bartek

Hello everyone. I am a new member as of today. I have joined hoping to draw on your experience. I have just finished a 1/48 Monogram's DC-3, which I have bought on ebay. The model is perfect but there is a problem with decals. They won't come off the decal sheet, even after 30 minutes in water! Simply nothing happens! When I tried to move them off the sheet, they cracked and came off in small pieces. The model (and presumably the decals) are from 1992. Did 16 years of storage damaged them? Luckily there are two identical sheets, so there is still a chance. Has anyone experienced such a problem? Is there any way of dealing with it? Does anyone know?
Thanks
Bartek

Flying Penguin

16 years is pretty old for decals.... Try using warmer water with a drop of washing up liquid, if that doesn't seperate them then you are probably SOL

Then again, even if you do separate them, you might not be able to get them to stick or conform. A brushed (or ideally airbrushed) coat of future will stick most decals if you get desperate.

As for the shredding, you might want to consider this:
Microscale Micro Liquid Decal Film Scale: 30ml #12 UK

Spray (preferably) or brush over the decals, allow to dry then decal as normal. That should hold them together.

Failing all that, there are loads of aftermarket decals for DC-3's which will almost certainly be better quality than the kit decals.

Hope that helps.

Jamie

wonwinglo

A common problem with old decals,if you have a spare sheet then try coating them first with clear varnish,this will knit the crackular together and they should soak off.

__________________
'And there I was oil on my goggles from a broken pipe,then I looked at the altimeter,all I could see was the makers name !'
www.wonwinglo.scale-models.net/

bartek

Hi Jamie,
thanks for your advice. However, nothing seems to help and I guess I am SOL. Thanks anyway.
Bartek

bartek

hi Barry,
thanks for your advice. Tried it, yet it doesn't seem to work. Thanks anyway.
Bartek