Horrible Decal Experience

Mark Lookabaugh

Just finished up an AMT Star Trek Klingon Battlecruiser, and the decal result was one of the worst I've ever had. 

The process:

1.  Paint entire model with Model Master "Navy Aggressor Gray" spray enamel (the gray and green thing always looked stupid to me back in the day)

2.  Paint decal areas with Model Master gloss clear acryl

3.  Apply Micro-set to decal areas, apply decals, and dab with Micro-sol

4.  Apply several generous coats of Testors 1260 Dullcote

After things were done, there was silvering visible around most of the decals (the final dullcote application did help this a bit), and the gloss acryl areas were still somewhat apparent, though they were muted after the dullcote.

Hoping someone can tell me what I did wrong here.  Was it the mix of enamel and acryl?  I'm at a loss.  Was planning on using the same technique for my next model, but I feel like I wasted this build due to stupidity on my part.

Any advice greatly appreciated.  :)

 

Hello. Let me preface this by saying , I am by no means an expert. I only recently found a way to improve my decaling. I think ( and this is only my opinion) that the acryl might be where your bad luck came into play. I would ( and do ) apply enamels to the surface, followed by Modelmaster gloss clear ( overall) followed by Microsol/ microset ( I may be confusing the 2, so the blue bottle first to surface to be decaled, then the decal followed by the red bottle ) followed by another coat of gloss clear. I then would add Testors/ modelmaster dullcoat which dries dead flat. I have not experienced silvering with this method. Don't be discouraged. We've all been there.  i hope that this helps.

 

Claude

 

I feel your pain.

As a rule, I have had generally lousy experiences with AMT kit decals, even doing all prep work properly and using Solvaset. (And I usually use acryl clear over enamel/acryl basecoats with no problems.) The silvering issue, if nothing else, may be down to that.

One thing I have learned is to mix your clear THOROUGHLY. Just because it's clear and there are no "layers" visible, doesn't mean it's good to go.

Hope you find a fix.

Hello!

Steps 1-3 sound all right to me. At step 3 (set/sol application) you still have a lot of options. Basically the sol should dissolve the decal and make it "paint itself" on the underlying clear. Many times that doesn't happen - that's when I try to mix in some additional chemistry - Mr. Mark Softer by Gunze or the heavy artillery - Solvalset. If there's still silvering at that point, you can resolve to tricks like adding a little future under the decals (cutting them up a little helps) - but that will be a minor issue, because you tested that the chemistry work on a spare decal, right? Apply the top clear coat just after you're sure you've done everything and you're happy with the results, because the top coat makes the decalling more or less permanent.

I hope it helps - good luck with your modelling projects and have a nice day

Paweł

Thanks so much for your feedback everyone.  Doing only the decal areas in gloss may have been the big mistake.  Perhaps a thin gloss coat overall will do the trick.  Appreciate all the good advice!

I'll suggest one other thing.

Be careful in the amount of set-sol used. I usually put the decal down without either, and work a little set down around the edges and leave it at that. If sol is needed, I try to keep it on top of the decal. In my experience, it'll react poorly with the clear gloss I use, which is Future.

And yes, I think it's better to gloss the whole thing than try to limit to decal areas.

In my experience no amount of decal solvent will eliminate silvering if the gloss coat underneath is not actually shiney. 

Just because a can says it is gloss does not mean the outcome will really be glossy.  Put down gloss paint too dry, and it comes out semi-gloss.  Put down flat paint too wet and it will come out semi-gloss.  BTW, that is the trick for paint colors that lack a stock semi-gloss.  Use the appropriate gloss or flat, and trick the application.

1st recommendation...as you've noticed...there is a different appearence in the final coat, where the gloss was...gloss the whole thing!

2nd...(BTW...I use enamel colors and Lacquer clears...flat and gloss) I have completely given up on using micro-set. Even when I'd gloss, I'd get mixed results (silvering)...I have replaced micro-set with Future. I do not use Future for anything other than decals, in place of micro-set....HUGE difference! I do still use and like micro-sol(on top). Once the decals are dry, I'll spray another gloss coat to seal em in and prep for washes.