Finish prior to decal application

[Tony Haycock]

Can I apply WNW decals onto a matt finish or am I better to spray a clear gloss on first, then apply the decals, then go over the whole lot again with a clear matt finish?

[Des]

It is always best to apply decals to a gloss smooth finish, once the decals are applied and dry then you can over spray with your desired clear matt or satin finish. No matter how good the decals are they don't like to be applied to a matt finish, you will end up with silvering and other problems.

Des.

[ALBATROS1234]

they say decaling on a matt finish also causes bubbles becuz of the micro ruff surface trapping the air. it is very easy to brush on a coat of future before and after decaling, its self leveling properties are very helpful to modellers. after i spray rattle can dullcoat for that matt fabric/painted on markings look.

[Tony Haycock]

they say decaling on a matt finish also causes bubbles becuz of the micro ruff surface trapping the air. it is very easy to brush on a coat of future before and after decaling, its self leveling properties are very helpful to modellers. after i spray rattle can dullcoat for that matt fabric/painted on markings look.

If Future is available in New Zealand I have never seen it (not that I would have looked very hard!). Maybe someone else out there can tell me otherwise?

[Des]

Have a look here Tony, there is a good discussion going on about Future.

Des.

http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=226.0

[Tony Haycock]

Have a look here Tony, there is a good discussion going on about Future.

Des.

http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=226.0

Thanks

[Flyjunkie]

Lucky for me, i found a half empty bottle of Future in the Storage Cabinet in my Garage. I thinned it a little bit with 90% Isopropyl Alcohol and proceeded to air brush a Corsair I am working on. it went on nice and clean and looks Good. This was the first time I have ever done this "pre-coat" and I am liking the end results.
The Decals go on tonight and tomorrow the 2nd coat of Future....  Good stuff indeed..

(I figure I'll get comfortable with coating the model on the Corsair.. so i do not wipe out a WW I model... )

DEAN ~~~

[Trackpad]

Future is the answer for me. And it doesn't have to be a high gloss finish: just enough to smooth over the matte surface will do. Then decal, then a second thin coat of Future to seal the decal and reduce the decal "edge," then apply your final finish, matte or semigloss. Works a treat!   

[GAJouette]

  Tony,
I've always prepped for decaling back coating the subject with a clear coat. Over the the years I've tried and used just about every type of clear coating available to me. After trying all the other clear mediums I settled in on Furture as the best whether by brush or spray. Once I've the decals down and cured at least overnight I recoat them with a satin finish to seal the decals. I use the satin because to my eye the semi gloss finishes looks more correct for WW I era aircraft than the flat finish does. The flat clear finishes I reserve for my WW II era projects.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette

[Pete Nottingham]

Yep I use Future/Klear as well, apply the decals then another coat of Klear, finish off with a varnish of choice.

Cheers

Pete.

[wunwinglow]

So..... why don't we paint using gloss paints, then decal onto that, then flat/semi varnish over that.  I would have thought the fewer layers of paint and varnish, the better.

Tim

[GAJouette]

  Tim,
Excellent question my friend. I do on occasion I'll use gloss paints,But the problem I have here is very high humidity couples with high heat. Long story made short heat and humidity  conspire to keep gloss paint from drying in a timely manner.  Here in the South I have to thin gloss paint with lacquer thinner to speed the drying time,but still takes longer to fully cure than flats do.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette

[Pete Nottingham]

So..... why don't we paint using gloss paints, then decal onto that, then flat/semi varnish over that.  I would have thought the fewer layers of paint and varnish, the better.

Tim

The main reason is, I prefer Vallejo acrylic paints, personal choice, and nearly all of these dry matt or at the very best a dull satin and using an airbrush the paint goes on very thinly so you don't lose any detail and as Klear has the consistency of water, once again you dont lose any detail, so the main reason for the loss of detail when decalling is the thickness of the decal itself.

Cheers

Pets.

[Trackpad]

So..... why don't we paint using gloss paints, then decal onto that, then flat/semi varnish over that.  I would have thought the fewer layers of paint and varnish, the better.
Tim

I use Xtracolor gloss paints as much as possible, for just that reason. The paint mixes and sprays beautifully (I use lacquer thinners), and I've used it (paint to thinner ratios) from 1:1 to 1:7. At my club, those of us who use it call it "God's paint." I used Xtracolor on this 1/72nd Tripe: white crossfields, light tan for CDL, faded Olive Drab for the streaking, black for...black! When done, apply a semi-gloss or matte clear finish, and you're done:



Hope this helps!