old and faded decals

Hokey

Don Stauffer

Now adays after scanning decals I try to use the most unimportant decal first.  Many sheets have the trademark, logos,, registration marks, etc.  as decals. I use some of these unneeded decals as tests. If decals shatter, I first try coating the decal with decal film. If that does not rescue them, then I resort to the inkjet process.

Don can you elaborate on "decal film"? Is that like Solvaset? 

It is more like clear varnish.  Micro Scale offers small bottles of it- I think Testors may also.

Don Stauffer

Now adays after scanning decals I try to use the most unimportant decal first.  Many sheets have the trademark, logos,, registration marks, etc.  as decals. I use some of these unneeded decals as tests. If decals shatter, I first try coating the decal with decal film. If that does not rescue them, then I resort to the inkjet process.

Don can you elaborate on "decal film"? Is that like Solvaset? 

Hello!

You could try a tool called glass fibre pen - they can sometimes be bought in electronics supply stores - to gently remove the finish coat by coat. This way you could remove the gloss and the decal underneath, but don't sand through the colour. The tool looks like this:

As for printing decals - I found a company nearby that would print decals for me and stopped looking for ways to do it myself. They print all colours, nice solid white and even silver and gold, and take designs in CorelDRAW - so I redraw decals in CorelDRAW and send them to be printed. OK, it's a lot of work, but you get the chance to refine the decals a little and if something bad happens ordering spares is easy.

Hope it helps, good luck with your project and post some photos - have a nice day

Paweł

Now adays after scanning decals I try to use the most unimportant decal first.  Many sheets have the trademark, logos,, registration marks, etc.  as decals. I use some of these unneeded decals as tests. If decals shatter, I first try coating the decal with decal film. If that does not rescue them, then I resort to the inkjet process.

So, I am currently trying to finish a 1/144 space shuttle - old kit. The decal sheet is yellowed and curled. Can I use it to make new decals somehow?

Having a copy for making inkjet decals is better than nothing, but isn't always the entire solution.  Making dark decals to go over light finishes is easy with inkjet printing.  Making light colored decals to go over dark colored finishes IPITA. It is possible but takes someone very good in color matching between paint and artwork.

Hokey...please dont get me wrong .

im not into pirateing or copey infrigmint of any kind . im talking about old kit that one buys on say e-bay or privet collections and the decals are so old faded or britell that u cant used them . So please understand im not  that way ..5,hi

Like don said ,,if u goof up u have a back up . plus if u but a very old model like i did . At lest u have a back up or u can scan the crummy sheet on a blank sheet then fix it fast .and not worry about it falling apart as my,n did and wreck months of work in the end ...my 1/48 promodeler helldiver took 3 months of detailing ,,, and as foolishy I used the faded decals and wrecked months of work !!

How/why do you would you make "copies"?