RAILWAY MANIA - DECAL INSTRUCTIONS 

FOR THIS, YOU WILL NEED:

Micro-Sol

Micro-Set

A sharp modelling knife

A small paintbrush

Some water

I cannot recommend Micro-Sol and Micro-Set enough, I would even go as far as saying don’t bother trying without them! They help the transfer conform to the surface, prevent trapped bubbles and reduce ‘silvering’ (where you can see the transfer film).

The transparent decal material is one piece, not just the coloured part of the transfer, so cut as close to the decal as you can. Bear in mind that cutting paper will blunt your blade.

It is always best to have as little transfer film as possible, so for when you are applying lining and have a large surface area. I have put cutting guides around the transfers to help distinguish between the decal and the paper.

Colour Decals

Colour decals have been printed face-down, so will need to be flipped over during application. Bear in mind Micro-Set is essential for these, as is sealing the decal with lacquer when its dried, as the colour ones are less adhesive than the white ones.

Apply over gloss paint

Micro-Set will help soften the decal and get it to adhere to the surface.

Once firmly pressed into place (I use a small brush for this) apply Micro-Sol in small amounts to get a smooth finish. Micro-Sol helps the decal conform to the shape underneath and reduces ‘silvering’ where the transparent paper is visible.

It is also useful to use the brush to absorb excess moisture. 

The transfer should settle flat over rivet detail. If it doesn’t, then apply more Micro-Sol and leave for a couple of minutes before gently pressing on it with a damp cloth or kitchen roll. If it’s dry it will stick!

Once applied and in place, leave it for 24 hours to dry. If you lacquer it when it still has moisture in it, you’ll get bad reactions.

Seal the decal with a small amount of matt varnish/lacquer. Don’t use too much, a gentle ‘waft’ will do. I have had good results from Tamiya Matt Lacquer. Dullcote is also good but hard to find in the UK.

Do 2 coats, with approx. 15 minutes between them, then leave for 48 hours to harden.

Weathering

Be careful when using washes as they can react with the decal and lacquer, and lift the ink off.

Leave it a few weeks for the lacquer to completely cure if you intend to use enamel washes. Acrylic washes and powders are generally OK to use but err on the side of caution.