| JustinModelDads | 02 Sep 2014 11:23 a.m. PST |
Anyone got any ideas why a coat of MicroScale Liquid Decal Film blisters on my Microscale Experts Choice decal paper – it's ruined by entire set of lovely inkjeted decals :( |
| ming31 | 02 Sep 2014 11:52 a.m. PST |
were the decal sealed first? |
| JustinModelDads | 02 Sep 2014 12:44 p.m. PST |
How do you mean please? I printed them on the paper and applied a layer of decal film. I thought this was meant to seal them? |
 Mserafin  | 02 Sep 2014 1:12 p.m. PST |
I printed them on the paper and applied a layer of decal film. I thought this was meant to seal them? Um no, you need to print them on specific decal paper, such as sold by this place: decalpaper.com Then you seal them. |
| Chris Wimbrow | 02 Sep 2014 1:24 p.m. PST |
He's using decal paper and liquid from the same line. Film gets printed on and liquid film protects the image. link Perhaps too heavy a coat of the liquid? Or not allowing enough drying time for each step? |
| Finknottle | 02 Sep 2014 1:52 p.m. PST |
My guess would be not letting the ink dry long enough. Bubbles/blisters might be from fumes escaping the drying ink. I did some home-printed decals a while back and allowed a day between printing and sealing – then a week until applying the decals, but the latter delay was more laziness than drying-related :-) |
| ming31 | 02 Sep 2014 2:58 p.m. PST |
Most decals that I have used use a spray fixative to seal the ink to the paper . The liquid decal film is extra an I have never applied it to an unsprayed decal . |
| Chris Wimbrow | 02 Sep 2014 3:31 p.m. PST |
The ink is not on the paper. It is on a decal film layer. The final coat is like what you see on a model kit's decal sheet, just enough to cover the image with a bit of a border for each individual decal. You can use the blank spots from a cut up decal sheet to paint or ink or Letraset something of your own invention and then coat it with the likes of the liquid decal film to make your own. Some other clear sprays can achieve the same results. |
| Chris Wimbrow | 02 Sep 2014 3:48 p.m. PST |
Before computers and fancy printer consumables, gummed paper packing tape was used as a base and adhesive, to which hand drawn artwork was applied. Layers of clear coat (even hair spray) supplied the sealant. |
| Chris Wimbrow | 02 Sep 2014 4:06 p.m. PST |
Most decals that I have used use a spray fixative to seal the ink to the paper . The liquid decal film is extra an I have never applied it to an unsprayed decal . The "liquid decal film" is the same thing you are calling a fixative. The paint or ink or whatever is sandwiched in a clear matrix. |
| Hornswoggler | 02 Sep 2014 7:42 p.m. PST |
I am very careful using any decal fixing or softening agents as I have found the results to be highly variable (ie often causing some kind of damage) with decals from a variety of sources. Though in this case it does seem rather strange that the "film" and paper products are apparently from the same company… |
| JustinModelDads | 03 Sep 2014 2:14 a.m. PST |
Thanks for the feedback. I was applying decal film over Experts Choice inkjet paper. The decals had been left to dry for over 24 hours so I don't think it can be fumes from the printing. I'm unhappy that a product can be marketed with such ill-effect. I applied a thin coat but – perhaps – judging from your kind feedback – it was a little too thick. I'll try again with a crazy-thin coat delicately applied in a sterile environment whilst chanting softly to the infernal decal gods…(grumble) |
