White decals going yellow fix??

[TeamBear]

Hi All,

I have some aftermarket decals for my Trumpeter 12th GT40 but one if the side stripes has started to go yellow along the edge, is there a fix for this or should I just bin them??

Thanks in advance.

Michael

[MrObsessive]

Try putting them in direct sunlight for a couple days. That worked for me years ago when I had yellowed decals. ?

[aurfalien]

Hi,

I had taped mine to the inside of a south facing window for a few days.  Worked like a charm.   Note that the decals face outward so you'll be taping the back of the decal.

[Snake45]

54 minutes ago, aurfalien said:

Hi,

I had taped mine to the inside of a south facing window for a few days.  Worked like a charm.   Note that the decals face outward so you'll be taping the back of the decal.

Yup. It doesn't work EVERY time, but I've found it works MOST of the time. Definitely worth a try.

[Exotics_Builder]

6 hours ago, aurfalien said:

Hi,

I had taped mine to the inside of a south facing window for a few days.  Worked like a charm.   Note that the decals face outward so you'll be taping the back of the decal.

 

5 hours ago, Snake45 said:

Yup. It doesn't work EVERY time, but I've found it works MOST of the time. Definitely worth a try.

If you do the window tape, highly recommend putting in a zip-loc baggy to avoid any possible moisture on the window attacking the decals.  Doesn't take but a tad of moisture in the wrong spot

 

[Snake45]

24 minutes ago, Exotics_Builder said:

 

If you do the window tape, highly recommend putting in a zip-loc baggy to avoid any possible moisture on the window attacking the decals.  Doesn't take but a tad of moisture in the wrong spot

 

I've found it's not a bad idea to treat such decals with a coat of Micro Superfilm after bleaching, too. If they're old enough to turn yellow, it's very possible they'll crack or dissolve when you go to use them. 

[TeamBear]

Thanks to all for the tips, they would be about 8 years old but I'll it a try it and see how it turns out, cheers.

 

Michael

[BigTallDad]

Just send 'em to me. I live in Florida, The Sunshine State. Who knows, you might even get them back!

Actually, there's another similar approach. Place the decals in a picture frame (8 1/2" x 11") and set the frame in the sun; you can move the frame to follow the sun,  not be concerned about which direction the window faces, and minimize moisture accumulation. Make sure your frame has clear (not matte/non-glare) glass, and not plastic.

Place the frame (without the decals) in the sun for about an hour; this will dry out the glass and the backer board. Install the decals, and return the frame to the sunny area. You can even put shims on the bottom of the frame, tilting it so it directly faces the sun, not at an angle.

Edited April 17, 2018 by BigTallDad

[aurfalien]

2 hours ago, Exotics_Builder said:

 

If you do the window tape, highly recommend putting in a zip-loc baggy to avoid any possible moisture on the window attacking the decals.  Doesn't take but a tad of moisture in the wrong spot

 

Hi,

I forgot to mention that to curve the decal sheet a bit so that only the edges touch the glass.

This avoids any transfer of window fromage to the decal sheet.

[Snake45]

I've bleached many decals just by putting them on the dashboard or package tray of my car. Prolly not the BEST idea due to possible excessive heat, but I HAVE done it and got away with it. 

[TeamBear]

Thanks to all, good old sunlight worked a treat, all good to go forward now, cheers.

 

Michael

[935k3]

You might try one of these ultraviolet nail polish dryers Nail dryer

[BigTallDad]

7 minutes ago, 935k3 said:

You might try one of these ultraviolet nail polish dryers Nail dryer

Sunlight is free.

[Snake45]

11 hours ago, TeamBear said:

Thanks to all, good old sunlight worked a treat, all good to go forward now, cheers.

 

Michael

Good to hear it worked out for you. Model on!

[MrObsessive]

On 4/21/2018 at 1:43 AM, TeamBear said:

Thanks to all, good old sunlight worked a treat, all good to go forward now, cheers.

 

Michael

Excellent! Come to think of it, I'll have to try that very trick again to some other decals I have that are no longer as bright as they should be.

[Snake45]

2 hours ago, MrObsessive said:

Excellent! Come to think of it, I'll have to try that very trick again to some other decals I have that are no longer as bright as they should be.

I've never noticed it to brighten up any other colors, it just bleaches the yellow out of white most of the time. 

And don't worry, it doesn't turn yellow decals white. If they're supposed to be yellow, they'll stay yellow. 

[MrObsessive]

4 hours ago, Snake45 said:

I've never noticed it to brighten up any other colors, it just bleaches the yellow out of white most of the time. 

And don't worry, it doesn't turn yellow decals white. If they're supposed to be yellow, they'll stay yellow. 

No, I was referring to just the white ones as far as "brightening" them up.

I can't even remember where I first saw that talked about. Might have been on the former "Hobby Heaven" board (now Spotlight) as I didn't have a real computer back in those days (early '00's)...........just a WebTv (remember those??). I also think I've seen that tip talked about years ago in SA(E).