decal silver

Bomech1 · Post by **Bomech1** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 3:18 pm

OK I just applied Microscale decals with MM solvent for complex surfaces to a painted and gloss coated ping pong ball. The decal settled ok with only 1 or 2 wrinkles but is silvered - the decals are fairly new as is the solvent. any help?

Post by **TER-OR** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 5:45 pm

Is the ping pong ball pretty smooth? I think they are.
Did you gloss-coat the decal after applying?

DX-SFX · Post by **DX-SFX** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 6:57 pm

How much did you sloosh them with Microsol? I know sometimes you can wash the gum away on the back of the decal and although it may shape itself to the surface, when it dries it silvers and/or drops off. Ter-or and I were discussing this a couple of nights ago. A little diluted white glue applied with a brush behind the decal can help or alternatively, if you feel more confident in your decal placement, a little Future.

Kekker · Post by **Kekker** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 9:00 pm

I've used Future to pretty good effect - especially when the gloss coat is also Future.

Slop a little bit down where you want the decal, lay it down and soak up most of the excess. As the Future dries it sucks the decal down pretty well. Another coat on top and that decal isn't going anywhere.

Just make sure you don't use the vinegar-y smelling solvent on it - the Future instantly coagulates and turns white. And is very hard to get off! I ended up having to take it off with alcohol and re-do the decal in a nother scheme, since the ones I used first were frelled.

Kev

Bomech1 · Post by **Bomech1** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 11:53 pm

DX-SFX wrote:How much did you sloosh them with Microsol? I know sometimes you can wash the gum away on the back of the decal and although it may shape itself to the surface, when it dries it silvers and/or drops off. Ter-or and I were discussing this a couple of nights ago. A little diluted white glue applied with a brush behind the decal can help or alternatively, if you feel more confident in your decal placement, a little Future.

A lot. As the decal dried I applied more solvent to get the decal to settle. All was grand until fully dried. I've head of the white glue -please tell me more. do you apply it to the model, to the decal, to the water, all, niether, both? oh look a shiney object......................
Brian

DX-SFX · Post by **DX-SFX** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 5:29 am

Microsol, as it's name implies, is a mild solvent to help soften the decal. It's not an adhesive.

White glue is water soluble (while wet). Just mix some together into a milky consistency and put a small blob on the model where you want the decal to go. You can slide it into place as you normally would and then just swab the excess away. This is the easiest if only because you can clean it up with plain water. If you can carefully soak your silvered decal enough to lift it, you can put a little dab of diluted white glue underneath with a small paintbrush and gently encourage it back down but without the silvering.

JTGraphics · Post by **JTGraphics** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 7:41 pm

Silvering happends because the finished surface (where the decal is to go) is rough. You should glosscoat your model BEFORE applying decals. Gloss coating makes the model surface smooth. You can even lightly sand the area and re-gloss if you want it super smooth.

Having a rough or flat finish allows air to get trapped under the decal. When the decal fully dries, that trapped air becomes what we call silvering. Easiest way to aviod this is to apply the decals to a glossy surface. Flat coat once the decals are dried in place.

I suggest using a decal set like Micro Sol. this will help reduce silvering as it softens the decal film helping it conform to the surface. I have found it also helps dry the decal.

The other method is using white glue & water mix. Make a 50/50 mix. Apply it to the area where the decal is to go. Slide the decal into place. With a wet Q-tip, squeegie out the the water/glue from under the decal. Work from the center of the decal out. The glue will dry clear and fill in those rough areas in the paint. THIS DOES NOT WORK FOR GRID LINES. Use Micro Sol for that. If when the decal dries you can see all this dried glue (lookf flat on a gloss surface), then wet a Q-tip and working from the center of the decal again, re-wet the glue and use the Q-tip to remove it. REMEMBER - if you work the edge of the decal you run the risk of lifting the decal so be careful.

Hope that helps.