# Please give me waterslide decal tips



## 440s-4ever (Feb 23, 2010)

OK, so here's the deal. I dove into a 20-25 year old stash of waterslides to decal up a car. 2/3 of the decals I tried just fell apart. Literally, even without me touching them, when they'd become fully soaked little pieces would just start floating. Total disentegration and totally new experience.

The ones that worked tended to be kit specific. Either the decals are all good, or all bad. Some of the decal sheets have mildew spots in the paper, but it doesn't seem linked to falling apart. 

Can I spray the decals before soaking to make em stay together, or are they just scrap? Will spraying make them harder to conform to curves?

Thanks for any tips!


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## slotnewbie69 (Dec 3, 2008)

magnify them first to see if there is shrinkage in the decal,there could be the problem,creating hairline fractures,thereby explaining why they come apart in water.remember how fragile they are,and that they weren't really meant to stand the test of time.i would hold onto them for keepsakes,but at that age,i dunno if they will hold up at all.i imagine that spraying them would just prevent them from seperating from the card they are on.if you have a printer,there are programs for printing your own decals,which may be a good way to go.


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## bobhch (Apr 22, 2007)

*Just get some of this...*

I use Microscales Liquid Decal Film and it works great on saving old decals. You can give it a quick thin brushing and it is ready to go in about 15 min.

Have a 1/24th car model box full of my Dads old Decals. It bites when a decal you realy want to work goes bad. Give Microscales Liquid Decal Film a try. Lots of Hobby Stores carry all thier products. I skip the decal set and just use their stronger stuff with the red print on the bottle. 

http://www.microscale.com/Merchant2...e=MI-12&Category_Code=FINPROD&Product_Count=6

I also use all of the other Microscale products. My favorite is Microsol. Microsol softens the decal and lets you put decals where you never thought possible. After applying Microsol let it sit for just a bit and then use your brush dipping back in Microsol again to hold and brush decals into door lines, around wheel well openings and other curved areas. 

I use Microsol on all my decals to set them in place. This alows me to dip or brush my Future Floor Covering clear coat without having the decals move on me. Let the decals dry completly before clear coating. I learned the hard way....little floating decals in my Future Tub about 3 years ago & that will never happen to me again.

Also you can use decals with paint to make some pretty wild slot car bodies. I like to use flat paints along with my decals. Not glob it on but, carefully fill in the blanks. The flat paint dries fast and glosses up great after a couple of coats of Future Floor Covering.

Bob...Decals are fun...zilla


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## slotnewbie69 (Dec 3, 2008)

that's cool bob.thanks for the correction.i knew you could use it for softening decals,didn't know you could save old decals with it.


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## 440s-4ever (Feb 23, 2010)

Thanks for the tip Bob, you built it up so much before clicking the link....paused and steeled myself for a $20 price tag. Three Bucks!! 

Painting gaps on decals! Wow. Painfully must admit my detail painting is done with careful masking, fuzzy old testors paint markers, and gobs of clear to cover the texture sins. I've dug out the airbrush and hobby tools, but have resisted fully utilizing them on these first few cars. Sort of like if I don't set up properly I won't keep doing this. 

Which of the steps is denial?


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

Don't let a slip up get you down!!! We all have a pinesol jar just for that purpose!! The more you do, the more things will come back to you. I find myself doing stuff now that I would have thought impossible a year ago. If it frustrates you, "walk away". I've found that some skills really take honing, and it doesn't happen overnight. Take baby steps and expect a few duds along the way. But don't ever accept defeat. Put that project aside for another day, and next time the outcome might be better. :thumbsup:


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## 440s-4ever (Feb 23, 2010)

Thanks for the advice, but don't worry, this project didn't die. 

Version 1, the blue logo Goodyear car w/blue accents. After watching 5 pair of blue goodyear logos disentegrate it's time for another plan. 

Version 2, the "moon eyes special". This version ended with the demise of the sweet moon camshaft flank graphics. 

