Old Nasty No Good Decals

Thanks again, bondoman.  Great, useful tips I will be using.

Rob Gronovius

I've placed decals in a puddle of Future on the surface of the kit, but I have not tried coating the decal with Future prior to application. I know AM decal manufacturers recommend spraying gloss coat over their decals prior to use so I think using Future would do the same thing.

Guess I build a lot of cruddy old kits.

This was an uplifting thread.  I just bought some of my combat squadron's markings on ebay, ones I have been searching mightily for, and the decals came in yellowed(!).  I thought I was out-of-luck.  Thanks, all y'all.  In the window they go ...

I tried Future, but only once, and it did not seem to help.  I airbrushed the Future on, but only gave it one very heavy coat.  Maybe there is a better way to go about it than what I did.

I may try the microscale product if I end up with an old kit again.

I've placed decals in a puddle of Future on the surface of the kit, but I have not tried coating the decal with Future prior to application. I know AM decal manufacturers recommend spraying gloss coat over their decals prior to use so I think using Future would do the same thing.

professordeath

I believe I read here at some point that you can coat the decal sheet in future to prevent cracking. Any truth to this?

I've read the same thing, but haven't tried it.

One more tip - if you have trouble with lack of adhesion (which can sometimes occur with aged decals), you can apply a very thin solution of white glue and water to the location where the decal will be applied before placing the decal.

Most setting solutions will do zip if there isn't enough adhesive on the decals. The one exception that I know of is Gunze's Mr Mark Setter (in the blue bottle) which contains a mild adhesive.

I think I'll just collectively ~ditto~ bondoman, professordeath, Phil_H and Don Staufferr all in one shot. I've been picking up, and building, some older 2nd hand kits recently. That is the process I've been using with only a few wrinkles, so to speak.

While the yellowing problem is fairly easily fixed, there may be other problems with decals from older kits.  Now, when I start building an older kit, I always scan the decals, so if worst comes to worst I can recreate them with inkjet copies.

The other major problem with old decals is breaking apart when you soak them in water.  There are now coatings you can buy at hobby shop to restore these old decals.

bondoman

Just be sure it's a window that doesn't get condensation.

If condensation on the window is a possibility, you can slip the sheet into a ziploc bag before taping it to the window.

Thank you, I just put it up :)

It's caused by age, and a chemical reaction in the paper.

Usually it's an easy fix. Tape the sheet up in a sunny window for about 2-3 weeks and it will bleach out nicely. Just be sure it's a window that doesn't get condensation.

You are bound to have other problems of course, like shattering. When you are ready, test one that you can live without. If it shatters, coat the sheet with Microscale decal film. This of course means that you then have to cut out around each decal, but let's hope it doesn't get to that.

Good luck, the window trick almost always works. Have a Hasegawa P-2 set up right now!