I will soon be applying decals for the first time. I have found a number of tutorials on how to do it but still have a question about solutions.
When do you use Micro Set vs Micro Sol? It sounds like Micro Sol is more aggressive. Do you start with Set and then use Sol if needed?
Finally, when is Solvaset used?
Rick
Rick.
You will get a bunch of different answers for this question. This is what has worked for me.
1 apply decal with water and blot dry with an absorbent cloth or cotton swabs.
If the decal is on a flat surface and no bubbles and straight. Blot around the edges with the Micro set. If there are bubbles on a flat surface then apply more Micro set.
If there are depressions, rivets, or changes of surfaces. Then use the Sol carefully and liberally to soften the decal so it stretches and conforms to the surfaces. May need several applications. Don’t try to move the decal. Just lightly apply it with the soft paint brush and let the decal conform on its own. Keep it wet with the Micro sol. Use the softest brush you can find.
That’s all I have. It has served me well over the years.
Pete.
Micro Set is the mild one, and Micro Sol supposedly the more aggresive one…I use the first one but not the Micro Sol, as I find Solvaset a better, more aggresive choice (and also less expensive).
At the risk of boring those capable of doing good decal work, I’ll include my procedure for applying decals:
First, I would suggest that you wash the car (or locomotive, structure, etc.), using warm water and dish detergent, then rinse it thoroughly with water and let it air-dry.
Once it’s dry, airbrush it in an appropriate colour(s), then set it aside to let the paint dry/cure/harden, depending on the type of paint you use.
Once that is done, airbrush the entire areas which will be decalled with Glosscote (or your preferred clear gloss) then let it fully dry until there’s no odour of solvent present on the car. Don’t apply the gloss only where the decals will be applied - for rolling stock and locomotives, those areas are usually the sides and ends - cover them completely with the gloss, even if the amount of decal work will be very minimal. Allow the clear coat to fully cure/harden - there should be no noticeable odour to it, (this minimises the chance of the setting solutions reacting with the clear coat).
Next, use a sharp blade to cut the needed decals from the sheet, keeping as far away from the lettering as possible. Once you have all of the required lettering free of the main sheet, use a sharp blade (re-sharpen or replace as necessary) and working on a hard surface (I use a sheet of glass on my work desk for this), to trim away as much of the blank paper from as close as you can maneuver the blade to the lettering, using a straight down chopping motion, rather than slicing it away. If necessary, do this work under magnification (eyeglasses, Optivisor, or loupe).
The reason for the two-part cutting is that slicing the image, even with a sharp blade, raises the edges along the cut line, and whe
Here you go…
Make sure that the model has a glossy finish. I use Scalecoat II glossy paints, or some of the old Model Master glossy paint I have stashed. If the model has a flat finish, I apply a coat of Future Floor Finish to get a glossy surface. If you cannot get Future Floor Finish, Testors Glosscoat will do OK.
Some modelers only apply the gloss coating where the decals will be applied, but sometimes this gives an uneven finish when Dullcoat is applied, so I cover the entire model with glosscoat if this is needed.
Make sure all the paint and gloss coat is fully dried before applying any decals. The sniff test works well for this. You should not smell any paint solvents.
When trimming Microscale Decals, I try not to trim the “blob” of decal carrier film on the sheet. Microscale prints the decal carrier film onto the decal paper, and this process gives the decal a tapered edge that is easy to hide. I have found trimming closely can make the decal carrier film more obvious on the finished model.
Microscale alphabets, trim film, and parallel stripe decals are printed on a solid sheet of carrier, and so are most other commercial decals and custom decals. For these, it try to trim the decal film to within 1/16" from the lettering.
Note: The best decals I have ever used are printed by Cartograf in Italy. Hopefully this company will begin making model railroading decals someday. If I had unlimited dollars, I would have them print a set of STRATTON AND GILLETTE decals. Oh, to dream.
For soaking the decal off of the decal paper I use an orange plate with ribs around the edge I bought at the Dollar Tree. Orange has turned out to be the perfect color for a decal soaking plate because so few decals are orange that they do not disappear into the background. When I used a white plate, sometimes it would be hard to find a white decal the floated away. The ribs on the edge of the plate help.
I only use distilled water for soaking the decal. D
I am probably in the minority with this, but I never have a problem with having a flat finish on any of my models when it comes to applying decals. The procedure I use is apply Microset to the area to be decaled. Carefully slide the decal into place on the Microset. Let the decal dry somewhat so that the decal doesn’t move especially if you have to place another decal in the same area. That is especially true with my current project of putting decals on some CB&Q composite hoppers. The CAPY, LD LMT and LT WT decals are offset due to the side beams and I have to piece the rest of the dimensional data.
For those that grumble on the flat finish, I have only had silvering happen twice and that was many years ago. As I protolance and paint and decal a lot of my own equipment I have a lot of practice.
Just my [2c] on the subject.
The blue labelled Micro set is for “setting” the decal onto the model surface. It’s wetter water to allow you to slide the decal around in order to place it accurately and get it straightened up. You use as much as is convenient to float the decal around. You can add more Micro set as you may require to get the decal where you want it. Let the decal dry in place.
The red labelled Micro sol is used later to actually soften the decal to allow it to sink into and conform to irregularities on the model surface to simulate being painted on. Use as little of this as you can and still get the decal to conform to the model surface. Whatever you do don’t try to move the decal once the Micro sol is on the model. The decal may distort or tear. Only use Micro sol when you’re sure the decal is exactly where you want it.
The way I remember which bottle does what is that the blue colour bottle is safer and the red colour bottle is danger.
Thank you for all the replies. You answered all my questions.
Rick
I am usually applying decals to a freshly painted car. A lot of my fresh paint is auto primer from a rattle can which has a good flat surface. Decals go on the flat surface just fine. I don’t believe that decals want/need a gloss surface.
I cut my decals as small as possible with the sissors on my Swiss army knife. I use distilled water to soak the decals off the backing paper since my tap water has a lot of ugly mud in it. I let the decals soak until I can feel them ready to slide off the backing paper. I transfer the wet decal to the car and THEN slide it off the backing paper.
Next very carefully position the decal just right, lettering going horizontal. Dampen the car slightly if you need to. Once in place, blot up any excess water with a Kleenex, let it dry enough to stay in place, but not totally dry. Then I apply Solvaset to “make the decal snuggle down” it used to say on the bottle. I have been using Solvaset since long before Micro Sol/Set came on the market and I don’t plan to change now. The Solvaset softens the decal film to let it settle down around rivets and such. Any attempt to move a decal after the Solvaset has softened the decal is bound to tear it. If you get an air bubble under the decal use a little Solvaset to soften the decal again and pierce the bubble with a sewing needle. Work a little Solvaset into the bubble and it will snuggle down nicely.
After
There are several members of the Calusa Scale Modelers Club that feel the same way you do.
Their models are beautiful, and there is no way to argue with success.
-Kevin