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decaling over dullcoat and weathering Locos and rolling stock
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Regular poster 222 posts kh25 Regular poster 222 posts
kh25
i have an engine that has been weathered and decaled.I would like to patch out the decal and reletter. do i clean the area with alchol to get the weathering off then spray that area with glosscote put the new decals on dry then spray dull cote? Thank you
Mark Kingsbury
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Louiex2 Frequent poster 559 posts
Louiex2

Brush Paint

I’d suggest brushing a gloss coat just on the area you’re working on rather that spraying GlossCote.  That way you’ll have much better control.  My favorite gloss is Mission Models Gloss, but most other brands should work fine.  Many modelers like to Pledge Floor Care Multi Surface Finish (formally known as and commonly still referred to in the modeling world as “Future”).   Here’s a link to a good website tutorial on how to use it  http://www.swannysmodels.com/TheCompleteFuture.html

Lou in Utah
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Nick Santo amsnick MRH Advertiser and MRH Author 2,806 posts
Nick Santo amsnick

Further thought on decaling.

If you are using a solid color decal, why would it be necessary to use a gloss coat first?

Why I ask the question is because the gloss coat is to stop the “slivering” of the clear decal material around the opaque part.  An opaque decal should not have the “silvering” problem.

A water wipe of the surface to remove any dust or lint might be in order.  It would not be necessary to dry.  Alcohol will change the previous dullcote appearance and might well be avoided.

Solvaset or Microsol should soften the decal enough to make a good bond to the surface.

After the decal(s) are applied a coat of dullcote or whatever should finish the bonding/protecting process.

Nick

Nick

https://nixtrainz.com/ Home of the Decoder Buddy

Full disclosure: I am the inventor of the Decoder Buddy and I sell it via the link above.
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blindog10 Prolific poster 3,315 posts
blindog10

silvering = poor adhesion

I would apply a thin coat of gloss (Future works great) to just the area that you will decal over. Decals don't adhere well to flat finishes and might flake off down the road. Scott Chatfield
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Louiex2 Frequent poster 559 posts
Louiex2

@Nick - Silvering

Nick, Good question- The purpose of the gloss coat is not directly related to the clear portion of the decal, but is to provide a smooth surface for the decal to adhere to. A matt (flat/non-glossy) paint leaves a rough surface so the decal cannot completely snuggle down. Silvering generally caused by the tiny air pockets between the surface and the decal. With a gloss surface, the air pockets are absent or, at least minimized.  Decal setting solutions help soften the decal, allowing it to better conform to the surface, but, usually, they can’t fully overcome the roughness of a matt surface. You are correct that silvering is more noticeable under the clear sections of a decal, which is why it’s a good practice to trim as much of the surrounding clear film away from the opaque portion of the decal.

Lou in Utah
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