Roden kit decals questions

[ReccePhreak]

This topic could probably go in many subforums, but since I am planning on building the Roden 1/72 C-123B, I am putting it here. A fellow named John Eaton did post on another modelling forum about his building that kit, and I was amazed at what he had to do to get the kit decals to settle down. He said he used a Top Flight heat gun that is normally use to shrink mylar film on R/C models. Has anybody had issues with Roden decals not settling down, and if so, what did you use to get them to work? Are there any decal solvents or setting solutions that are strong enough to do the job without destroying the decals? I have a number of Roden kits in my stash, and some of them will be built using their kit decals. Others will be finished with aftermarket decals.

Larry

[hsr]

@ReccePhreak I built the AC-123K version of this kit,

and to quote from that thread:

"All decals will silver to some extent, but this can usually be fixed with decal solvent and a sharp knife to make tiny holes in the silvered area for the solvent to seep into. Not these. They resisted all efforts to fix and I am somewhat embarrassed to show the pictures because of this. They must come from the same source as the early Academy decals. Luckily the silvering doesn't show up too much in the pictures. "

 

So I have to concur with Mr. Eaton. Also I found the fit to be atrocious and the instruction flawed. 

 

Good luck

 

[ReccePhreak]

9 minutes ago, hsr said:

@ReccePhreak I built the AC-123K version of this kit,

and to quote from that thread:

"All decals will silver to some extent, but this can usually be fixed with decal solvent and a sharp knife to make tiny holes in the silvered area for the solvent to seep into. Not these. They resisted all efforts to fix and I am somewhat embarrassed to show the pictures because of this. They must come from the same source as the early Academy decals. Luckily the silvering doesn't show up too much in the pictures. "

 

So I have to concur with Mr. Eaton. Also I found the fit to be atrocious and the instruction flawed. 

 

Good luck

 

Thanks for those words of encouragement. 

It can't be any worse than the Mach 2 kit I have, and AM PLANNING on building. In fact, I plan to convert it to a Royal Thai AF C-123T turboprop version.

As far as "FLAWED INSTRUCTIONS" are concerned, I have seen that most of the Chinese kits seem to fit that category. 

Larry

[Paul Thompson]

Fit of Roden kits can be iffy, sometimes, but is orders of magnitude better than Mach 2. Or early Sword. Or Pavla, or Octopus, or early Special Hobby, or.................... (yawn).  Anyway, the decals, OTOH, usually have at least one or two issues, amongst which not reacting to decal setting liquids was always a common one. What works for many, including me sometimes, is to put a coat of Johnsons Kleer or equivalent where the decal is to go, and place the decals while the puddle is still wet. Usually this is enough to draw it down into the detail because Kleer shrinks as it cures. But if your decals also are prone to silvering then slip a thin brush coat of Klear on top of the decal after placement, ideally while the first puddle is still moist but the decal has started to grab a little so you don't disturb the position. The top coat should bind with the lower coat, the decal ends up embedded and silver-less, and the overal coat isn't thick enough to notice. Usually works, but such is the variable nature of Roden decals that it isn't fail-safe.

 

 

Paul.

[roginoz]

Just had a close look at my Roden C-124 Globemaster for any of the described problems - Decals applied over a silver or dayglo base and Microgloss varnish. Microflat over decals.

 

 - a very slight silvering on those stars 'n' bars over silver, noticeable in the right light;

 - light opacity of stars 'n' bars over dayglo, likewise tail markings over silver/dayglo/met. silver .

 - from memory, a couple broke up but went together ok, probably caused by my hamfistedness.

 

Certainly not to the degree described by the OP, and not to the effect that I'm dissatisfied with the end result.

 

Rog

 

[72modeler]

@ReccePhreak

Larry,

 

What nationality, scheme, and markings are you going to use for your C-123B project? Depending upon what example you plan to build, you should be able to get the national insignia, tail codes, and serials from generic decal sheets. See the links below for the only 1/72 Provider decal sheets that I know of.  Best I can do from my references.

Mike

 

for USAF Providers:

https://www.caracalmodels.com/cd72027.html

https://modelingmadness.com/scott/decals/caracal/72/cd72027.htm

 

for RTAF Providers:

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/siam-scale-72034-c-123-provider--183221

 

 

[ReccePhreak]

2 hours ago, 72modeler said:

@ReccePhreak

Larry,

 

What nationality, scheme, and markings are you going to use for your C-123B project? Depending upon what example you plan to build, you should be able to get the national insignia, tail codes, and serials from generic decal sheets. See the links below for the only 1/72 Provider decal sheets that I know of.  Best I can do from my references.

Mike

 

for USAF Providers:

https://www.caracalmodels.com/cd72027.html

https://modelingmadness.com/scott/decals/caracal/72/cd72027.htm

 

for RTAF Providers:

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/siam-scale-72034-c-123-provider--183221

 

 

@72modeler

Thanks Mike, I will be using the SiamScale decals, as it's one of the 104 SiamScale decal sheets I have in my stash. I also have 16 different Thai decal sheets by JEAB, as well as numerous other Thai decals in my stash.

I was asking about the Roden decals in case I needed to use any of their stencils or other markings that might not be on the SiamScale sheet.

Larry

Edited September 28, 2021 by ReccePhreak
More info

[dnl42]

While I have built a number of Roden kits, only one used the kit decals. They were poorly printed and didn't settle that well. I now rely on AM for decals for Roden kits; same with Tamiya.

[Julien]

Some of the worst decals I have seen. In one of the review kits they sent the decals had no carrier film printed over the markings at all.

[modelldoc]

This is my C-123B.

 

Build oob.

 

It was not easy, but it works. no big problems with the decals.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/22417321534/in/photolist-A9WCFG

 

modelldoc

 

[thorfinn]

The only experience I can recall is with their WW1 kits...the decals were like 'classic' Airfix or Revell, i.e. of acceptable thin-ness but rather stiff...would lay down over, say, wing ribbing, but rather hesitant to conform around finer detail. I used Solvaset, which helped quite a bit, but ended up having to touch up paint around small cracked areas over hinges and by control horns and such.

 

I too have read other modelers' reports of their awfulness...but mine were only testy, but far from hopeless.

 

(I hadn't read of John Eaton's use of heat, or I would probably have tried a hair dryer, just to see.)

 

Cheers