Photo albums and decals

[Jantrix]

I pulled some black decals from my photo album that I keep my decals in and I'm noticing they has a strange appearance as if the factory clear coating is being pulled off when I peel the clear sheet back or perhaps the sheet is leaving some of the sticky from the back behind. I'm not sure they are going to look good when applied.

Anyone else had/have a similar problem? I

[Fabrux]

I have noticed that older decals don't seem to like anything touching them, especially anything plastic. I always try to sandwich them in the instruction sheet or with some paper in a page protector rather than a photo album.

[Guest G Holding]

I keep the wax paper they come with....works great and thats why its there !

[High octane]

You have to get the "acid-free" sheet protectors. I got mine at Office Max and they''re made by Avery PV119-25/75304 Heavyweight Sheet Protectors. I've had mine for several years now and have no problems with my decals and I like having my decals in "book form" so I don't have to handle all my decals everytime I'm lookin' for one.

[Art Anderson]

I pulled some black decals from my photo album that I keep my decals in and I'm noticing they has a strange appearance as if the factory clear coating is being pulled off when I peel the clear sheet back or perhaps the sheet is leaving some of the sticky from the back behind. I'm not sure they are going to look good when applied.

Anyone else had/have a similar problem? I

It's not acidic paper causing that problem most likely. However, many clear plastic photo album pages are made from PVC (vinyl) having a pretty fair concentration of plasticizer in them to keep them soft and flexible. Such soft vinyl can and will attack lacquers, which are what most all decals are made from, at least the clear film. PVC plasticizers will attack lacquers very quickly, ruining decals (even nice lacquer or enamel paint jobs on models).

The best thing I can think of is to put those decals in clear polyethylene plastic bags, the envelope style ones that are made flat. A lot of craft and art supply stores sell them. Once protected in that manner, the polyethylene should prevent PVC album pages from attacking the decals.

Another alternative that does work: Get a supply of kraft-paper 8 1/2 X 11 inch kraft paper envelopes, the kind without the little metal clasps on them. Use a paper punch (3-hole style if you can get one inexpensively) and punch those envelopes for a 3-ring binder. Those will store your decals very safely, the 3-ring binder will make for convenient storage as well, and you can write on each envelop what decal sheet is inside.

Art

[Jantrix]

Great info guys, thanks very much.