Here’s a question for you guys that I’d like your advice on:
What is the best way to add decals to a factory painted model, without messing up the original finish?
Here’s my specific problem: I just got the new VIA Rail LRC coaches from Rapido. These cars are painted in the as-delivered VIA scheme, and I want to “update” them to the modern “Canada” scheme. All I have to do is add a few logos (flags and “Canada” wordmark, plus roof emergency cut-aways). The thing is, I want to do this without messing up the really nice factory finish.
The models have a very smooth, glossy surface already, so I suspect I could get away with not using a gloss-coat underneath. But what about sealing them? Could I get away without sealing the decals?
I could mask off the area around the decal itself, then just spray that with a finish, but I don’t know how I’d get that to match the finish on the rest of the car.
I don’t want to spray the whole car, because the finish it has now is how I want it to be, and I don’t want to mess with that. I also don’t want to go through the pain of removing or masking all the windows on the coach, and so on.
So what’s your advice? I’m sure a lot of you do this to at least add numbers and extra detail decals to factory models, so some of you must have good methods. I can’t be the only one who actually wants to preserve that nice factory finish!
Wash the models with soap and water to remove fingerprints, oil, crud and what have you. Apply the decals in the ordinary way, trim them close, settle them down in the right place, and then settle the in with Solvaset, or your favorite decal setting solution.
Let every thing dry at least over night, maybe two days. If the decal film is invisible, fine, you are done. If the film shows, you need a shot of DullCote to make it disappear. Dullcote mean you have to mask the windows to keep them clear. So mask as much as you can, and give it a light shot of Dullcote and everything oughta come out right.
If you don’t seal in the decals, eventually they will turn yellow and will be apt to peel off. You might get by without spraying gloss finish on before decaling, if the surface is smooth (although Solvaset can “remove” paint and lettering so be careful) but you really will need to seal it in once you’re done. Best way is just to spray the whole car (after removing or masking the windows of course).
After your decals are in place, carefully mask around them, leaving about a 1/32" gap between the tape and decal’s edge. Apply one to two thin coats of FUTURE FLOOR FINISH. You can use an airbrush or a fine paint brush as Future settles to a smooth finish. After the Future has cured (give it a full day) apply an acrylic flat finish, such as Polly Scale or Modelflex, on top of the decals and you should be good to go. [8D]