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yellowed decals

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  • Member since
    December 2006
yellowed decals
Posted by ducksoup on Thursday, February 11, 2010 11:40 PM

I'm finally building my pristine Revell XSL-01 Manned Space Ship kit (Collectors go elsewhere, I'm a builder. The Space Station is next). Pristine except for the very yellowed decals. If you live in the Pacific NW and like myself, haven't the time to wait six months for the sun to bleach them out, here's a tip: tape them close to a florescent light. I've had these up next to one for a week and they are now as clear as the day they were printed. I was amazed that it worked! I'll let you know if anything changes after I've tried applying them.

  • Member since
    November 2006
  • From: Tacoma, WA
Posted by CuriousG on Saturday, February 13, 2010 7:16 PM

Thanks for sharing the tip. I've used the sun-bleaching method here in Washington with success (left them on the car's dashboard), but that was in summer. Would never have thought to use a fluorescent.

George Ireland

"If you can't learn to do it well, learn to enjoy doing it badly."  - Ashleigh Brilliant

  • Member since
    December 2006
Posted by ducksoup on Saturday, February 13, 2010 9:52 PM

You're more than welcome. I've tried that as well, but in the winter it can take forever. I'm in the process of applying the decals now and they work as well as if they were new! They are absoulutely clear. I taped the decal sheet face to within about an inch of the light, not letting it touch anywhere, and then checked it each day until it seemed clear. Works great! Took about a week. Have fun!

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: West Virginia, USA
Posted by mfsob on Tuesday, February 23, 2010 8:04 PM

Great tip! - especially with the usually sunless winters we have in WV.

  • Member since
    December 2006
Posted by ducksoup on Wednesday, February 24, 2010 9:49 PM

The only negative using this method is that they are a little brittle. But there are solutions available on the market to solve that problem. I've applied them all, completed the build and they look great! Top-coated with semi-gloss acrilic they look painted on. The kit itself is much more fun to build and looks far better than when I was a kid, it was just released and I didn't bother to paint anything. The advantages of time and technology.

  • Member since
    September 2005
  • From: Illinois: Hive of Scum and Villany
Posted by Sprue-ce Goose on Wednesday, February 24, 2010 10:06 PM

Ducksoup: Thanks for the tip.

I have some 1/32 Tauro F-104 stencil decals that have begun to yellow.

I'd much rather use the lamp method.

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