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Decal Silvering Help Please

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  • Member since
    December 2010
  • From: Raliegh, NC
Decal Silvering Help Please
Posted by DWood538 on Tuesday, July 1, 2014 11:49 PM

I've just put on the decals for the top of my 1/48 Revell F-15E, and for some reason they just aren't sitting on the surface right. I have prepped the surface with Alclad Aqua Gloss (somewhat of a semi-gloss sheen), applied microset before placing the decal, followed by several applications of microsol. About half the decals have gone down perfectly, but the other half are silvering. I did notice that when I applied the microsol, the decals did not wrinkle up at all, so my guess is that the microsol is not strong enough for the Revell decals? Does anyone have any tips to fix the silvering? I would prefer to use microset/sol because thats all I have at the moment, but I have Tamiya Extra Thin and I've heard you can use that to melt the decals? Please help

-Derek

  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Phoenix, AZ
Posted by Fly-n-hi on Tuesday, July 1, 2014 11:53 PM

Try this:  Brush a little Micro Sol onto the decals and gently poke holes in the silvered areas with a fresh #11 blade.  Just be careful not to use so much pressure that you slice into the paint.

  • Member since
    December 2010
  • From: Raliegh, NC
Posted by DWood538 on Tuesday, July 8, 2014 8:01 PM

Thanks Fly-n-hi, I've been using your suggestion the past week and it's been working great. It can be quite tedious, and I have to cut a LOT of tiny little slits in every decal but the finished effect is what I'm looking for. I appreciate the great advice

-Derek

  • Member since
    January 2014
Posted by Silver on Tuesday, July 29, 2014 11:23 AM
At times the revell kits have an almost Matt finish to their decals before yo apply them.You can have the best gloss surface and it still show through silvering.Well,To take care of this is to spray "flat clear" non spar varnish which is sold at local area stores and even on the internet.The varnish makes the silvering go away.A while back the railroad hobby had a product called "Decal Dulling Varnish"- which is the same as the Matt varnish I use.This varnish must follow the gloss version 1st then as a final use the flat .Ace brand is what I use.Must be a dust free area when working w/these products.I use a large drying booth for over night drying.The flat varnish is very tacky and three hrs after application you can use Pastels for weathering which settles in for a dazzling results that washes or pre-shading can't match.
  • Member since
    January 2014
Posted by Silver on Tuesday, July 29, 2014 3:07 PM
Not all silvering means that you have air trapped .Some silvering is caused of poor quality make and the decal paper glue residue is not strong .If anyone remembers that a long time ago when you use kit decals that when you submerge them in water that you see residue float off the decal sheet.Then those decals give perfect silvering.Even then you can spray Matt non spar varnish to take care of the problem.
  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Wednesday, July 30, 2014 9:15 AM

Although this is not likely to be the trouble you are having, here is a general warning.  Decal solvents are pretty tricky beasts to use. In general I try to use a setting solution first- it is much more forgiving. If setting solution just does not work then you have to resort to nuking them with the solvent.  

I have heard that new Revell decals are bothering some folks, I haven't had the problem yet myself.

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    April 2009
  • From: Longmont, Colorado
Posted by Cadet Chuck on Wednesday, July 30, 2014 12:32 PM

If you're looking for a stronger solvent than MicroSol, try Solvaset.  I believe it is the strongest one on the market, so use care.

Gimme a pigfoot, and a bottle of beer...

  • Member since
    December 2010
  • From: Raliegh, NC
Posted by DWood538 on Wednesday, July 30, 2014 9:41 PM

Thank you all for the help. I think its just the decals because I had a smooth, glossy clear coat as a base, then I used both microset/microsol, and then I cut slits all over the decals followed by several more applications of microsol. While the finished product isn't perfect... at least its decent. About half the decals are fine, the other half has just enough silvering to make a noticeable difference in the base color. I find it odd because there seemed to be certain decals on the sheet that felt so much thinner than the others, went down better, and reacted to the setting solutions better than the other decals. Is there really that much variation between decals on the same sheet? Or maybe its just me...

-Derek

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