8A Decals

[Scotsman07]

Hello everyone,

 

Happy New Year to you all! I wanted to ask for those of you that have used decals from 8a, are they easy to use and apply to the model?

 

I have a set already for a 773 and am tempted to buy a couple of more sets but am sure of how good they are on the finished product.

 

Thank you for any tips an advice.

 

Alistair

[Ins_Tony]

Hello!

 

I used 8aDecs sheets a couple of time, being really happy with the results. Decals are really easy to apply, soft but tough, and colors have a really good density and opacity.

 

I'd personally deeply recommend them, as I have some current projects that will use them, as well as some future ones - plus a couple of sheets still tempting me on their website.

 

Tony

[Skodadriver]

Hi Alistair

 

I used 8A Decals on the Iberia A321 and Air Koryo Tu-204 which were in RFI last year. I have a Boeing 737-700 currently in the paint shop which will receive 8A's Westjet decals when it's finished. On the basis of experience to date I'm a fan.

 

The decals are laser printed and have to be applied over a white background. Masking the Tu-204 so that the grey stopped exactly on the dark blue stripe was a minor challenge, especially around the nose! The only other point to watch is that the ink can sometimes erode if you handle them roughly, for example if you are too enthusiastic about trying to smooth down a wrinkle, but treat them with care and you should get a good result.

 

Which 773 sheet do you have? Jon has done some great schemes.

 

Dave G

[Scotsman07]

3 hours ago, Skodadriver said:

Hi Alistair

 

I used 8A Decals on the Iberia A321 and Air Koryo Tu-204 which were in RFI last year. I have a Boeing 737-700 currently in the paint shop which will receive 8A's Westjet decals when it's finished. On the basis of experience to date I'm a fan.

 

The decals are laser printed and have to be applied over a white background. Masking the Tu-204 so that the grey stopped exactly on the dark blue stripe was a minor challenge, especially around the nose! The only other point to watch is that the ink can sometimes erode if you handle them roughly, for example if you are too enthusiastic about trying to smooth down a wrinkle, but treat them with care and you should get a good result.

 

Which 773 sheet do you have? Jon has done some great schemes.

 

Dave G

Hi Dave,

 

Happy New Year to you! Thank you for your tips and recommendations around the decals. I currently have on my bench a Revell B773 which is going in to ANA’s BB-8 Star Wars livery.

 

I also got the new Revell A321neo kit which is going to go into the Hawaiian Livery from the 8A decal range.

 

My daughter also wants me to do the Eva Air B773 Hello Kitty livery 😳😳, so I have a set of them on the way too. I have also just purchased some Microsol and Microset for the decals. I did purchase a set of AA windows for the 773 and 321, but the windows on the 8A decals are also excellent. 
 

I look forward to seeing the Westjet 737-700 completed 👍🏻.

 

Regards,

 

Alistair

[Scotsman07]

3 hours ago, Ins_Tony said:

Hello!

 

I used 8aDecs sheets a couple of time, being really happy with the results. Decals are really easy to apply, soft but tough, and colors have a really good density and opacity.

 

I'd personally deeply recommend them, as I have some current projects that will use them, as well as some future ones - plus a couple of sheets still tempting me on their website.

 

Tony

Thank you Tony. They definitely do have some

great liveries to chose from, I’m like a kid in a sweet shop haha! I now have 3 sets from them haha 👍🏻.
 

I have brought some Microsol and Microset to help with them as I have been told they are pretty good setting solutions for decals.

 

Alistair 

[Ins_Tony]

10 hours ago, Scotsman07 said:

Thank you Tony. They definitely do have some

great liveries to chose from, I’m like a kid in a sweet shop haha! I now have 3 sets from them haha 👍🏻.
 

I have brought some Microsol and Microset to help with them as I have been told they are pretty good setting solutions for decals.

 

Alistair 

 

I agree, Microset and -sol are good products. When the job is really rough, I also sometimes use Daco Strong products, but never had to do so with 8aDecs decals.

 

I already used these sheets 4 times, and have another 17 in stock or on the way - Volaris 319, Frontier 32N, Fiji and Hawaiian 332, Avianca Cargo 33F, Malaysia 359, Volotea 717, RAM LOT and Air Canada 737M8, Eva Air Air Austral and Swiss 77W, Qantas RAM and Aeromexico 787, Arkia ERJ 195. And I'm still waiting for Edelweiss 330/340 to come back in stock 😅

 

If you have any question or enquiry don't hesitate to write directly to John Ochoa on Facebook - He's a really nice guy and really helpful with his products.

