What is Decal Solution made of?

[Guest]

Hey, trying to find out what the solution is made of, I smelled vinegar in it, trying to save some money, LOL.

Can anyone help?

[Guest]

What your nose is telling you is correct, try some staight from the kitchen, but, and remember the but, it will soften them. So you dont get too long a chance, to move them around before they start to rip and you then got a mess to clean up.

It works wonderfully, if you have to get a decal to stick down in a hollow or crease, but, remember the above warning.

regards

[Guest]

Awesome!!, would diluting it increase the working time?

[Guest]

Try it out and find out how long it takes to soften them, before you can no longer push them around.

regards radish

[Guest]

Excellent, thanks so much for the help.........top notch

[stona]

Undiluted white vinegar should work best. It will give you a reasonable amount of time for prodding your decals into place. I'm assuming your vinegar is the same as ours!

Cheers

Steve

[Ian M]

My guess would be some form of wetting agent, thats soap to you and me, and some CH3COOH, or as we know it acetic acid solution. So vinigar and soap....?

Wish I knew that befor I brought some in the shop!:smile5:

[spanner570]

Please excuse the ignorance but having never used decal solution, how is it applied?

Soak the decals in warm water and then what?

Thanks in antisipation,

Sorry for bending your thread 'Mo'!

Ron

[Guest]

Arrgh. Bought a bottle just today. Never mind, at least I can put in on my chips!

[Guest]

Ron, the Microsol type solution partially dissolves the decal so it conforms to the surface detail. I used it extensively on the Spitfire decals where the roundels actually take on the shape of bulges on the wings surface, the pics explain it better. Works better on some decals than others. The ones on my mustang didn't respond to it at all. Thing is yu have to have the decal in place and as well rubbed down as pos. Then paint on Microsol (other branded products are available that do the same job), the decal will eventually go soft and wrinkly and very delicate but as it dries, it appears to suck it down onto the surface.

[spanner570]

Ron, the Microsol type solution partially dissolves the decal so it conforms to the surface detail. I used it extensively on the Spitfire decals where the roundels actually take on the shape of bulges on the wings surface, the pics explain it better. Works better on some decals than others. The ones on my mustang didn't respond to it at all. Thing is yu have to have the decal in place and as well rubbed down as pos. Then paint on Microsol (other branded products are available that do the same job), the decal will eventually go soft and wrinkly and very delicate but as it dries, it appears to suck it down onto the surface.

Thanks Graham, does the decal have to be completely dry before the solution is 'painted on'?

[Guest]

Some say so but I have it on good authority that it is not required. I use it straight after dabbing it off to make sure there is no water underneath. I have heard where some people put a couple of drops in the decal water as well. Not sure what the advantage would be though.

[Ian M]

Remember that you can repet the process as often as needed. Just remember also that the decal needs to be 110% dry before you re-apply it otherwise you will rip it up!

Dont need to be dry when you give it the first time, just get rid of the excess water, make sure its in place and give it some fixer/softner with a soft brush

[stona]

The "vinegar" solution would be the equivalent of a setting solution like Microset. Apply it to the model and then set the decals on top of it. The Microsol is the one that really softens the decals and helps them settle. I always test Microsol (or equivalent) on a spare decal. It can really ruin them (crinkly mess time!). This has happened on a set of Hasegawa decals (Fw190) and I have heard of problems with some Tamiya decals too.

Cheers

Steve