I bought some Testors Decal Set (the only 'set' they had) at my local hobby shop. As I understand it, this stuff is used to avoid the reflective silouette that the decal film gives once applied? Today I went to use it for the first time. I figured the stuff was applied after you apply the decal and it drys, but upon reading the instructions *after* the decal had dried (Insert embarassed smily face here) I read:
"Apply solution to buffed out surface.
Dip decal in water for 10 seconds.
Place on tissue for 1 min.
Position decal.
Reapply solution.
After 3 min blot decal using a moist tissue.
Reapply if necessary.
Wait 24 hours to apply protective over coating."
I have plenty more decals to apply, and the kit I'm working on is a practice kit so I'm not agonizing over my mistake, I just want to understand this process better. My old-time experience with waterslide decals was to soak. them in water until they curled up off the sheet of paper, then apply them and let them dry. This "soak for 10 seconds and place on tissue for 1 min" thing sort of baffles me. Will decals come off intact if I try that?
Also, the bottle has a warning "contains Acetic Acid" and it smells of vinegar. Is "Decal Set" simply a surfactant, i.e. dilute vinegar?
The non-lazy part of me says "just follow the instructions and see what happens!" but even though this is a practice kit I'd rather not have this screwed up as it's looking marginally good so far.
"Apply solution to buffed out surface.
Dip decal in water for 10 seconds.
Place on tissue for 1 min.
Position decal.
Reapply solution.
After 3 min blot decal using a moist tissue.
Reapply if necessary.
Wait 24 hours to apply protective over coating."
I have plenty more decals to apply, and the kit I'm working on is a practice kit so I'm not agonizing over my mistake, I just want to understand this process better. My old-time experience with waterslide decals was to soak. them in water until they curled up off the sheet of paper, then apply them and let them dry. This "soak for 10 seconds and place on tissue for 1 min" thing sort of baffles me. Will decals come off intact if I try that?
Also, the bottle has a warning "contains Acetic Acid" and it smells of vinegar. Is "Decal Set" simply a surfactant, i.e. dilute vinegar?
The non-lazy part of me says "just follow the instructions and see what happens!" but even though this is a practice kit I'd rather not have this screwed up as it's looking marginally good so far.