Gagghhh... decals

Coat them first with Testors Gloscote, Future or even the Microscale product made just for that.

Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr.

I didn't have much success with Future. I haven't tried the Microscale stuff.

Decals only 4 years old? I wouldn't think that the cracking would be an issue, but maybe they weren't overcoated correctly. The Micro-Scale Decal film may be worth a shot, I've used it with pretty good success on even 20 year old decals.

In addition to the overcoating that others have mentioned, I always now scan the decal sheet for older models and keep the file in my computer till I finish the kit. If the decals get trashed I have some hopes of making new ones, either myself or by one of friends in local club who have Alps printers.

In addition to the overcoating that others have mentioned, I always now scan the decal sheet for older models and keep the file in my computer till I finish the kit. If the decals get trashed I have some hopes of making new ones, either myself or by one of friends in local club who have Alps printers.

it's good, especiallt on the old dried ones.

Airfix ones used to disintegrate if not used within 48 hours of manufacture. :-)

Pat

I'm completely unfamiliar with Yellowhead, so I can't say anything on their quality, or lack thereof. I have, however, used decals almost twenty years old and they worked fine. I have also had newer ones turn to itsy bitsy slivers. One experiment I tried on some old (15 yrs+) Monogram decals (two identical sets from two identical kits of equal age) was coat specific images from one set with Microscale decal coating, the other images on that sheet and the entire other sheet left original. I let the coating sit for two days, then dippped the same decal image from both sets in water. The original fell apart virtually instantly, the coated image worked like brand new. Other images from the coating test sheet were tried uncoated, and they also went to pieces. So I'm now a firm believer in the Microscale coating. I haven't tried Future yet, but I will one of these days just for grins. It's a whole lot cheaper than the Microscale coating, so if it works as well.... If it doesn't, so be it, I'll buy the Microscale.

Thanks, as always. I love how you get the answers you need here.

Lance

Thanks for making me feel REALLY old!

"Old" decals of four years? Fifteen years? Twenty years? I just finished a Heller MS.230 and used ABT decals from the md-1960s! Not long ago I used some HisAirDec decals from the same period. The Testor's Glosscoat has always worked for me. I have the Microscale stuff, but havn't used it yet. Future always goes on after decal application, so that's pretty much a given.

When you photocopy decals just in case you might want to print them directly onto white decal stock. Otherwise you'll have to hand paint the white if using clear stock.

Cheers,

Tom

I think he means Yellowhammer.