qmiester wrote:

...Occasionaly you will find that pieces of decals will remain on the model - usually in sunken panel lines and so forth.  In that case I take a round tooth pick and file a chisel shape on one end.  I then cover the area with MicroSol, let it set until nearly dry and apply a second coat of MicroSol.  I then use the toothpick to chisel the decal material out. Takes a little practice, but it can be done without damage to the paint.

Qmiester - THANKS!!!

I have had a project on which I had applied multi-layer homemade decals clear coated in lacquer, then placed over an airbrushed lacquer finish.  The project had sat for several years, as I was not happy with the detail/quality of the decals.  I have since had high quality custom decals made, and am planning on completing the project. 

The challenge came when attempting to remove the old decals without damaging the underlying finish.  A search of the site here was the key.  I had tried Solvaset, and hot water, without success.  Thanks to Qmiester, I tried the  Microsol.  It worked like a charm.  I am just removing the last bits of decal, and look forward to applying the new graphics, detailing where needed, and wrapping this project up!  Thanks to all who contribute to these forums.

Sincerely,

 

 

David

About any good masking tape can be used to lift decals (heck, I once tried duct tape - works but is a wee bit harsh on the surrounding paint).  As noted, let the decal dry, apply the tape completly over it (I use 2" wide tape usually), burnish it and then quickly remove it.  You may have to try 2 or 3 times to get all the decal but 98% of the time all you will need is the tape.

Occasionaly you will find that pieces of decals will remain on the model - usually in sunken panel lines and so forth.  In that case I take a round tooth pick and file a chisel shape on one end.  I then cover the area with MicroSol, let it set until nearly dry and apply a second coat of MicroSol.  I then use the toothpick to chisel the decal material out. Takes a little practice, but it can be done without damage to the paint.

doc-hm3 - where are you located on the plains of Kansas? 

 

I have tried flooding the decal with microset and it has not lifted off, is there something im doing wrong or is it because its a larger decal (1/48 Phantom walkway) and im not giving it enough time? Also if Iuse the tape meathod is there a way to salvage the decal, as I already have the decal for the oposite side down and perfectly place.

  Painters Blue masking tape does the job, believe me I found out the hard way. It cleanly lifts on the first try, without damage to the paint, enamels anyhow.

Less haste, more speed. Next time, let the decal dry thoroughly. Then apply Tamiya tape to the decal, rub it down well, and pull it off. The glue on the Tamiya tape is stronger than the glue on the decal, so should lift the decal right off. You may need to do this more than once to remove all the decal.

Scotch tape is a last resort, 'cos it can also take the surrounding paint off. You should also check that the decal is in the right place before you apply the Microsol. If you do, and it isn't, just flood it with Microset, and the decal should be easy to lift off.

Cheers,

Chris.

Nevermind.. I bought some 91% Isopro. Alcohol and a small pack of Q-tip.

 Upside: Decal came off with almost no effort!!!

 Downside: SO DID THE PAINT UNDER IT!!!!!

 Oh well. time to repaint.. not a big deal really...

 Seeya

Scott