DECALS!@#$%

Yeah, i get this too on occasion. There's a part of the B-17 in my signature below where the decals are starting to chip away... i have no idea why this happens... I used the decal solvent thingie, and yet the thing won't stay put... i dunno about sealing with varnish/future/dulcote, etc... never really used them (budget and availability too...) maybe you can ask around in the decals forum, or get an admin like dave or lawrence to repost this topic in the decal forums.

If the Decals are coming off, could be that they were old and the glue on the backing side was nearly dried out.

There are glues available for Decals, they come in bottles similar to decal softeners and are applied in pretty much the same way.

If you are not sealing your decals, you may have acceptable results by applying the decal to an area of white glue, thinned with water. The white parts of the decal may yellow with time, but they are far less likely to peel. Microscale's Krystal Kleer or Sobo are probably the most transparent, but on a tight budget, Elmer's will also work.
Hope this helps.

hey masu,
sorry to hear about your problem!
all i can say is that it will probably SAVE you money in the long run if you varnish your kits with a gloss coat ie "future" (or klear as it's called here in the UK)...it does so many good things!!...it stops greasy thumb marks on your nice paint work, makes decals go on smooth, keeps them on once they are there, and stops scratches and smears on canopies...all from a cheap bottle of floor varnish!!!
if you are unsure how to use it, check out some of the other threads, as there have been quite a few discussing it...
hope this helps.
regards,
nick

The best defense I found was to buy a bottle of DeCal-It, or simular product that refinishes,
restores, and seals decals (Photography and Art supply shops sell a simular product for sealing old negatives.)
Apply it to the decal before putting the decals on the model. If on a budget, then put vinegar in the
water when applying the decals then use the white glue treatment mentioned. I also use distilled water since bleach and other
chemicals in tap water may also interfere with the decals adhesion.
I let my models sit a week or two before applying the final clear to make sure
all the moisture is out. Moisture is the biggest problem when applying a sealant because it will not create a bond to the surface.
The sealant will then "Float" and will have the decal attached to it. When the slightest pressure is applied, then it will crack and
come loose.
If not treated, decals will still deterriorate after sealing them in Future, Varnish, or clear enamel. I have models I didn't treat
that are 15 yrs old and the decals are really comming apart. Planes that have been treated still
look new.
Scott

thANKS GUYS
but in malta there dont seem to be any future (the joys of living in a country still in the stone age;-)ill get me dad to look about in england while hes there and ill try the white glue method