 

 

Tony

[Skodadriver]

Just one small correction of Tony's info, it's Jon Ochoa, not John.

 

As well as the 8A Facebook page Jon runs a Facebook group called Airliner Hobby Model World. I was a member and found it pretty good although like Airliner Cafe it tends to be very US-centric. I left it a year or so ago but may rejoin at some point.

 

Dave G

[Scotsman07]

Thank you both of you. You have given me the confidence to crack on and use them. I have made a start of my B773 in the Star Wars livery this morning... this is going to be a slow and tedious process I suspect haha... 

 

 

[Ins_Tony]

1 hour ago, Skodadriver said:

Just one small correction of Tony's info, it's Jon Ochoa, not John.

 

As well as the 8A Facebook page Jon runs a Facebook group called Airliner Hobby Model World. I was a member and found it pretty good although like Airliner Cafe it tends to be very US-centric. I left it a year or so ago but may rejoin at some point.

 

Dave G

 

 

Indeed Dave you're right, it's Jon and not John.

 

I'm myself in that same Facebook group. Maybe we've already talked there without even knowing it as I'm a member for far more than a year ago!

 

The first steps on yur decalling process look really great! Looking forward for the whole model!

 

Tony

Edited January 7, 2020 by Ins_Tony

[Skodadriver]

That's looking good @Scotsman07. Hope to see it in RFI soon

 

@Ins_Tony I quit the Facebook group after a serious falling-out with another member. I won't name names beyond saying that he used to be a member of Britmodeller until he got slung out by the moderators. Presumably related to that, he took exception to me expressing the view that Britmodeller is a friendlier site than Airliner Cafe. I can't be bothered with that sort of nonsense (modelling is supposed to be relaxing and enjoyable!) and I object to being publicly called an idiot simply for expressing a personal opinion so I left the group and haven't been back since. 

[Scotsman07]

1 hour ago, Skodadriver said:

That's looking good @Scotsman07. Hope to see it in RFI soon

 

@Ins_Tony I quit the Facebook group after a serious falling-out with another member. I won't name names beyond saying that he used to be a member of Britmodeller until he got slung out by the moderators. Presumably related to that, he took exception to me expressing the view that Britmodeller is a friendlier site than Airliner Cafe. I can't be bothered with that sort of nonsense (modelling is supposed to be relaxing and enjoyable!) and I object to being publicly called an idiot simply for expressing a personal opinion so I left the group and haven't been back since. 

Thank you, I also wanted to ask another question. With regards to priming, do you ever use grey primer and then go over it with Halfords gloss white? I have the grey Halfords primer but never gone over it with the white before. 
 

Alistair

[Skodadriver]

4 hours ago, Scotsman07 said:

Thank you, I also wanted to ask another question. With regards to priming, do you ever use grey primer and then go over it with Halfords gloss white? I have the grey Halfords primer but never gone over it with the white before. 
 

Alistair

Finishing tends to be an area where personal preference and experience come to the fore and there really are very few rights and wrongs. It's more a case of what works for you and what doesn't. For example many modellers have produced stunning natural metal finishes using Alclad but I just can't get on with it at all.

 

Personally I prefer to use grey primer whenever I can although I know that others will disagree. I think grey shows up any flaws better than white and it provides a more uniform colour for the top coat. I regularly spray Appliance White over grey primer although I stress that I decant the white into my airbrush and I have never tried spraying it on to grey primer straight from the can. If you do spray white over grey you need to watch for any "shadows" where the white isn't quite dense enough.  Look closely under a really bright light, touch up as required and remember to check again if you have sanded or micromeshed the white. As always you should experiment on a scrap model or a "mule" before trying any new technique on your latest masterpiece.

 

There are certain colours where grey primer won't work - red, orange, yellow and lighter greens are the main ones.

 

Dave G

 

 

[Milczacy]

I had only 2 decals from 8A. Print quality is very good, but it was a nightmare putting it on the model.

The first one - for Boeing 789 - ANA Star Wars - I (somehow) managed to apply, but for another B789 - polish LOT 'Independence' special livery - I couldn't.

My "3 pennies" to the discussion

[neilg]

I bought a sheet of 777 Air Austral decals from 8A, and I was really impressed with them.

 

The carrier film was really thin though, which I wasn't prepared for, and I lost a cargo door because it folded up on itself when it came away from the backing paper.

 

My own fault though, but I was really happy with the results.