Version 3 is pretty neat, some might even say worth ruining 20 pairs of stickers (individuals, not whole sheets). Shortly, a white mustang will appear in my custom tyco thread.


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## bobhch (Apr 22, 2007)

*Microscale makes different products for different applications...*



slotnewbie69 said:


> that's cool bob.thanks for the correction.i knew you could use it for softening decals,didn't know you could save old decals with it.


Don't confuse the Microscale "Setting Solution" with the "Liquid Decal Film"

Micro "Setting Solution" sets and makes them suck down into the seams and over bumps and stuff.

Micro "Liquid Decal Film" is used to save older decals by putting a thin coat over them or to put a thin coat over newly made decals so they stay together without snapping...doh. 

Just wanted to make sure you knew I was talking about 2 different products that are made by the same Microscale Industries Inc. company. They have lots of other products also which, get used in Las Zillas Workshop all the time. 

Bob...this is some good stuff to have on hand...zilla


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## slotnewbie69 (Dec 3, 2008)

thanks again zilla!point taken.


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

Are there ever gonna be any pics?


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## bobhch (Apr 22, 2007)

*This is a Hilltop and rr inspired usage here...*



NTxSlotCars said:


> Are there ever gonna be any pics?


Rich,

Yes but, not for what you are thinking...another MICROSCALE product I used tonight! Yippie this stuff is AWESUM!!

MICRO METAL FOIL ADHESIVE:



















Have been messing around with this Rold Gold pretzel truck this week and was going to just use white letter decals for the "Rold Gold" untill BAM it hit me today at work during an afternoon snack break.

Mr. Hilltop is a genius at doing stuff and he had told me about how he cuts off thin packaged advertising sniblets to make decals. I had done this once before with a Kit Kat bar to make a Kit Kat Cobra way back.

While in Chat last week I was telling Hilltop about my plans for the Rold Gold truck and he suggested finding a Pretzel package and taking the logo off of that. Well I have a large Rold Gold pretzel package but, it doesn't hava any small Rold Gold Logos...dang.

Back to my snack break today I went and got a package of "Munchies" for 50 cents from our machine. Guess what???? Munchies have Rold Gold pretzels in them (along with Sun Chips, Doritoes and Cheetoes). All these logos were on the front of the bag in the smallness I needed...:woohoo:

I cut them out and slid them in the back of my smokes package for safe keeping. They are very, very thin with a foil backing....Hmmmmmmmmm

So I came home and remebered that I had some (never used) Metal Foil Adhesive becuase Road Runner aka:rr proded me along to try using foil to chrome stuff. He does such good foil work so, picked up some foil and adhesive a while back. 

Decided that this Foil Adhesive was probably just the ticket to set these Rold Gold foil cut outs down tight on my 57 Panel. I was right it worked great. All you have to do is brush this stuff on the back of the foil and let it dry for a bit and it becomes tacky. Stuck it in place and burnished it down with a toothpick. WOW!

I thought this was a good place to put this little snipet of fun...it works great! Now when going to the grocery store I will be looking for more tiny advertisements to foil around with. 

Hilltop used a plastic pop bottle and removed the thin plastic film. If you hang out on HobbyTalk and listen for a while you will pick up a lot of usefull how to customize information for sure. 

Got so lucky with this Rold Gold cut out. The blue on it is a PERFECT color match to the blue AW used to paint this. Now to mount this up and Future Clear Coat before, posting up the final pictures on the Customs thread. 

If anyone else wants to make a Rold Gold pretzel truck go for it. The pretzel decals are from a fingernail waterslide seller on the bay. Just search for fingernail (or toenail) decal.

Bob...will have to try foil now soon...zilla


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## Hilltop Raceway (Feb 12, 2006)

*"Seek and ye shall find"*



bobhch said:


>


That side logo finalizes the deal :thumbsup::thumbsup: I'll have to get a bottle of that stuff. I've always used the school type glue stick (the stuff that comes in a tube like chapstick). Thanks for info Bob...yum yum, eat em up...zilla. RM


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

Pretzel trucks and Beer trucks....duh....no brainer.

