Decals and Micro Sol question

Should look better once you put a clear coat over it. You can also try painting over the film where there is no lettering with the paint you used on the model to cover up the film as well, then clear coat.

Was the surface of the model glossy before you applied the decals?  If not, the decal film will always be visible.  At this point, a flat clear coat over everything will help hide it and if you weather the car, that will help some more.

Ron,

Did you first apply a gloss clear coat on the model BEFORE you put the decals on? If not, then the decal clear film will show through.

Since decal film has a gloss finish to it, putting a gloss coat on before you decal, followed by either a dull or gloss over finish, will hide the decal film.

Looks like flat black underneath? As mentioned, unless it is glossy the film will show.

Micro Sol only softens the decal to help in conform to an irregular surface. It doesn't change the sheen of the surface. Its not a coating.

Pete

BobbyD posted:

Looks like flat black underneath? As mentioned, unless it is glossy the film will show.

It's actually Tamiya semi gloss black.  But before I applied the decals I coated the model with Tamiya X22 Clear.  That is a gloss covering.

Ron:

Nor sure what you are asking - if you are asking if the Micro Sol will 'eliminate' the edges around the decal it won't. Micro Sol only further softens the decal so it will sink into uneven surfaces.

There are products out there that are supposed to hide the edges. I tried one and did not like it. Best thing to do is to spray with either a dullcote or clearcote depending on your preference. This won't eliminate but will tone down the edges.

Joe

Ray of sunshine posted:

Ron,

Did you first apply a gloss clear coat on the model BEFORE you put the decals on? If not, then the decal clear film will show through.

Since decal film has a gloss finish to it, putting a gloss coat on before you decal, followed by either a dull or gloss over finish, will hide the decal film.

Question:  Would a "semi-gloss" coat on the model also help hide the decal film before the decals are placed, or will only "glossy" finish do the trick? 

I recently had a similar problem just last night when applying some old Champ decals to a new moderately shiny surface. i took a very fine needle (smaller than a common straight pin) and carefully pricked the film in any area where the film was showing. Soaked in Microsol. Left it alone for 45 minutes. Repeated the entire process (pricking, soaking, leaving alone). The film all but disappeared.

Ron045 posted:

BobbyD posted:

Looks like flat black underneath? As mentioned, unless it is glossy the film will show.

It's actually Tamiya semi gloss black.  But before I applied the decals I coated the model with Tamiya X22 Clear.  That is a gloss covering.

Did the surface come out glossy and smooth? It appeared rough in your image. If so that should do it. Micro Sol won't hide the decal itself, it just gets it to snuggle down over bumps like rivets, etc. As mentioned above, pin pricks in the clear spots may help. Many times I've had to put some of it on the surface where the decal would be to get thicker ones to settle down. May "disappear" from view when you Dull Coat it. 

Gregcz1 and others,

I've been painting and lettering with decals for some 50 years now, and have made a lot of changes as newer and better paints and decals have come to market. The one thing that has been a constant, is to give a CLEAR gloss coat over the model before I decal it.

Semi gloss does not do as well, and even if the paint is marked gloss, I find that model paints do not have a good gloss to hide the decal film. Maybe some of the rattle can paints have a higher gloss to them. I don't know as I prefer to stick with model paints as the pigments are not as thick and do a better job at highlighting the details on the model.

So even if I use a "gloss black" paint on a model, I still hit it with a gloss finish. I believe that this results in a much better finish before I decal it.

I finish most all of my models with a dull finish or semi gloss finish, sometimes mixing my gloss and dull coat 50/50. It all depends on what effect I want my model to look like.

One other thing. I always wait at least 24 hours between paint finishes. And I wait 24 hours after the gloss coat has been sprayed before I decal, then another 24 hours before I spray the finish coat. Overkill? Maybe, but not for me. I know others do it quicker, but that's me. I have the time and I want the paints to cure properly. 

RAY

Attached is a sample of an HO model I painted a couple years ago, the deal film in the slanted "Great Northern" lettering has "disappeared".

There is one paint and that is ScaleCoat II for plastic. I have tried others including acrylics but 95% of my painting is ScaleCoat. I do not have to gloss it to obtain good looking decals. 

Dick

@Ron045 posted:

It's actually Tamiya semi gloss black.  But before I applied the decals I coated the model with Tamiya X22 Clear.  That is a gloss covering.

Ron, Apologies for a question on ancient history. did you figure out what happened on these decals?  Was the x-22 not glossy enough?

I use either a rattle can gloss or Tru Color gloss in the airbrush now. 

After decals and micro-sol, micro set, another coat of gloss followed by a matte clear coat.

Here is a recent project that came out OK.

@Ron045 posted:

I use either a rattle can gloss or Tru Color gloss in the airbrush now.

After decals and micro-sol, micro set, another coat of gloss followed by a matte clear coat.

Here is a recent project that came out OK.

Have to say it came out waaayyyy better than OK, Ron.

@Ron045 posted:

It's actually Tamiya semi gloss black.  But before I applied the decals I coated the model with Tamiya X22 Clear.  That is a gloss covering.

Any reason you did not use gloss black rather than attempting to make semi gloss smooth?

Are you using this in conjunction with a TMCC Crane?  I have the Chessie crane, but the boom car was sooo expensive, and frankly I'm not wild about things that make sounds.  I have everything turned off.  I bought a PRR work caboose, and would love to change it to the Chessie livery.