Alternative decal setters
- Thread starter KarlW
- Start date
Karl
My Tamiya decal experience is rather limited but I have never had and serious problems with decals, other than Tamiya..... Have a look at the Mossie I have finished.... The red crosses either side of the fuselage.
Are you sure it's not the decals?
ATB.
Andrew
My Tamiya decal experience is rather limited but I have never had and serious problems with decals, other than Tamiya..... Have a look at the Mossie I have finished.... The red crosses either side of the fuselage.
Are you sure it's not the decals?
ATB.
Andrew
Pretty sure it is, the coloured ones are thin, but you need to place a white one under some of them and that's sort of heavy, 7 goes with the sol and I'm still not happy. Sucking the joy out of this build and turned it into a chore.......
I use Solvaset for tough decals, it's a bit stronger than Microset/Microsol.
I use the Ultimate Modelling Products decal solutions, they come in 3 strengths. Having said that, I found that even the extra strong version struggled with some particularly thick Tamiya decals on a recent build.
If I have any difficult decals, I turn to Humbrol DecalFix - a single bottle product, but it is a bit fierce, and has to be used carefully! For others I use Mig Ammo Ultra Decal Set & Fix - it must be OK, because I don't seem to have any difficulties & don't really notice it!
Dave
Dave
I keep meaning to have a go at making my own with white vinegar, I saw it somewhere on the tube of you, and always thought it would save a few pounds here and there..
Hi Karl, adding to Dave's comment, I use Humbrol Decalfix and it is rather aggressive. I've yet to meet a stubborn decal that can resist the stuff. But use carefully, it can disintegrate thin decals.
Good fun as an experiment Chris, but do you really use that much decal setting solution that this would save you money? Unless I knock it over, I find a bottle lasts at least a decade.
Might have to invest in some of this for my next Tamiya build….their decals are like vinyl sticker. Funnily enough, Humbrol are part of the same stable as Airfix, and I find Airfix are among the best decals out there, and wouldn’t need anything that aggressive……
An alternative solution (pun intended), if a bit of a chore. Could you scan and print the decals onto a new decal paper sheet? Only really practical if you have a PC/laptop, scanner and printer, and the know how to do so, but it's actually not that hard. Most scanners come with copy software, and the decal paper is available from Amazon etc. these days.
As an added bonus you'll soon build up a virtual decal bank.
Anyway, good luck with those pesky stickers. They're a bit of a bugbear of mine too.
As an added bonus you'll soon build up a virtual decal bank.
Anyway, good luck with those pesky stickers. They're a bit of a bugbear of mine too.
I have printed decals in the past, but without an ALPS printer white isn't happening.
The Tamiya decals are terrible, thick and resistant to solutions. I have used Microsol, Mr Mark Setter (both old and Neo, the Neo is worse than the original if anything), the Mig one and others. The simple fact is that the company that produces the best kits money can buy cannot do decals!
It is not just about how resistant they are, the larger ones such as on 1/32 scale kits, often splinter apart (not as badly as Trumpeter!)
I now, for every Tamiya kit, look for aftermarket alternatives, masks for preference to paint the markings simply because they are both easier and more effective than decals. If no masks then I buy aftermarket decals.
Further to my previous post.
Tamiya producing the best plastic, cannot do decals but Airfix and Revell with 'so-so' plastic really do produce the best decals.
Zoukei Mura are pretty good as well, great plastic and great decals.
Hobbyboss and Trumpeter as already referenced, produce the worse decals of all in the sense of splintering as soon as you look at them, but at least some liquid decal film helps a bit but just don't apply it too thick.
ICM are good if you get them down but they have a tendency to curl.
HKM decals are OK with care.
Among aftermarket the best I have found are Kits World. That said, at least for the larger markings, its always better to use paint masks and paint them. The best masks for this are the Kabuki paper type:
Maketar offers a choice between vinyl and Kabuki, always pick Kabuki. They also provide a lot of excellent generic sets as well as kit specific. I generally buy from their own website as there is a much wider choice there than Hannants. They are difficult to find on Google but I think its against the rules to post a link here, so if anyone wants a link pm me. Incidentally, their circle, wheels and canopy generic sets are something every modeller should have in the drawer.
1 Man Army are the best around with their hi-def sets, they even produce the small aircraft stencilling (at least in 1/32)
Avoid, if possible, Montex as they are all vinyl but if these are the only choice then they are still preferable to decals.
There are several other companies producing these, including Kits World now starting to, but beware, Kits World are vinyl so avoid. Sad that, these are well produced and presented. The issue with vinyl is how they will lift on curves and the sharper the curve the bigger the problem.
I hope that helps. Masks take longer to do but they really are well worth using.
Tamiya producing the best plastic, cannot do decals but Airfix and Revell with 'so-so' plastic really do produce the best decals.
Zoukei Mura are pretty good as well, great plastic and great decals.
Hobbyboss and Trumpeter as already referenced, produce the worse decals of all in the sense of splintering as soon as you look at them, but at least some liquid decal film helps a bit but just don't apply it too thick.
ICM are good if you get them down but they have a tendency to curl.
HKM decals are OK with care.
Among aftermarket the best I have found are Kits World. That said, at least for the larger markings, its always better to use paint masks and paint them. The best masks for this are the Kabuki paper type:
Maketar offers a choice between vinyl and Kabuki, always pick Kabuki. They also provide a lot of excellent generic sets as well as kit specific. I generally buy from their own website as there is a much wider choice there than Hannants. They are difficult to find on Google but I think its against the rules to post a link here, so if anyone wants a link pm me. Incidentally, their circle, wheels and canopy generic sets are something every modeller should have in the drawer.
1 Man Army are the best around with their hi-def sets, they even produce the small aircraft stencilling (at least in 1/32)
Avoid, if possible, Montex as they are all vinyl but if these are the only choice then they are still preferable to decals.
There are several other companies producing these, including Kits World now starting to, but beware, Kits World are vinyl so avoid. Sad that, these are well produced and presented. The issue with vinyl is how they will lift on curves and the sharper the curve the bigger the problem.
I hope that helps. Masks take longer to do but they really are well worth using.
It
Funny you should say that as I did knock over my botte of Micro Set a few weeks ago, lost over half of it.....
Has anyone tried Tamiya decal setting and softener solutions on Tamiya decals?
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