Very nice graphic work Zilla....you da man!


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## slotnewbie69 (Dec 3, 2008)

wow bob that looks great.more innovations from las zillas!btw.nice donors for win's raffle too!


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## roadrner (Jul 21, 1999)

Bob,
Another masterpiece! :thumbsup::thumbsup: rr


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## bobhch (Apr 22, 2007)

*I ordered some checkered full size nail decals & others...*

Thanks guys...for more wacky and different decals here is the link to my pretzel supplier. Just got done ordering a bunch more of different decals from this seller so, watch out WORLD. These decals are not backed with white so, you have to plan for that. If we only lived in a perfect world. 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200405218527&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

Wait till Ed sees my Puple, Pink, Lime Green and Red full sized nail decals with black skulls on them...yeah Ed I am sending you a few of coarse. I think they will make for some neat stripes and some Shadow or Lola wings...ect, ect..

Yeah Bill Pretzels and Mullet Beer! I looked for Mr. Peanut water slide decals but, nope. So I will go and find a Image of Mr. Peanut and then you can send that image E-Mail to this seller to have custom decals made up...yeah!

Bob...Pretzels and Peanuts go with Beer...zilla


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## roadrner (Jul 21, 1999)

I picked up some nail designs and striping from the site below. Couldn't believe all the things out there for nails that you can use on customs. Not a bad price either. :thumbsup::thumbsup: rr


http://www.dollarnailart.com/cat_pages/striping_1.html


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## Hilltop Raceway (Feb 12, 2006)

Did you have to place a 25.00 minimum order??? RM


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## roadrner (Jul 21, 1999)

Actually picked the first couple sets off epay. They were offering NFL helmet logos. Then I did place an order that ran about 30 bux. rr


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## 22tall (Jul 28, 2002)

Nice work as always Bob.

My problem. Did some decals a few months ago. Micro Mark decal paper, ink jet printer and two coats of Testors clear. They curled and fell off. The surface was flat, smooth and clean. 

Tried again last weekend. This time I used Krylon clear which Micro Mark recommends as a sealer. I then tried Future as a sealer hoping it would prevent the curl problem. That caused the Krylon to micro fracture all over. The wax then caused the ink to bleed.

What is a good sealer for decals if using Future wax?


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## bobhch (Apr 22, 2007)

22tall said:


> Nice work as always Bob.
> 
> My problem. Did some decals a few months ago. Micro Mark decal paper, ink jet printer and two coats of Testors clear. They curled and fell off. The surface was flat, smooth and clean.
> 
> ...


Click on my link in post #3 of this thread to see the bottle of "Liquid Decal Film" by Microscale as they make great products. A couple of thin coats with 15 minuites or so between coats and you are ready for the MicroSol ( another Microscale product ) decal set which will suck that decal right down even on curves or door lines ect... 

You should be able to find Microscale products at your local Hobby Store.

Bob...Hope this helps...zilla


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## 22tall (Jul 28, 2002)

Hi Bob, I will have to order some decal film. Struck out at the local hobby shop, Hobby Lobby and Michael's. Did get some Walter's Solvaset for future projects. My question now is do I still put the clear sealer on before usind the decal film?


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## bobhch (Apr 22, 2007)

*Know these five steps...lol*



22tall said:


> Hi Bob, I will have to order some decal film. Struck out at the local hobby shop, Hobby Lobby and Michael's. Did get some Walter's Solvaset for future projects. My question now is do I still put the clear sealer on before usind the decal film?


22tall,

#1 Make Decals

#2 Put on Microscales "Liquid Decal Film" (2 thin coats for smootness)

#3 Put Decals on slot car body when "Liquid Decal Film" dries

#4 Put on "MicroSol Decal Setting Solution" to suck decal on 

#5 Put Future Clear Coat on ( one or two coats is usualy good )

If this doesn't work then just SMACK me but, not hard O.K. :freak:

Bob...this is what I would do...zilla


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