Is decal setting solution vinegar?

I think I read a post by HvH about the subject, and he said decal setting solutions and vinegar were basically the same stuff. In any case, Vinegar is what I use and it works.

Well, it does smell like vinegar. Vinegar is a lot more cost effective than Micro-sol.

Yes it is. Acetic acid..i.e. vinegar.

I use a bottle of Heinz distilled white vinegar from any grocery store.......($1.69/quart) .........a capfull in a plastic cup of about 4 ounces and it works the same as the ones you buy for ridiculous amounts of money at the hobby shop.

Yet another dirty little secret of the hobby business.

That quart should last ten years.

I suspect it is dilute acetic acid (a major constituent) of vinegar.  There are a number of types of vinegar depending on what fruit it is made from.  Some have a lot of solids in  them and other stuff that might leave residue. I believe "white vinegar" is the best bet in a pinch, but I find a bottle of the stuff from the hobby shop lasts quite a long time. It is not a major cost in my model building, compared to other stuff (like CA glue) that I go through a lot more of.

So can you make potato salad with it?

Eric

Only the stick-to-your-ribs kind.