Sealing photo-etch

[jim]

Is it necessary to seal photo-etch before decaling it?

[jpolacchi]

I am guessing that you have painted the photo etch and you are intending to put decals on it?I don't think you will have much luck just putting your decals directly on bare photo etched brass.So, if that is what you are doing,I'd at least give the photo-etch a light sanding, paint it(give it a gloss coat if you are trying to preserve the bare brass),put your decals on,then "YES" seal the decals again either with another gloss coat,or flat/semi-gloss(whatever). Photo-etch is difficult to paint.Usually you need a good metal primer.I think AK makes a priming product that assists in paint adhesion,so that's a good thing to use prior to painting your photo-etch to get your primer to "bite in",then paint away.

[southwestforests]

I'm having trouble coming up with what it means to seal photo etch since metal does not need sealing as does wood.

As a general rule decals adhere better to paint than to bare materials; is that what you are meaning?

[jpolacchi]

I was a little thrown off by the question too.

[Kylwell]

Do you mean prime? Or are you applying decals to bare metal?

[jim]

Sorry for being vague. I bought the shuttle Bay for the 1/350 ktinga and will put the excellent decal from HDA modelwerks on it and I want to do it right

[EVApodman]

For the shuttle bay you will first have to bend it to shape, glue it and then paint it. I don't know anything about the decals, are they insignias, instrument panels meant for details?

I would seal them with Dul-cote after applying them. This should keep them in place. Will this keep them place? Yes, if not touched or abraded. Will they still be in good shape 20 years from now, I don't know. Models age like everything else.

[jim]

This is a full decal

[https://hdamodelworx.com/DECAL-SET-FOR- ... p_747.html]

[seam-filler]

As others have said, applying decals straight onto untreated PE brass probably won't end well. So you should be applying them to a glossy painted surface. An alternative to using metal primers (which can get unpleasant and can be somewhat tricky), polyurethane primers will stick to PE fairly reliably and are smooth enough to decal over. Paint the brass after assembly as CA won't hold pre-painted parts reliably.

I wouldn't even consider applying the decals before bending the PE - they would be too easily damaged during bending.

If you are going down the metal-primer route there are plenty of metal primers out there. Two examples are:

AK Interactive ATK174 Brass Photoetch Burnishing Fluid
Mr Hobby MP242 Mr Metal Primer

It may be worth trawling ship modeler or military modeler sites/forums for hints & tips - they use a lot of PE.

[jim]

Thanks for the help guys, I really did not want to go the "sealing" method if avoidable.

[jpolacchi]

Just depends what you are trying to do? Photo-etch is a bit different to work with and requires different prep work if you want to do it right? If you want to retain the natural brass finish(I've never done that),you would need to give it a lite sanding on its surfaces, bend it to shape(if required).If you are really good you can solder it into its intended shape (if it has that sort of assembly),or just use Super Glue, or maybe 5 min epoxy, clean it really well(acetone it good, but does not play well with super glues),give it a clear coat, place your decals(if any) and then re-seal it with another top coat be in clear gloss, semi-gloss or flat? If its getting just "strait paint, the procedure is similar, just use a good metal primer, paint it what you want, gloss coat it for decal applications and then re-seal it again with whatever finish required etc.

[jim]

Well, I'm blind in one eye and can't see out the other! I found a can of Tamyia white fine primer in my stash that I forgot I had, works great.