dealing with known fragile decals

[Just Mike]

I recently had the unpleasant experience of working with some decals that just were very hard to move and ripped at the slightest touch. Slight exaggeration there but I hope you know what I mean.

I hear the Fine Molds decals aren't exactly the friendliest in the world. I'm hoping someone would have tips and tricks on dealing with fragile decals.

Thanks!

 

[Grendels]

I just went through this same problem. My solution was to cut the decal into little pieces and then put them together on the model. This requires a steady hand and a lot of patience.

I read somewhere that one person sprayed them with a clear coat of paint first. And Microscale makes a decal film that you can brush onto troublesome decals before you use them to help hold them together.

 

[Just Mike]

Eek. Not sure I'm ready to trim them all into pieces. I seldom get to the decaling stage so I wouldn't be confident in doing that. Not trying to ignore you or anything. I'm sure it's a terrific idea and all. Just don't see me being able to pull it off.

Now, I do have some clear coat sprays. Would a coat or two keep them from falling apart?

 

[MrNatural]

microscale works great for holding brittle decals together ive heard of people using other acrylic clear coats with good success as well

 

[Grendels]

I have clear coated decals I was worried about. They didn't come apart so I can't say if it worked or not. But my bets are on that it worked!!

Oh and I don't blame you for not wanting to cut your decals to pieces, I am just crazy that way..... I got it from long experience of screwing up my decals.

 

[aim9guy]

Be careful with clear coating decals before adding them to the model. The coat(s) will help keep the decal together, but can make the decal thick, not blending into the finish and looking like a sticker.

With decals, warm water is your best friend. I always use warm water with a drop of liquid dishwashing soap in it. This helps break surface tension, and it slides better off the decal and onto the model.
Also, always wet the area the decal is going to go. People get into trouble pushing a decal onto a dry model and it sticks and breaks. Water, water water...Wet your fingers, wet your brush, wet the surface where you are going to set the decal down to slide it off onto the model. Did I mention water? After building for people for years, this has been my main lesson learned about decals. Patience and warm water solves 99% of all decal issues.
If the decals are just too old, brittle and simply vaporize in water, try the clear coat , or if they are dark enough (no white or real light areas) get a blank sheet of decal film. They come in letter size sheets, and go to the office supply store and have a color copy made.
Hope this helps.
aim9guy