TOPIC:

Just wondering (since many of you TB guys appear to be excellent modellers), what are your thoughts on re applying decals to either Lexan, or hard bodies? You know, when the decals are peeling but they're so rare and precious that you'll never find them again if you stuff them up trying to fix them?

I've only ever gone the route of using tiny amounts of CA glue to stick down the edges of peeling decals. But I wish there was a more surefire way of being able to peel off a decal and reapply, or stick it back down, with less mess and risk.

eg. Imagine Tamiya made a special, thin decal glue that you could lightly brush onto the back of decals, that was quick drying and quick bonding, just like a fresh coat of the decal's original backing adhesive. Not some liquid that would get squeezed out at the edges as you press it down (like most glues).

Is my dream a reality yet? What's the best way to do this in 2013?

H.


www.rctoymemories.com

Cool my brainwave travelled all around the world

had the same thing, there probably is a kind of glue that works like rubber cement when fixing a tire, apply glue, wait till it dried a little then stick on, press and ready. also didnt like the idea with the CA glue no use when the decals sticks and my is still on it.

maybe such sprays that are used to stick photos on cardboard or a thin adhesive tape from 3M?

found this could be an alternative for sticking decals on the inside of a PC shell.

quite a collection at 3M

I agree with Waterbok on the use of the 3M tapes. They are quite good and very thin, and some are optically clear, so you can use them with clear decals and not see the adhesive. I've used this before when making labels for my customers, especially stickers that mount on the inside of glass. 3M also make a range of spray glues, but the only issue I have with these is that they glue can clump a little,

regards

Johann

I seem to be leaning more toward some kind of spray glue for lightweight material, than tape...mainly because I can't imagine how a bit of clear double sided tape can be cut to perfectly suit holding a decal down...

Waterbok, that "3M Spray Mount Artist's Adhesive" sounds like it could be ideal...but it would need testing to make sure it doesn't have some weird sideeffect.

Hibernaculum wrote:

I seem to be leaning more toward some kind of spray glue for lightweight material, than tape...mainly because I can imagine how a bit of clear double sided tape can be cut to perfectly suit holding a decal down...

Waterbok, that "3M Spray Mount Artist's Adhesive" sounds like it could be ideal...but it would need testing to make it doesn't have some weird sideeffect.

The spray glue is going to be easier to get and cheaper, but I can send you a small sample of the 3M adhesive roll we use. Mind you a 25m roll that is 300 mm wide is nearly $400

I use to spray glue a lot more, just be careful with the overspray, thats usually where I would come unstuck
I doubt you'd have any side effects from the spray glue though. 3M make a lot of artists glues for picture mounting canvasses, water paints etc, so vinyl decals should be fine,

regards

Johann

Personnally, I use a very small "goutte" of cyano glue only to avoid the white shadow. I know that it exists a no white CA but after some tests, it is some white shadow too. I used CA on my grasshopper 1 and it was enough nice.

In the few instances where I've tried to re-use decals, I do this -
Warm the decal up with gentle heat (eg hairdryer on low), & if you can do this from the reverse side of the body, do that, just in case direct heat might make the decal material crinkle , shrink or stretch.
9/10 with the correct heat the decal will come off complete with its sticky backing, making re-application a doddle.

where the decal has "dogears" or no glue left & won't re-stick, I use a tiniest pinprick of CA to tack it down, to hold it in place just long enough to get a coat of laquer over the whole body. Obviously this only works on hard bodies, & is least risky only when you know what the paint on the body is (To avoid paint reactions)

If they're too badly damaged, I just do without, I don't like decals anyway!

I started re-using the old decals on my Monster Beetle resto thread. That was the first time i started that.
The mains reason is that i don't want to pay a fortune in an original decal set (in the case you find one)...Of course this is only possible if the decals you are going to re-use are in a good shape.

My second attempt to save the decals was with my bruiser restore (smurfy Bruiser) and i must say that on this second attempt my technique was significantly improved. I started using a cutter knife to peel them off instead of my nails . Using such a knife avoids the decals corners to get bent. See example below on the "champion" decal of the Bruiser the upper right corner is bent !


Before appliying them again on the restored body, the use of my wife's hair dryer (hint: do it when she's away !!! ) in order to hest the up a little bit and get them flexible. The nest step is the glue !!! Many of them will left glue residues on the body after peeling them off after being there for more than 20 years !
I've found a very easy and cheap solution for this. I remembered my old school years where you used to use those old glue sticks.... I got me one and see....it works perfectly.
This is what the glue sticks looks like (sorry for the very bad picture)





My third attempt is up to date the best one !
Those are my saved from the Rough Rider i just restored.



They were removed with the small knife, heated up with the haire dryer, they got glued applied at the right place on the previously clear laqued body and then laqued again.
with this technique, the dacals are perfectly glued, without residues and with the few coats of clear laque applied they should remain where they are for many years !

I hope this will help some of you with the decal saving !