Academy, Italeri and Roden decals...

[Andre B]

Is decals from Academy and Italeri as bad as often mentioned in build reviews and "in the works" or should those decals be handled in an different way than most decals? 

 

Is there something many builders miss when working with Academy, Italeri and Roden decals?

 

What's behind those bad experiences?

 

Cheers / André

 

 

[PhantomBigStu]

Academy, yes tread carefully though some special boxings come with lovely cartograph decals, italeri can be a mixed bag, but nowadays they are decent, the older they are though the more iffy they become 

[goggsy]

I just completed their reboxing of the 1/48 Hunter and used a combination of the kit decals plus some old Academy ones from a previous kit - both worked perfectly....

[Harold55]

Academy decals have went on very well for me but over time they tend to lose adhesion to the model and curl up.  I think the best way to solve this problem would make sure you seal the decals well.  Roden decals are a completely different issue for me - they just don't settle down at all and it is impossible to get the to curve around even the simplest of structures (to say nothing of complex curves). They silver like crazy but I think this is the same problem.  I have bathed them in solveset to no avail.  I am going to try using a heat gun on them but this is also a risk but it is the last thing I can think of that might work.  It is a shame because otherwise I like Roden models, it is only the decals that seem to ruin the experience.

[Peter Lloyd]

Academy decals are crude all round. The film is almost like a thin acetate sheet: glossy, not conforming and will not 'soften'. The adhesive is weak, too, so the need for a very glossy surface is paramount. An upside is the film is immune to heat damage, thus I have got acceptable results by pressing them with a tissue, wetted, then held in a kettle jet to make it hot.  But you still have the problem of the dubious colours, the blobby printing and so on.  Academy do usually give you stencils and details, so it's not all bad.

Italeri are better: just, usually, rather 'thick'.  A bit like Japanese decals (Hasegawa), or modern Airfix, but heavier again. I haven't used them very much but the hot press is again helpful to get them to smooth down over surface detail.

It's a pity in this age where some really good decals are available, and presumably not very expensive in bulk, that substandard decals continue to mar some pretty good models.

[Sturmovik]

If you're going to buy Academy kits, look for the boxings with Cartograf decals.

I thought Italeri decals were printed by the company already mentioned.

[Andre B]

I've got the Heller 1/24 Scania truck and trailer. Built it around 1982. Didn't use anything but Waterfront and those "Panalpina" decals (om matt paint) on the trailer are still om harder than ever. I tried hot water som years ago to get them of. Impossible, they are still on. So if Heller could do it for over 30 years ago... ...why that much problem with other decals today?

 

Cheers / André

[stevehnz]

Reading the above I'm convinced that most if not all the issues involved can be solved by the principles discussed in this thread. Hopefully it will help in these cases.

Steve.

[dnl42]

I built the Acaemy 1/48 MiG-21MF in the Polish 45th anniversary "Fish" scheme, and the decals went on flawlessly! 

 

 

I've found Roden decals to go on well, but they can be let down by QA. I love their 1/144 C-47, but I've had some kits with the 2-color USAAF decals out of register.

 

You didn't ask, but I will never again use Tamiya decals. Too thick and never settled.