DOD Posted July 16, 2022 Share Posted July 16, 2022 Hi, I have been applying some US stars and bars decals made by Techmod to my PR XI . Using Ultimate Decal Setting Solution, Normal strength. It is not having much effect in getting the decals to conform to panel lines. I can get the stronger versions but this is going to to several days. Would it still be ok to use the stronger solution on the decals after this time and still work? Or just remove and start again when new solutions arrive? Or suggest an alternative solution? There seems to be a mass of them out there! And terminology: Setting, softening, fixer..... Any help would appreciated. Cheers David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moggy Posted July 16, 2022 Share Posted July 16, 2022 If it hasn't been painted over it should still work - at least as well as the product itself works Cheers, Moggy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lasermonkey Posted July 16, 2022 Share Posted July 16, 2022 2 hours ago, DOD said: Hi, I have been applying some US stars and bars decals made by Techmod to my PR XI . Using Ultimate Decal Setting Solution, Normal strength. It is not having much effect in getting the decals to conform to panel lines. I can get the stronger versions but this is going to to several days. Would it still be ok to use the stronger solution on the decals after this time and still work? Or just remove and start again when new solutions arrive? Or suggest an alternative solution? There seems to be a mass of them out there! And terminology: Setting, softening, fixer..... Any help would appreciated. Cheers David I used the stronger Ultimate decal solutions quite some time after failing to get some thick decals to settle down. They worked very well indeed, saving the model from CFITing into the nearest wall. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moggy Posted July 16, 2022 Share Posted July 16, 2022 I have used Microsoft for the last thirty-four Tears. It has almost always succeeded in its task, together with a judiciously applied q-tip 😉 Cheers, Moggy 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinK Posted July 16, 2022 Share Posted July 16, 2022 25 minutes ago, Moggy said: I have used Microsoft for the last thirty-four Tears Somewhat off-topic, but most Windows users would agree..... 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moggy Posted July 16, 2022 Share Posted July 16, 2022 (edited) 32 minutes ago, Moggy said: last thirty-four Tears. It has almost THE product in question is Microsol Microsoft's self-"correction" feature in action 🤢 It should be "years" Cheers, Moggy Edited July 16, 2022 by Moggy Self-corrector's bo-bo 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Laidlaw Posted July 16, 2022 Share Posted July 16, 2022 Micro-set and Micro-sol are great for the great majority of modern transfers. For tougher transfers, I use Walthers Solvaset, and for old, thick Tamiya ones, hot water, Mr. Mark Setter and Mr. Mark Softer. I've tried using Mark Fit Strong, but frankly it was no better than the Micro-scale products. Apparently there's a Mark Fit Really, Really Strong, Honestly (actually Mark Fit Super Strong) available, but I haven't tried it because I can't find it easily. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted July 16, 2022 Share Posted July 16, 2022 I recall using Microsol several time on a Monogram F-82 - not because the Microscale transfers didn't take but, because they consisted of a sheet of stars on a lot of blank varnish, there was quite a lot of silvering to get rid of. Whether Microsol is stronger than any of the others I can't say, but it works for me on the rare occasions it was needed, so I've never felt any drive to experiment with others.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lasermonkey Posted July 16, 2022 Share Posted July 16, 2022 3 hours ago, KevinK said: Somewhat off-topic, but most Windows users would agree..... As a Mac user, this made me chortle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted July 16, 2022 Share Posted July 16, 2022 6 hours ago, DOD said: Or suggest an alternative solution? This could be worth a go, I've never used setting solutions. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOD Posted July 17, 2022 Author Share Posted July 17, 2022 Thanks to all who have replied. Have got useful information. 10 hours ago, stevehnz said: This could be worth a go, I've never used setting solutions. Steve. Thanks for this Steve. I have never used Klear. It just seems funny to be using floor polish on models. But I shall investigate further. Cheers David 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spruecutter96 Posted July 17, 2022 Share Posted July 17, 2022 (edited) "Fixer" is not the same product as "softener". The fixer is like a slightly stronger version of the decal's own adhesive, to give it that extra bit of adhesion to your model, as I understand it (I'm no expert on these matters, TBH). Be very careful with softeners - I've read stories about decals being destroyed / badly-shrivelled by softeners they don't like. For every kit, I would recommend you try applying a "non-essential" marking before you dive right in and go for the main ones. Hope this helps. Chris. PS: I remember a Youtube vid from several years ago.... The modeller added 5-8 drops of decal-softener to the water he dipped his decals in right at the start and he swore by this method. His results looked very creditable. Edited July 17, 2022 by spruecutter96 Amending some information. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattheCat Posted July 17, 2022 Share Posted July 17, 2022 I use Daco soft setting solution. I only used the strong version once as it ruined the decal. That's why I prefer several applications of the soft one. Still, when I apply it in a row, some decals disintegrate. If I wait (at least) a couple of hours before a new coat - to be sure that the decal has hardened again - all goes well. Safer to try on a spare sheet, and also to test the stronger product, IMHO. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planebuilder62 Posted July 18, 2022 Share Posted July 18, 2022 Daco Red fixes all decal problems as long as it does not dissolve the decal first. @PattheCat has some good advice as well. regards Toby 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moggy Posted July 18, 2022 Share Posted July 18, 2022 The best way to avoid silvering of decals begins with preparing the surface. A method that i learned at the club many many years ago is to polish the surface to make it as shiny as possible. Usually well-applied Gunze gets me the surface I want - otherwise I spray clear varnish until the surface is as smooth as possible. Then it's time for decalling - when applying Microsol it is well to remember that the decal wrinkles to begin with - then it smooths without having to do anything. Sometimes I use a q-tip to help the decal get into the panel lines by rolling it gently along the panel line in question. Cheers, Moggy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daco Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 On 7/16/2022 at 6:23 PM, DOD said: Would it still be ok to use the stronger solution on the decals after this time and still work? Or suggest an alternative solution? Yes you can, as long as you have not sealed the decals with a layer of varnish then you can reapply a decalsetting solution which will react on the decals... I read that my Strong (red labeled) Decalsetting solution can be too strong for some decals. That's true, as not all decals are the same: on one side you have "semi-house-made/laser-printed" decals that are really thin and very flimsy and on the other hand you have Tamiya/Hasegawa decals that are really thick and strong. Placing my Strong Decalsetting on a laser-printed decal is asking for problems: it will indeed eat through such decal, but placing my Soft (green labeled) bottle on a Tamiya decal will give no results either... Hence the reason I supply three different strenghts of my Decalsetting solution... Hope this helps... Danny Coremans DACO Products www.dacoproducts.com 4 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOD Posted July 20, 2022 Author Share Posted July 20, 2022 2 hours ago, daco said: Yes you can, as long as you have not sealed the decals with a layer of varnish then you can reapply a decalsetting solution which will react on the decals... I read that my Strong (red labeled) Decalsetting solution can be too strong for some decals. That's true, as not all decals are the same: on one side you have "semi-house-made/laser-printed" decals that are really thin and very flimsy and on the other hand you have Tamiya/Hasegawa decals that are really thick and strong. Placing my Strong Decalsetting on a laser-printed decal is asking for problems: it will indeed eat through such decal, but placing my Soft (green labeled) bottle on a Tamiya decal will give no results either... Hence the reason I supply three different strenghts of my Decalsetting solution... Hope this helps... Danny Coremans DACO Products www.dacoproducts.com Hi Danny, Thanks for the reasoning behind the use of the different strengths. It has helped to explain their use better. Cheers David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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