Old decals? Ugh!
 

I figured it's time to start working on decal skills and try to save some of my old decal sheets from the '70's.

So I printed out Sandman's decal directions, bought the microfilm, microset and microsol.

First up, Photon Torpedo. Painted the decal sheet w/ film using a foam brush, waited 15 minutes as instructed on the bottle....saved one decal, the roll pattern. ugh.

After practicing again on a '90s Helio-copter (worked great), I tryed an early 70's Mark II. I watched the roll pattern crack and sliver all by itself as it sat on the paper towel . ugh.

So I guess my question is could I be doing something wrong? Are some decal sheets just beyond saving? Should I just give up and just buy all new decal sheets? :mad:

Don't give up.

Sandman has Mad Skillz but there are other ways of trying to save decal sheets.

My favorite is coat the whole thing with a relatively thick coat of Future Floor polish (or several thin coats applied 24 hours apart). Waiting for 48 hours after the last coat and then cut out the individual decals as the coats of Future have rendered the sheet one big decal.

Alternatively, Testors makes a clear decal spray that I have used on old Microscale sheets. Same idea: a coat or two of the spray, overnight drying time and then cut out the individual decals as the spray has rendered the whole sheet one big decal.

If these don't work, buy some new ones from Sandman.

I've had good results using Krylon Crystal Clear Gloss on older decals. I usually give them a couple of really light coats followed by a heavier coat. I do allow them to dry for a day or two before applying them.

As MarkB. said, you can always get replacements from Sandman or make your own.

I think the latter Future suggestion regardless of the product will do you best. The propblem that you are dealing with is that the decal film is completely brittle. The backing paper becomes wet and expands under the film, the film then cracks apart (are the cracks forming along the grain of the paper?). The application of thin layers will allow the decal to soften and relax with a lower risk of cracking. Also, try coating the printed area first with a couple of thin coats. You really do not care how brittle the unpainted areas of the sheet are do you?

No Dont Give Up !
 

PHOTOCOPY your decals-Use TESTOR'S DECAL PAPER- after a few minutes, when ink dries, spray w/TESTOR'S DECAL BONDER . Let dry 2 hr.-dip in water,apply ! (if your printer isnt a copier, go to wal mart, etc., get a canon PIXMA inkjet printer/copier. They're only $ 30.oo- well worth it. Thats what I use-wouldnt trade it for anyother(for what I need it for). PS you're NOT doing anything wrong. Old decals work fine. The copier even cleans up background yellowing, etc. dannymrmissile. ps-use sprays; not brush-on's . ALL DECAL SHEETS are worth saving ! !

Old Decals
 

Dont coat old decals with ANYTHING-future, Krylon, etc. Photocopy them. Make new ones, save old ones for future copies or just collectables. They'll eventually run, crack, peel-whatever if you put ANY kind of clear on them. They're just too old ! Press them in a book !
(between wax paper, etc.). The Future Floor Wax thing came from long ago when we didn't have the means to do it as we do today. Use TESTORS DECAL PAPER/ DECAL KITS. It even comes w/software to desigh your own. dannymrmissile.

Decals are a funny technology, but it's really simple. The inks used by mainstream printers is lacquer-based, because it is quick drying, and the decals are usually screen-printed. The carrier paper used for decals is pretty much universal - it is coated with a plastic, to make it water resistant, and then with a water-based adhesive, to let the lacquer release from the paper when soaked in water. When the decals are dipped in water, the glue partially dissolves, and the lacquer image is free to be removed (or floats around in the water dish). Then one can slide the decal to it's place on the model. After the water is gone, the lacquer based image is glued to the surface by the water-based glue on its reverse.

When decals crack or split, it is because the inks have degraded, not because the paper is bad. Most any decal can be saved by coated the surface with clear lacquer, which will dissolve it's way into the surface of the decal and relink the image. Water-based coatings such as Future may work, or they may not, depending on the ink used on the decal. A water-based coating usually won't dissolve the lacquer-based decal surface enough to save the decal.

Decals
 

Hi. Guess I was mainly referring to the old silk screen decals. In my experience, Ive had trouble/or was referring to the clear on top cracking, not the paper. Thanks for the 'tech' talk-very helpful ! dannymrmissile.

If you're worried about old decals cracking, spray them with with a lacquer, Krylon Crystal Clear, Testor's decal bonder, etc. Let it dry, and then remember that you'll have to cut the decal apart. You can't use the original decal lines. Cut close to the image, and you'll be good.

Monogram Models have the crappiest old decals I know of. Old Estes decals run a close second. Just spray them with Krylon Crystal Clear or Testors DecalBonder.

Hi, & thanx. I think I just "preached" pretty much the same thing to someone else-RE: using decal bonder, etc. I agree- Ive worked long & hard on rockets in the past only to see that old Estes decal disintegrate into a zillion bits. Still, I think the beat idea is to COPY old decal onto decal paper & save tha old one. Whatta ya think ? dannymrmissile.