Problems with applying decals.

[Radzy]

Hi fellow Modellers,

It appears that I'm having an "issue" here with applying decals.
I haven't done much of "decalling" but with reading many articles, yt tutorials and etcetera I went the easy way that appeared to be the safest one.
So to speak I've bought some Micro Set and Sol (and also in meantime some Vallejo equivalents) and followed the procedure - gloss varnish, set solution, decal and a little of set over it. Everything was well until I reached, let's call it, uneven surfaces like hatches, windows or anything larger than pins. The decals decided not to fit perfectly - I used Sol solution and tired vallejo fix medium (btw -it's very thick and gives a heavy matt coat, so I decided to skip it in future tests). The decals seemed to be setting tight to surfaces but also rolling or maybe better word would be coiling around the surface. That caused decals to look verly badly curled and really unpleasantly looking, but very well stick to surface.

Here are some examples:



(I know paint looks very bad on this Panther, but I was just training ).
I think like if I was missing something ... Maybe I should cut or trim them before applying to surface with such elevation deviations - because this appears to be the problem.

Would you be so kind and provide some tips, tricks or simply... suggestions ?

Regards,
Radek

[Paul]

It looks to me like you may have been a little rough applying them, you should apply the setting solution and leave it be it should then conform to all the surfaces

[Radzy]

In case of this Panther 745 I admit I might've pushed these decals a bit behind the limits I just tried to cut them slightly to let them fit the overall structure of this ... window ... bulkhead or something

But in case of the Pz II R03 number - the R curled towards the hatch and is not properly placed.

Just one question, when I apply solution and then decal onto it - should I push the decal gently to surface with some soft stuff like Q-tip or something similar (to remove excess of the liquid under decal) ?

[Paul]

In case of this Panther 745 I admit I might've pushed these decals a bit behind the limits I just tried to cut them slightly to let them fit the overall structure of this ... window ... bulkhead or something

But in case of the Pz II R03 number - the R curled towards the hatch and is not properly placed.

Just one question, when I apply solution and then decal onto it - should I push the decal gently to surface with some soft stuff like Q-tip or something similar (to remove excess of the liquid under decal) ?

Yes gently get rid of as much liquid from under the decal then apply micro sol on top and leave it be.

[schweinhund227]

That is one tough spot for a decal ! Don't beat yourself on the head too hard! It's a tough spot!

Many would have opted for a partial paint job on that one! And maybe a full paint job!!

If you touch a decal after you put the "softener" on it! It's a goner!

And yes! A Q-tip is a good idea for pushing down on a decal over soft Details! But! There is a chance you could tear It even then! push on it but don't tear it or the Setter may continue to tear it even more and I am not even saying what the Sofftener could do to a torn decal!

Sorry to hear about your troubles ! Hope you can save it somehow? Don't give up!

[Gav0909]

Yeah the procedure I use is the following.

Apply some Micro Set to the area where the decal is to be placed.
Place the decal and lightly roll over it with a q-tip.
Apply some more Micro Set and leave it to dry almost completely.
Apply Micro Sol and leave.
If needs be apply a further coat of Micro Sol, again just leaving it
Final coat of varnish.

The decals will wrinkle a bit with the Micro Sol, but if you leave them then they settle down. The curling your getting could be from the decal getting saturated with solution. After first putting it on the model and removing the water, apply that first coat of Set and leave it to mostly dry before adding any Micro Sol.

[Kelvgood1]

In the past after pacing the decal on with decal fix I brushed lightly with tamiya acrylic thinners, softens them a treat but have to be gentle, let the solvent do h work and it conforms to the shape

[SuperDryBeef]

Decals... the thing I hate the most after working around tank tracks. some time I cut the decal to make them fit better on a raised surface , but I only do it when I'm very desperate.

[Radzy]

Yeah, that's really amazing that amongst variety of problems you could have with glueing, fitting parts, painting them, weathering and so on the worst one could be ... decals...

@Gav
thanks, that appears to be more or less the procedure I followed, but for me it looks that the problem in such tough spots as Schweinhund named them correctly are not the procedure but the decals themselves... it seems that they should be more curled at the beginning to allow them to sink and twist around the uneven surface withouth stretching too much and breaking or becoming curved.

@SuperDryBeef
So you just cut them in the place when surface starts raising ? Like where the hatch or window starts? and then put part on the side of hatch and onther on top of it? Do you then attempt to correct somehow sides of surface? I know that it would be kind of too much of detailing probably (almost touching the border of ... rivet counting ), I just wonder.

From other hand, have anybody tried maybe some masks or something to self paint markings? Maybe this would be an option if I keep ruining decals after decals