Techniques for applying long decals

[Flip]

Gents,
I am referring to those loooong water-slide decals we get on wingy things. For example, on the Revell 1:72 Atlas on the top of the wings as demarcation lines or the on the side of a BA Concorde.

I seem to be a complete bungler when it comes to those.

Have any of you more experienced chaps developed good ways of handling those?
John

 

[Tim Marlow]

I don’t like them, but I have worked up a way of dealing with them.
1. Soak the decal until it is mobile on the backing sheet. You want to be able to move it, but don’t want it floating off the surface.
2. Moisten the model surface with microsol decal sol (the blue one) while the decal is soaking.
3. Slide the decal along the backing sheet until about a centimetre is exposed off the backing sheet.
4. Line the decal up in the required place and hold the exposed part in place on the model with a finger.
5. Using the other hand, pull the backing sheet out, keeping it parallel to the surface and allowing the decal to drop on to the model.
6. Spend ages chivvying the decal into its final resting place with a wet paintbrush….no matter how careful you are this is always necessary. Re-wet the surface to keep the decal mobile if required.
7. Wick off the excess water from the side of the decal and let it dry. Don’t press on the surface because it may move. Once it’s dry give it a coat of microsol decal set (the red one) to get it to conform to the surface.

Hope this helps.

 

[The Smythe Meister]

I don’t like them, but I have worked up a way of dealing with them.
1. Soak the decal until it is mobile on the backing sheet. You want to be able to move it, but don’t want it floating off the surface.
2. Moisten the model surface with microsol decal sol (the blue one) while the decal is soaking.
3. Slide the decal along the backing sheet until about a centimetre is exposed off the backing sheet.
4. Line the decal up in the required place and hold the exposed part in place on the model with a finger.
5. Using the other hand, pull the backing sheet out, keeping it parallel to the surface and allowing the decal to drop on to the model.
6. Spend ages chivvying the decal into its final resting place with a wet paintbrush….no matter how careful you are this is always necessary. Re-wet the surface to keep the decal mobile if required.
7. Wick off the excess water from the side of the decal and let it dry. Don’t press on the surface because it may move. Once it’s dry give it a coat of microsol decal set (the red one) to get it to conform to the surface.

Hope this helps.

Perfect description Tim, couldn't agree more .

 

[Jim R]

4. Line the decal up in the required place and hold the exposed part in place on the model with a finger.

The only thing I'd add is wet your finger. If not it can stick to the decal.
Also some decals can be cut and put on in two parts especially if the join can be hidden say in a panel line or similar.

 

[Tim Marlow]

The only thing I'd add is wet your finger. If not it can stick to the decal.
Also some decals can be cut and put on in two parts especially if the join can be hidden say in a panel line or similar.

Good point Jim.

 

[minitnkr]

Above always works for me.

 

[Rbaker]

Same as the others only difference is I use a pair of Flat tipped tweezers to gently hold the Decal on the model as I slide the Backing away

 

[yak face]

Tims got it spot on , and as Jim says - wet your finger before holding the decal to the model , ive had plenty of mishaps where the decal has stuck like superglue to my finger , another way is to hold it down with a cotton bud .

 

[Flip]

Tim, thanks for the input. That was the easy bit (the question) - now comes the difficult bit (putting it into practice)

Thanks to everyone for the additions/modifications/corroboration.

I was going to as if anyone cut them into smaller portions but JimR beat me to it:

especially if the join can be hidden say in a panel line or similar

I hadn't considered that. That is nifty!

Thanks again to all.
John