Decal Application

If stick-on decals are lifting, nothing is gonna save them!

Did you clean the surface properly before application?? Perhaps you flew the plane prior to applying the decals, or body oils from handling the plane caused the lifting to begin.

Try ordering another set of decals and clean the surface well, but DO NOT use windex, 409 or any other ammonia based cleaning products. The ammonia is very detrimental to the adhesive

Solvents that work well include 99.98% tech grade alcohol, acteone, accusol, and prepsol.. Of course, you want to test to be sure these solvents do not make your covering go away. MonoKote or UltraCote will stand up to them, tho'.......

Cheers,

Bill

I agree about not cleaning it properly before applying the decal.Probably had oil or something on it. But,I've used nothing but Windex and have used 409 and both have worked great for me on Monocoate and other coverings.That's all I've ever used and the decals are still there after a long time.Bubble free too. Acetone will destroy some coverings. I wouldn't chance the Acetone stuff. It's great for cutting grease on some items and that's all it's good for.It evaporates way too quick to use for applying any decal. My 2 cents

No offense is intended, but I've dealt in the signage industry for many years, and the simple fact is ammonia based cleaning products ARE detrimental to pressure sensitive adhesives. Period.

I won't even use them for cleaning surfaces, much less as a wetting agent. Alcohol is preferred by most signmakers for preparing the substrate to receive vinyl lettering.

There are commercial application fluids available, but for our purposes one or two drops of dishwashing liquid mixed with water in a spray bottle works perfectly...

Bill

Most stick-on decals are not fuel proof, and there's no way to make them so. However, you can cover them with clear Monokote or Ultracote (iron-on). You can also cut new decals from Monokote, Ultracote, or any other fuel-proof, iron-on covering material.

Dr.1 Driver "There's a Hun in the sun!"

I have to agree with Bill. I've used a mixture of dish washing soap mixed with a bit alcohol and it works great. To clean oil off I've even used TSP (trisodium phosphate), the stuff painters use to clean walls before painting. You can get it in a spray form; it works great and doesn't have any of the harmfull effects associated with acetone, lacquer thinners or any of the meriod of fowl smelling thinners and cleaners.

Acetone is used a lot in the fiberglass industry and is very hamfull to your health. Whenever using acetone it is recommended that you do so with good rubber gloves and try to minimize bare skin contact. Acetone can penetrate your bare skin very easily and it is cumulative. Too much obsorbtion can cause big problems down the road.

I'm no expert on the subject, but have used a lot of lacquers, lacquer thinners, acetone (for fiber glass work I've done), epoxies, ... etc. I always read the data product sheets that are provided with these products and observe the safety measures suggested. If you take the proper precautions, you can work with these chemicals fairly safely. But if a simple soap and alcohol mix does the trick or TSP, why resort to the big guns like acetone and lacquer thinners?

Van I have to agree with Bill and Tail_Spin. 409 and Windex are ammonia based and will allow gassing of the vinyl after a period of time. To wash the substrate before application I use just plain old dishwashing detergent and warm water then let it dry before applying your graphic. BTW Bill is right in saying you will never be able to hold them in place now that they are breaking free.