Decals fall apart before applying??

first of all,WELCOME!

it sounds like they may be old decals,if you can't get any aftermarket sheets,you can try a trick i've used... get a can of Testors decal bonder(used when you make your own ink jet decals) spray a coat on the sheet you have a problem with,but remember that you'll have to cut out each decal because the whole sheet will have the film on it,it's saved me in the past.

if you can't find the decal bonder ,i've heard of others using Kylon clear spray(wal mart) but i haven't tried that yet

Check at your LHS (or a good mail order HS) and see if they carry Micro Scale Liquid Film - apply two coats (about 15 minutes between coats and let final coat set for 15 to 20 minutes) then apply.  If your decal is splitting into several large pieces, thst should do.  However, if the decal is splitting into a thousand pieces, you may have to put as many as 6 coats over the decal to save it.

If I have some old decals or decals that I suspect or know will be a problem, I grab a spray can of gloss or flat and cover the decals.  As with the other methods, trim around the decals before putting them in water.

I'm a firm believer in the right tool for the job. MicroScale Decal Film or Decal Saver. Apply it with a brush exactly where you want it, dries quickly and smooth. The decal retains its abllitity to conform to diffficult surfaces and will respond to Micro-Sol and Micro-Set.

A quick and easy way to solve this problem is to brush a couple of coats of Future over the whole decal sheet, once you've discovered, by testing a decal that you're not going to use, that the problem exists. Leave the Future to dry overnight, and then you can cut out individual decals, trimming right up to the edge, and apply as normal.

Cheers,

Chris.