve.