I've built a few of these Scooby's and always have a fight around the area where you were working. I sometimes find it best to let most of the decal dry before working on the complex area, thanks for sharing
Hi Sarah Jane, that decal and the smaller set of stripes were the most difficult due to the body shape. I wanted to share all my tips for decals. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks Bob! It takes me forever to do decals. I’ve had issues before with decals not being 100% adhered and then when I cleared the body they crack, silver or wrinkle. Better to spend the time working with them than kick myself for not. Thanks for watching and commenting👍
Thanks Bob! It takes me forever to do decals. I’ve had issues before with decals not being 100% adhered and then when I cleared the body they crack, silver or wrinkle. Better to spend the time working with them than kick myself for not. Thanks for watching and commenting👍
Excellent tutorial on decals. The one thing that is necessary for this step in model building is patience, and you clearly demonstrated that skill. Thanks for sharing.
Only been doing models a couple of months and finally decided to try decals on one now that my airbrushing has improved, needless to say i failed miserably. I did almost everything this video said not to do lol, im excited to try again after seeing this, thanks for the great video
You’re so welcome Alex. Patience patience patience is the key. Get them mostly laid down before using solvents and you’ll be better off. They get really thin and flexible once the solvent gets working.
Wow, amazing and I think the most in depth decal placement tutorial I have ever seen. I totally get it now, 100% and can see why your decals always turn out so good.
As I watched you coaxing the decal into place, I found myself holding my breath like I do when I apply decals. Good tutorial James. As a testament to the amount of time you invested in placing and smoothing the decal, your fingers are pruned :)! The takeaway: patience, patience, patience. Best wishes to you and your family. From the hills of Virginia, Cork
Thanks Cork! It’s interesting that you mention patience. Applying decals is actually calming and centering for me. I too control my breathing and focus entirely on the task at hand. It’s a shame that only 31% of the viewers of the video even made it to the cutting of the decal at the door lines part. Lack of patience I guess😜. I really do make these videos to share the tips I’ve learned and boost confidence in builders to try difficult tasks. I appreciate your viewership Cork!
Well done James, thanks for sharing this tutorial with us all. I never imagined that this Impreza required so much work to fit the side decals. You did an awesome job and patience paid off. Well done 👍🏼
Thank you so much Karl. I had no idea either but after doing one side I made the decision that it was a good candidate for a video to show techniques. Thanks for your support my friend😀
Thank you! This video really helped me - not with applying decals to cars, but to a 1/72 scale P-40 fighter plane. I used the hair dryer and Q-tip technique, and it worked flawlessly.
Never thought of putting in paper side up before. I haven't used soapy water either. I do that to color sand. I've always cut panel lines last. I've never done it the next day??? I'll give that a try. We are very similar in way we do decals. It's my favorite part of the build. Great video with lots of Great tips. Hope all is well with you and yours. I'll be watching
Thank you so much Mike. I’m glad that you found it helpful. I want to do more technique type videos for the channel. I’m no expert but I’ll share what I’ve tried and learned from mistakes. Take care my friend, James
I just tried my first decal setting and failed. I’ve seen this video before and thought to myself, “James will know how to do it.”. Thank you so much for this wonderful tutorial
Sorry to hear of your failed session. Decals depending on age and manufacturer can be easy or difficult. I recommend using heat and a brush over solvents as you lose control as soon as you start using the solvents.
James, excellent video buddy! I do a lot of the same techniques, all though I actually learned something new. So again, AWESOME! Always look forward to ALL of the videos. No matter what the content? The meeting one's are COOL! Appreciate it, stay safe & keep building...
Thank you so much Jeff! I really appreciate the feedback and support. I realize that my channel can be a little scattered subject matter wise but it’s all about modeling in nature. Thanks again bud😁
Something I have found to be very useful in getting decals to snug into seams and small area is foam makeup wedges. Simply dunk the sponge wedge into warm water and squeeze out the excess water then firmly press onto the decal. The less you have to touch the decals the less likely you are to move them or break them. Keep making these videos, their great!
Hi William, thanks for the tip. I’ve been using silicon brushes lately to snug decal into panel lines and such. Heat is your best friend with making decals conform.
@@ScaleModelExperiment Never tried silicone brushes for decals. I have used them for modeling a bit of clay or putty. I will have to give it a try. Thanks.
When I do decals I first put in the water and use tweezers to get the decal and I put it on there and get a brush and get some decal set and brush it and use a Q-tip
I’m trying to not use solvents any more as heat seems to work better. I also stopped using qtips because the fibers left behind. Heat and a silicon brush to adhere the decal work well.
I do mine the same way. I lay my decals down using the Red solution and set it in place.. I tap it with a paper towel and then apply the Blue setting solution and walk away. I check on it once or twice. And I may have to use a little more settings solution just to a spot or two . And I've never had a problem with any of my decals. When I have , it's been due to the quality of the decal... But this is still a pretty cool video. 👍
Hi Robert, I can see your point. I mask very often as I don't brush paint anything. Decals once mastered can really make a model stand out. Thanks for watching!
the video kind of helped me add decals but I had small decals too small to repeat your actions of adding decals to models so I did a work around and now it is easier for me to add decals.
lol, after many years i'm back into making model kits, i see all those new (to me) techniques and love it. Your videos are a great inspiration and i'm going to watch them all :) The decal squeegee tool is on it's way haha.. again, thank you for your great videos! Maybe i'll will see it in one of your videos but do you also use acryllic paint on cars? Kind regards, Dave
Hi Dave, welcome back to the hobby. My videos are my contribution to the hobby that I enjoy. I do use acrylic paints BUT I thin them with Mr Hobby Leveling Thinner which is a lacquer so I make the acrylic paint into a lacquer. The flow and coverage are superior to acrylic thinned paint through an airbrush.
I can see your point, maybe seperate out the yellow stripes and the stars? To be honest, the decals that I do nowadays are much more complex than the one on the Subaru. Learning to work with and manipulate decals is a skill you’ll need to obtain.
is this possible without solution? im currently doing the exact same car and that looks like it took a hell of a lot of work, even with the decal solutions
Yes it is possible without solutions. Time and patience. I’ve also stopped using cotton buds and switched to a silicone brush instead using heat to coax the decals.
Great Video! Do you recommend applying Tamiya Gloss Clear over decals once applied to the model? Im in the process of building the AMT Surfer van. I did the main color in Tamiya Mica Red. What do you think? Let me know This kit has lots of tedious decals. Thanks.
That’s a tough question. I’ve seen others get fabulous results using TS13 over decals. I’ve also seen horror shows. I use 2k urethane automotive clear over decals because it doesn’t shrink or attack decals. If you are GOOD with a rattle can you can apply over decals. Otherwise If you are a beginner don’t risk it.
@@ScaleModelExperimentthanks for the tip. I'll experiment on some spare decals and paint. I'm in the process of finishing up a Revell '40 Ford Convertible street rod.
Two questions: Does the water temp mean anything ? I like to put my decals in warm water to slide off the backing paper. Two what was that tool that u used to roll the decal ? Got to say loved the time on one decal. Liked what you said about mr mark decal
Hi Chris, I'm torn on water temperature really. Warm water does seem to get stubborn decals off the backing paper. GOOD quality decals only take 5 seconds in the water upside down, 5 seconds face up and then out of the water for 10 to come off. I've had some decals that take much longer. The tool is called a decal squeegie and is made by despaie. The tool is pricy and can be substituted with a makeup applicator instead. I'll do another decal video to show it. Thanks for watching and dropping a comment.
Hi Scott, that’s a good question. Yes you can apply solvent to the body and put the decal on. BUT, you risk the instant adhesion of the decal with no ability to move it into position.
Hi SouthPaw, the gloss of your paint doesn’t matter. The surface needs to be smooth so the decal can lay FLAT on the surface. If your paint is lumpy or orange peeled it will translate to the decal. In my video, that was before gloss. I sealed the decals afterwards.
Hey James! This video was very educational and I learned some things from you such as the tools you use to get the decals snuggled down and tucking the decals into the door lines. Otherwise I pretty much apply decals just like you do. What kind of soap did you use in your decal container? How much did you put into the water?
Hi Ray! I appreciate you watching bud. I use a couple drops of dawn dishwashing soap in the decal water. It helps to break the surface tension of the decals.
Since I created that video I’ve learned that by using a hair dryer you can manipulate the decal to conform without the use of solvents. My sponsor and owner of a decal company put together a video showing this: th-cam.com/video/4JZqkFnR45s/w-d-xo.htmlsi=n_u1BvTvo9Hqy3eX
@@ScaleModelExperiment okay lets take the wrc 99 that is in this video. would clear, polishing be fine before applying decal? because i am using spray cans and not airbrush. whats ur recommended way of doing it?
If I were using a rattle can, I would primer, paint the blue, wet sand to 6000 grit smooth, apply the decals, wait 3 days then apply clear in VERY LITE COATS with just one heavy coat at the end.
@@ScaleModelExperimentso just sand and then apply decal without polishing until after the clear has been applied. never heard but im definitely trying to find more support since i messed up heavily on my first attempt on building a scale model car. if only i could pm someone for help 😢
@jamiechaan4635 I now understand that you are a beginner. I suggest that you watch my friend Spencer’s channel Scale Auto Garage. He uses rattle cans and I think you can learn from him better. youtube.com/@scaleautogarage?si=9JEZA8EY_1CGfoa_
I've always done the waterslide decals from the kits, but they have always fallen off within weeks before even finishing the kits, it's such a bummer. I haven't built any kits in a while and I've currently decided rather than finish what I have, it's time to buy another kit and spend hundreds on 3d printed parts and I want the decals to stick this time so here we are 🙂
Hi Deathstroke, it sounds to me like your decals aren’t fully adhering to the body if they come off later. I hope the video gave you some tips to better your decal game. Thanks for watching👍
Hi Eddie, yes that’s very important to cut them and snuggle the edges into the panel line. Otherwise you have a bridge and clear can get under it and bubble up.
Woth the amount of drag cars and race cars Ive built over tue years I have run into every type of decal situation. When I startbI always say this. No matter how long this takes, I will win. 99% of the time I do.
That’s the truth Robert. I love a good challenging decal job. I have 9 of the Goodsmile racing cars liveries and have completed 3 so far. They are a true test of patience. I look forward to having them all in my cases. Take care and thanks for watching and commenting.
I was told by a decal manufacturer that dish soap breaks the tension better than plain water to be able to move the decal around and position it better once applied. I found that it works.
Hi Nikolaos, I’ve used heat before and ruined decals. I know that I overdid the video a bit but the decals were old and I wanted to play it safe since I didn’t have a backup set. Thanks for watching and commenting.
and the best thing to do to old decals is to spray them with fixative varnish for pastels , its a very thin laquer or sometimes enamel based varnish , just remeber to use t2 to 3 light coats and let the decals dry for a week .It allways worked for me .
Haha thanks so much! So many modelers are in such a hurry but aren’t happy with the final result. Patience is the key. I appreciate you watching, take care👍
But, as soon as you apply solvent you are no longer in control of what is going on happen with the decal. I’ve had them curl and wrinkle and even disintegrate. Also the solvent will make spots on CF decals that won’t wash away. Best to use patience and heat instead.
Not being ugly by any means just a tip, do yourself a favor and get yourself a small crock pot. The water stays the same temp and holds the dish detergent. Not that your going to cook with it, just a little tip that may help
Thanks for watching Nick. The reason is… I like to keep the layers of paint to a minimum to preserve detail. That’s why my builds look the way they do. I overthin all my paint and use the least possible. I do agree that if you have a polished clear coat the decal does move around easily.
@@ScaleModelExperiment Hi. Thanks for your answer! I am still in a learning fase regarding modelling and struggling with my airbrush especially putting on a nice gloss coat on the model. I use gloss varnish from Vallejo. The result is not as I wish for. The surface of the varnish on the model is not smooth. Maybe you have some tips in how to apply a nice shiny clear coat on the model with an airbrush?
@NiekkieNick Hi Nick, here is my paint theory. Use the least amount of paint to keep the detail high. Use an extra part thinner than normal, mist your base coats until you have color coverage. No wet coats for base coats! The surface should be a matte finish before clear. Plan to do 3 coats of clear. 1st coat is a tack coat, mist it on to set up a base. Second coat is heavier but not wet coat. 3rd coat thin your paint more and lay out a wet coat to make glossy finish. After it cures polish the paint. I did an overview video recently called how to get a mirror finish. Check that out.
@ScaleModelExperiment Hi! What do you exactly mean with a wet coat? Do you use a thin or thick needle in your airbrush and is the psi of the compressor important when bringing on a gloss coat? And what do you mean with no wet coats for base coats?
@NiekkieNick a wet coat refers to the pooling of paint on the body. For the color coat, spray your get coverage only. The clear coat is for shine. I shoot with a .035 needle at 20 psi. You can adjust your speed of the pass to get a wet coat with your 3rd coat of clear.
I've built a few of these Scooby's and always have a fight around the area where you were working. I sometimes find it best to let most of the decal dry before working on the complex area, thanks for sharing
Hi Sarah Jane, that decal and the smaller set of stripes were the most difficult due to the body shape. I wanted to share all my tips for decals. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
You are the most patient modeler on planet Earth.
Thanks Bob! It takes me forever to do decals. I’ve had issues before with decals not being 100% adhered and then when I cleared the body they crack, silver or wrinkle. Better to spend the time working with them than kick myself for not. Thanks for watching and commenting👍
Thanks Bob! It takes me forever to do decals. I’ve had issues before with decals not being 100% adhered and then when I cleared the body they crack, silver or wrinkle. Better to spend the time working with them than kick myself for not. Thanks for watching and commenting👍
Excellent tutorial on decals. The one thing that is necessary for this step in model building is patience, and you clearly demonstrated that skill. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much Michael! I really appreciate your support bud😀. Yes that decal did try my patience!
Only been doing models a couple of months and finally decided to try decals on one now that my airbrushing has improved, needless to say i failed miserably. I did almost everything this video said not to do lol, im excited to try again after seeing this, thanks for the great video
You’re so welcome Alex. Patience patience patience is the key. Get them mostly laid down before using solvents and you’ll be better off. They get really thin and flexible once the solvent gets working.
Wow she's looking great awesome job
Thank you so much Travis! I appreciate your support bud 😀
Wow, amazing and I think the most in depth decal placement tutorial I have ever seen. I totally get it now, 100% and can see why your decals always turn out so good.
Thank you Spencer! I wanted to document the whole process start to finish in one video. Stay tuned I’m working on another tutorial 😎
Great tip James. Just what I needed! Thanks for sharing. Happy days and model on! 😎🇨🇦
Thanks so much Peter, I’m glad to help!
As I watched you coaxing the decal into place, I found myself holding my breath like I do when I apply decals. Good tutorial James. As a testament to the amount of time you invested in placing and smoothing the decal, your fingers are pruned :)! The takeaway: patience, patience, patience. Best wishes to you and your family. From the hills of Virginia, Cork
Thanks Cork! It’s interesting that you mention patience. Applying decals is actually calming and centering for me. I too control my breathing and focus entirely on the task at hand. It’s a shame that only 31% of the viewers of the video even made it to the cutting of the decal at the door lines part. Lack of patience I guess😜. I really do make these videos to share the tips I’ve learned and boost confidence in builders to try difficult tasks. I appreciate your viewership Cork!
Awesome tips...hopefully this will help. Definitely learned a few things. Thank you.
I’m so glad to help Ed! Thanks for watching 😀
Well done James, thanks for sharing this tutorial with us all. I never imagined that this Impreza required so much work to fit the side decals. You did an awesome job and patience paid off. Well done 👍🏼
Thank you so much Karl. I had no idea either but after doing one side I made the decision that it was a good candidate for a video to show techniques. Thanks for your support my friend😀
Thanks for this guide. Also, very smart to do one side as a test before filming the other side.
You’re so welcome, I’m glad that you found the video helpful. I hope that your next decal work comes out perfect. Thanks for watching 👍
Awesome tutorial James!
Thanks Shawn! I appreciate your support brother!
Thank you! This video really helped me - not with applying decals to cars, but to a 1/72 scale P-40 fighter plane. I used the hair dryer and Q-tip technique, and it worked flawlessly.
You’re so welcome Eric, I’m glad to help. I saw the picture you posted online. Nice work!
bro just made a decal video because his friend was having trouble and wanted to help out. thanks chief, you helped me with my decals too 👑
Of course Kevin, thanks for watching 👍
Awesome job James. Thanks so much for showing this. Ron
Thanks Ron! I appreciate you watching and commenting. I hope the tips help you in your next project.
Never thought of putting in paper side up before. I haven't used soapy water either. I do that to color sand. I've always cut panel lines last. I've never done it the next day??? I'll give that a try. We are very similar in way we do decals. It's my favorite part of the build. Great video with lots of Great tips. Hope all is well with you and yours. I'll be watching
Thank you so much Mike. I’m glad that you found it helpful. I want to do more technique type videos for the channel. I’m no expert but I’ll share what I’ve tried and learned from mistakes. Take care my friend, James
Good Stuff James 👍👍 Thanks For Sharing n Have a Blessed Week Ahead 🤗🤗 Gary.
Thank you so much Gary! I appreciate your support bud 😀
NO Problemo Bro 🤗👍
I'm extremely impressed with your videos. I'm a new follower. 🍻
Thanks for giving me a shot Robert. I appreciate your support👍
I just tried my first decal setting and failed. I’ve seen this video before and thought to myself, “James will know how to do it.”. Thank you so much for this wonderful tutorial
Sorry to hear of your failed session. Decals depending on age and manufacturer can be easy or difficult. I recommend using heat and a brush over solvents as you lose control as soon as you start using the solvents.
Tks!! Did not know about the 'decal squeezy'. I now have one on its way!
Thanks for watching Johnny! The decal squeegee is a helpful tool to finalize the decals with. Let me know after you try it out.
Really good Mike
Don’t make me block you Shaun! Only Mom is allowed to call me Mike😀
That is a great demonstration, good job! Kinda reminds me of wallpapering, but much smaller!❤
Lol! Thanks for watching!
James, excellent video buddy! I do a lot of the same techniques,
all though I actually learned something new. So again, AWESOME!
Always look forward to ALL of the videos. No matter what the content?
The meeting one's are COOL! Appreciate it, stay safe & keep building...
Thank you so much Jeff! I really appreciate the feedback and support. I realize that my channel can be a little scattered subject matter wise but it’s all about modeling in nature. Thanks again bud😁
Thats a real good idea,thank you for sharing this brilliant idea.
Thanks for watching Johan👍
Keep word here is " patience " it does take some time to lay some decals down that's for sure ,thanks for the video enjoyed 👍👍👍👍
Thank you so much Deen, I really appreciate you watching and commenting.
Thank you for sharing
Thanks bud !
Something I have found to be very useful in getting decals to snug into seams and small area is foam makeup wedges. Simply dunk the sponge wedge into warm water and squeeze out the excess water then firmly press onto the decal. The less you have to touch the decals the less likely you are to move them or break them.
Keep making these videos, their great!
Hi William, thanks for the tip. I’ve been using silicon brushes lately to snug decal into panel lines and such. Heat is your best friend with making decals conform.
@@ScaleModelExperiment Never tried silicone brushes for decals. I have used them for modeling a bit of clay or putty. I will have to give it a try. Thanks.
@WilliamEverhart28217 the triangle shaped one works best for me. Be gentle and it works well.
When I do decals I first put in the water and use tweezers to get the decal and I put it on there and get a brush and get some decal set and brush it and use a Q-tip
I’m trying to not use solvents any more as heat seems to work better. I also stopped using qtips because the fibers left behind. Heat and a silicon brush to adhere the decal work well.
I do mine the same way. I lay my decals down using the Red solution and set it in place.. I tap it with a paper towel and then apply the Blue setting solution and walk away. I check on it once or twice. And I may have to use a little more settings solution just to a spot or two . And I've never had a problem with any of my decals. When I have , it's been due to the quality of the decal... But this is still a pretty cool video. 👍
Thanks, this is helping so much, awesome video nice job
Thanks for watching it JKH, I appreciate your support 👍
@@ScaleModelExperiment anytime 👊
Thank you very much I'm still not too thrilled about decals I'd rather paint but your tips were appreciated
Hi Robert, I can see your point. I mask very often as I don't brush paint anything. Decals once mastered can really make a model stand out. Thanks for watching!
great video by the way!!!
Thanks again Nikolaos!
the video kind of helped me add decals but I had small decals too small to repeat your actions of adding decals to models so I did a work around and now it is easier for me to add decals.
Tiny decals can be even more challenging than big ones. They stick to tweezers, fall off, etc. I share your frustration with them.
@@ScaleModelExperiment thankfully in my community page, I posted about a workaround for that issue
Great tutorial!
Thank you Swamp Fox! I appreciate your support bud 😀
LOL! "Notice I tape these bottles together to stop them from tipping over" The day after i knocked my set over on to the floor! Lesson learned.
Trust me Sunday, I’ve knocked over my share as well. Someday I’ll do a video on lessons learned🤓. Thanks for watching!
lol, after many years i'm back into making model kits, i see all those new (to me) techniques and love it. Your videos are a great inspiration and i'm going to watch them all :) The decal squeegee tool is on it's way haha.. again, thank you for your great videos! Maybe i'll will see it in one of your videos but do you also use acryllic paint on cars? Kind regards, Dave
Hi Dave, welcome back to the hobby. My videos are my contribution to the hobby that I enjoy. I do use acrylic paints BUT I thin them with Mr Hobby Leveling Thinner which is a lacquer so I make the acrylic paint into a lacquer. The flow and coverage are superior to acrylic thinned paint through an airbrush.
any reason why you wouldnt cut some of the elements out of such a large decal and do them seperately?
I can see your point, maybe seperate out the yellow stripes and the stars? To be honest, the decals that I do nowadays are much more complex than the one on the Subaru. Learning to work with and manipulate decals is a skill you’ll need to obtain.
is this possible without solution? im currently doing the exact same car and that looks like it took a hell of a lot of work, even with the decal solutions
Yes it is possible without solutions. Time and patience. I’ve also stopped using cotton buds and switched to a silicone brush instead using heat to coax the decals.
Do you clear coat over the decals and how many coats
Hi Aaron, honestly I don’t remember how many coats I sprayed over the decals. I normally do 1 mist coat and 2 medium wet coats over decals.
Great Video! Do you recommend applying Tamiya Gloss Clear over decals once applied to the model? Im in the process of building the AMT Surfer van. I did the main color in Tamiya Mica Red. What do you think? Let me know This kit has lots of tedious decals.
Thanks.
That’s a tough question. I’ve seen others get fabulous results using TS13 over decals. I’ve also seen horror shows. I use 2k urethane automotive clear over decals because it doesn’t shrink or attack decals. If you are GOOD with a rattle can you can apply over decals. Otherwise If you are a beginner don’t risk it.
@@ScaleModelExperimentthanks for the tip. I'll experiment on some spare decals and paint. I'm in the process of finishing up a Revell '40 Ford Convertible street rod.
@johnclemans7802 sounds like a cool project. Best of luck👍
Cars cool I was just need.
Thank you Calvin! I appreciate your support bud 😀
Two questions: Does the water temp mean anything ? I like to put my decals in warm water to slide off the backing paper. Two what was that tool that u used to roll the decal ? Got to say loved the time on one decal. Liked what you said about mr mark decal
Hi Chris, I'm torn on water temperature really. Warm water does seem to get stubborn decals off the backing paper. GOOD quality decals only take 5 seconds in the water upside down, 5 seconds face up and then out of the water for 10 to come off. I've had some decals that take much longer. The tool is called a decal squeegie and is made by despaie. The tool is pricy and can be substituted with a makeup applicator instead. I'll do another decal video to show it. Thanks for watching and dropping a comment.
can the solvent you used be applied under the decal? does it increase the "stickiness of the decal?
Hi Scott, that’s a good question. Yes you can apply solvent to the body and put the decal on. BUT, you risk the instant adhesion of the decal with no ability to move it into position.
What is the name or part number of the little squeaky tool you are using, thanks…
Hi Glenn, maker: HIQ Parts, part sqz1070. Called decal squeegee. Good luck 👍
Thank you for sharing; Is the decal applied on a Gloss Coat? or directly on the painted body before Gloss/Clear coat?
Hi SouthPaw, the gloss of your paint doesn’t matter. The surface needs to be smooth so the decal can lay FLAT on the surface. If your paint is lumpy or orange peeled it will translate to the decal. In my video, that was before gloss. I sealed the decals afterwards.
@@ScaleModelExperiment Thank you.
Hey James! This video was very educational and I learned some things from you such as the tools you use to get the decals snuggled down and tucking the decals into the door lines. Otherwise I pretty much apply decals just like you do. What kind of soap did you use in your decal container? How much did you put into the water?
Hi Ray! I appreciate you watching bud. I use a couple drops of dawn dishwashing soap in the decal water. It helps to break the surface tension of the decals.
Where does one get the decal squeegee tool? Thanks
Hi Thomas, I would search eBay and maybe Amazon for it. It wasn’t cheap if I remember correctly.
I have a problem, i dont have micro sol, varnish or micro set 😢
Since I created that video I’ve learned that by using a hair dryer you can manipulate the decal to conform without the use of solvents.
My sponsor and owner of a decal company put together a video showing this:
th-cam.com/video/4JZqkFnR45s/w-d-xo.htmlsi=n_u1BvTvo9Hqy3eX
@@ScaleModelExperiment okay thanks alot man
ive got a question. i am going to polish my tamiya car but do i polish before or after the decals? i need urgent help
The decals need a smooth surface to adhere to. If you’re already smooth, apply the decals, then clear then polish.
@@ScaleModelExperiment okay lets take the wrc 99 that is in this video. would clear, polishing be fine before applying decal? because i am using spray cans and not airbrush. whats ur recommended way of doing it?
If I were using a rattle can, I would primer, paint the blue, wet sand to 6000 grit smooth, apply the decals, wait 3 days then apply clear in VERY LITE COATS with just one heavy coat at the end.
@@ScaleModelExperimentso just sand and then apply decal without polishing until after the clear has been applied. never heard but im definitely trying to find more support since i messed up heavily on my first attempt on building a scale model car. if only i could pm someone for help 😢
@jamiechaan4635 I now understand that you are a beginner. I suggest that you watch my friend Spencer’s channel Scale Auto Garage. He uses rattle cans and I think you can learn from him better.
youtube.com/@scaleautogarage?si=9JEZA8EY_1CGfoa_
I've always done the waterslide decals from the kits, but they have always fallen off within weeks before even finishing the kits, it's such a bummer. I haven't built any kits in a while and I've currently decided rather than finish what I have, it's time to buy another kit and spend hundreds on 3d printed parts and I want the decals to stick this time so here we are 🙂
Hi Deathstroke, it sounds to me like your decals aren’t fully adhering to the body if they come off later. I hope the video gave you some tips to better your decal game. Thanks for watching👍
Do u cut the decals in between the door lines?
Hi Eddie, yes that’s very important to cut them and snuggle the edges into the panel line. Otherwise you have a bridge and clear can get under it and bubble up.
Woth the amount of drag cars and race cars Ive built over tue years I have run into every type of decal situation. When I startbI always say this. No matter how long this takes, I will win. 99% of the time I do.
That’s the truth Robert. I love a good challenging decal job. I have 9 of the Goodsmile racing cars liveries and have completed 3 so far. They are a true test of patience. I look forward to having them all in my cases. Take care and thanks for watching and commenting.
What color blue did you paint the car?
Tamiya mica blue is the color.
thanks a mint for tutorial ...
Thanks Imma! I appreciate your support 👍
Do you always apply your decals to an unpainted surface
Never! That is a painted body. I later cleared over it and then assemble the kit in a video.
@@ScaleModelExperiment .I only ask as it looks unpainted that all and I know decals can fall off over time off an unpainted surface
Why do you add the dish soap to the water?
I was told by a decal manufacturer that dish soap breaks the tension better than plain water to be able to move the decal around and position it better once applied. I found that it works.
@@ScaleModelExperiment Thanks for the reply, I will give it a try. Just a small drop I would imagine.
@davidbishop1570 exactly just a drop will do it.
I've never tried with a dab of dish soap in the water. Thanks for the tip.
Yes, it helps break the surface tension of the water. Not sure where I learned that one from.
Decals these days auto stick when applied. Now I will add water to the body and that should help.. Thanks..
Agreed! Add a drop of dish soap to the water as well to give it some lubrication. Thanks for watching👍
@@ScaleModelExperiment Ya I tried that and got better results..
Α small hair dryer works wonders for the decals
Hi Nikolaos, I’ve used heat before and ruined decals. I know that I overdid the video a bit but the decals were old and I wanted to play it safe since I didn’t have a backup set. Thanks for watching and commenting.
I use a small travel hair dryer its not that hot to melt or destroy the decals. its heat is about 40 to 50 celsius give or take.
and the best thing to do to old decals is to spray them with fixative varnish for pastels , its a very thin laquer or sometimes enamel based varnish , just remeber to use t2 to 3 light coats and let the decals dry for a week .It allways worked for me .
I’ve never tried this. When you do this do you have to trim the decal all the way down to the print as the clear makes the sheet all one big decal?
no you spray the hole sheet.the varnish its very very thin .
Terrific tutorial. As others have said, patience is the watchword. Many thanks.
You look too young to have grandchildren. 😉
Haha thanks so much! So many modelers are in such a hurry but aren’t happy with the final result. Patience is the key. I appreciate you watching, take care👍
Guy thats the sole purpose of micro sol it bonds the decal to the body. You just brush it on and work the micro sol out of the decals
But, as soon as you apply solvent you are no longer in control of what is going on happen with the decal. I’ve had them curl and wrinkle and even disintegrate. Also the solvent will make spots on CF decals that won’t wash away. Best to use patience and heat instead.
Not being ugly by any means just a tip, do yourself a favor and get yourself a small crock pot. The water stays the same temp and holds the dish detergent. Not that your going to cook with it, just a little tip that may help
That’s a good idea to keep the water warm. Thank you 👍
Why don't you use clear coat first on the model. That way it would be easier to move the decal on the model.
Thanks for watching Nick. The reason is… I like to keep the layers of paint to a minimum to preserve detail. That’s why my builds look the way they do. I overthin all my paint and use the least possible. I do agree that if you have a polished clear coat the decal does move around easily.
@@ScaleModelExperiment Hi. Thanks for your answer! I am still in a learning fase regarding modelling and struggling with my airbrush especially putting on a nice gloss coat on the model. I use gloss varnish from Vallejo. The result is not as I wish for. The surface of the varnish on the model is not smooth. Maybe you have some tips in how to apply a nice shiny clear coat on the model with an airbrush?
@NiekkieNick Hi Nick, here is my paint theory. Use the least amount of paint to keep the detail high. Use an extra part thinner than normal, mist your base coats until you have color coverage. No wet coats for base coats! The surface should be a matte finish before clear. Plan to do 3 coats of clear. 1st coat is a tack coat, mist it on to set up a base. Second coat is heavier but not wet coat. 3rd coat thin your paint more and lay out a wet coat to make glossy finish. After it cures polish the paint. I did an overview video recently called how to get a mirror finish. Check that out.
@ScaleModelExperiment Hi! What do you exactly mean with a wet coat? Do you use a thin or thick needle in your airbrush and is the psi of the compressor important when bringing on a gloss coat?
And what do you mean with no wet coats for base coats?
@NiekkieNick a wet coat refers to the pooling of paint on the body. For the color coat, spray your get coverage only. The clear coat is for shine. I shoot with a .035 needle at 20 psi. You can adjust your speed of the pass to get a wet coat with your 3rd coat of clear.
I would have gI would have ne given up by now.
Hahaha, check out the Goodsmile racing videos that I posted. Those are decal monsters! Thanks for watching!
deck calls
Thanks again!
I hear kiddos.
Yeah, grandkids 😎
23minit 1 stiker😅😅
You should see how long it takes to do a full wrap GT3 car! Takes 3 evenings😂
the decals just didnt stick and broke up 🫤
I’ve had that happen before with older decals.