Clear Coat for Decals Application

[Whiterook]

I was wondering what advice you all have for applying a clear coat for decal application; specifically, does anyone just apply clear coat with a brush from the bottle only on the area to receive the decal...or is it better to spray the whole model, decal, and then dull coat?

[ripley44mag]

Depends on weather it is antique or not. Antique - put decal on, shelac,sand,shelac as many times as needed. New stuff - Polyurethane spray. Ripley

[Geek44]

I just applied Tamiya (acrylic) clear to the places where the decals were to go on the Panzer IV and would do this again on another vehicle. For aircraft, I coat the whole model.

[Whiterook]

Thanks guys! The reason I asked is, I'm headi ng out to the model shop Saturday to pick up some paint, and I thought I'd pick up a bottle of clear for just such a method. I have to admit that I actually have used watered down whiteglue for this, which works great...but I want to try clear, and see what difference come forth.

[Geek44]

I found that the method of only applying gloss to the area where the decal will go worked fine on my tank because subsequent weathering rendered the area matt again. Well...not strictly matt, more of a matt/satin but that was okay. Having learned to observe earth moving equipment as an aid to modelling, I've found that any vehicle has matt parts, satin parts and even some glossy areas...it's the mixture that keeps things interesting. After the decals had set, I then applied a coat of gloss over them to seal them in and impart that 'painted on' look that we're after.
Aircraft are different as I said and when I model them, I try for a satin finish for the most part. I would gloss the whole model, apply the decals and then gloss again for the above reason. I weather my aircraft quite differently to my vehicles...they get dirty differently and if possible, they're kept cleaner. A dirty aircraft suffers performance problems that can mean the difference between life and death. I read stories of the Luftwaffe enlisting the help of local school kids to bring their parents furniture polish to the airfields after school to help gloss up their fighter aircraft.
I always use Tamiya gloss acrylic. It's tough and fingerprint resistant.
Interested to know more about the diluted white glue method WR. I always found white glue peels off if applied thinly enough.
Peace.

[Whiterook]

Wow.....now that is one of the best pieces of advice I've gotten in awhile...gloss "over" the decal to achieve that nearly fresh new "paint on" look! Brilliant!!!!!!!! That makes so much sense, I love it! Thanks!

Lets' see if I remember this about right: I watered down white Elmer's Glue, and applied it to the area receiving the decals on my Panther. It didn't peel up at all. I let dry overnight, and then applied the decals. When I felt they cured properly, I applied more diluted glue over the top of them. It's held up brilliantly, and remains clear. Hadn't thought about it much 'til now, but I do believe it left a tad of a satin finish, so that would go with your suggestion. Next time I'm downstairs, I'm going to take a gander. I like to come up with "Green" alternatives when I can, though I'm not a fanatic on the subject.....I just hate toxicity.

[Geek44]

Whatever works is good Em. I must say that I think your white glue method is quite 'left of field' but as I said...if it works, it's good.
My experience with white glue was when I tried to use it to fill seams a long time ago. I think I ran into problems when I tried to sand it...the glue came up out of the seam in one piece and I was basically back to square one. I only use it now to reinforce small parts that have originally been attached with super glue which is very brittle. My hope is that if the CA glue lets go, the white glue might keep it in place.
With the decals and glossing over them, there's a thing to consider. Some folks (me) like to scratch up and chip decals along with the rest of the model. There are two ways to attack the decal as far as I can see. You can paint the chips on and that works fine. You can also physically damage the decal itself which I normally do on aircraft. I do this because the decal usually sits on a surface that has been scratched and chipped to reveal a natural metal undercoat. Some parts of the decal have 'shallow' scratches that are the same colour as the paint the aircraft carries...or 'deep' scratches down to the metal. The available metalizers are not designed for brush work, so I find damaging the deca works best. My point is that the decal should be scratched up before the gloss coat goes over them.

[Whiterook]

Excellent points there. The white glue worked well, but I wonder how it stands up to time. Under the decal probably isn't an issue as much as on top. I like the idea of scratching up the decals for wear.....not sure I feel comfortable enough to scratch up the decals as much as paint the chips. I'll have to experiment with scratching them, as it seems to me more "authentic".

[Geek44]

Either way works fine mate. If you want to paint scratches on, that's the way you should go. The only reason I ever damage decals (deliberately ) is when they need to have natural metal showing through. Metalizers don't brush well at all and the damage shows what's already been sprayed on. One needs to remember where the metal shows through the paint and damage the decal 'in situ' on the model in the same places. Photos really help here. I only ever did this on aircraft that have the metalizer coat under the paint. On anything else...I would paint scratches on too. It's easier and less risky.

[Whiterook]

Good points! I would imagine I'd prefer to dull up and "wear" the decal with weathering, than scratch it. Though, in a diorama, I could see wanting to strategically place scratches. I think in those cases though, I'd paint them rather than actually scratch them.