elan Posted April 20, 2010 Share Posted April 20, 2010 Anyone have any tricks for saving old decals? I've heard that clear coating them will do the trick. Anyone tried this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbwelda Posted April 20, 2010 Share Posted April 20, 2010 i have clear coated decals, also coated them with future while still on the paper and also used some commercial decal coating stuff. it all works well. but you got to remember the stuff isnt water soluable so you have to trim all around the decal very closely and then let it be wet for a while before they release from the paper. also as with any decals DONT do it like you probably did it as a kid: just put the decal in water for a second and then put on a paper towel and let the water soak in. then after a couple minutes run it through water again. but dont let it soak in the water or all the adhesive will disappear and it will be hard to get it to stick. also remember this coating is going to make it difficult to fit a decal around curves...may not want to conform and microsol may or may not help. best of luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elan Posted April 20, 2010 Author Share Posted April 20, 2010 i have clear coated decals, also coated them with future while still on the paper and also used some commercial decal coating stuff. it all works well. but you got to remember the stuff isnt water soluable so you have to trim all around the decal very closely and then let it be wet for a while before they release from the paper. also as with any decals DONT do it like you probably did it as a kid: just put the decal in water for a second and then put on a paper towel and let the water soak in. then after a couple minutes run it through water again. but dont let it soak in the water or all the adhesive will disappear and it will be hard to get it to stick. also remember this coating is going to make it difficult to fit a decal around curves...may not want to conform and microsol may or may not help. best of luck. I'll try it on some scrap decals and see what happens. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Sumner Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 The absolute best way is to use Microscale or Superscale Liquid Decal Film. This is literally the same stuff that is the base that decals are printed upon. The only difference is that you are putting it on top of the decal instead of the underside...works perfectly both ways. I have saved decals that were cracked and many years old with this stuff. And it responds to decal sets and solvents just like real decals because...well..it IS real decal film. You just brush the liquid on fairly thick...it looks too thick but don't let that bother you...it will settle out and thin right out as it dries. As with any other method, you'll still have to cut around the decal but believe me please...this decal film is better than any other coating system! I've tried tham all,...Future, clear paint etc.. None work like real decal film. Any hobby shop should have it. Or you can order it online from Squadron or Sprue Brothers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichCostello Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 I just keep them in a photo album with the clear peel-back plastic on heavy white,semi-sticky paper pages. It seems to protect them pretty well,and it makes it easy to find whatever you're looking for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom T Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 I just keep them in a photo album with the clear peel-back plastic on heavy white,semi-sticky paper pages. It seems to protect them pretty well,and it makes it easy to find whatever you're looking for. I'm not sure if you want to do that, Ricco. The glue that makes the page sticky might get residue on the clear cover sheet and when you lay it down on your decal damage might result. I could be wrong. I was going to do that myself and a bought a few pages but in the end I went out and got some acid-free photo album pages. Maybe use a sliver of two-sided masking tape on the underside edges of the decal to keep it from sliding around in the page. I know the stuff you're using makes things neat and orderly but I just wouldn't trust it with something so delicate. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elan Posted April 21, 2010 Author Share Posted April 21, 2010 Thanks to everyone for their help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junkman Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 I keep mine in a photo album, with these clear 'pages' to protect the photos. It works with decals too. No further treatment necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlzrocks Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 I SPRAY ALL MY DECALS WITH Rustoleum clear first. That way, if they are bad I saved myself a huge headache!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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