By E. James Small
Decals:
Now these will make your model sing! But be VERY PATIENT when doing this and work just one piece at a time!
Following the instructions, apply the decals as shown. Keep a soft bristled clean paintbrush, a pair of tweezers, a hobby knife with a brand new blade and some paper towels handy. Prepare a shallow dish, like a pie plate, filled with lukewarm water to soak the decals in.
TIP: Keep the decal sheet on a separate table from your water and working surface. It’s important to avoid accidentally getting water on any of the decals that you have not yet cut out! If you accidentally get a drop of water on one of the decals you weren’t ready to use, guess what? That’s the decal you will be using next! If the water dries on the decal before you’ve used it, the decal will be ruined! So, before handling the main sheet, make sure your hands are dry!
Cut the decal apart one at a time using scissors, and only cut them apart when you are using them. This avoids the confusion of mixing them up or losing them.
Soak the decal image in the water for about ten seconds, take it out of the water and let stand 30 seconds to a minute or so. Check to see if the decal is able to slide on the paper carrier.
Apply some water with your fingers to the surface to accept the decal (it will bead, that’s OK), and then place the decal paper onto the model. Slide the decal off the paper and onto position on the model, using more water if needed.
Possible panic situations to avoid:
If the decal rips, don’t panic! Just apply more water and nudge them together. Slowly blot out excess water with a paper towel. Watch their position as the water is soaked off. Nudge as necessary before allowing them to dry. Sometimes a damp paper towel can work better than a dry one.
If part of the decal folds under itself, don’t panic! Just apply a lot of water to float the decal, stick the edge of your knife blade under the decal and slide out the folded section.
If a decal suddenly sticks where you don’t want it, don’t panic. Just soak the area with as much water as you can, and GENTLY prod the decal out of that spot and slide it to where it belongs.
I recommend taking different sessions to apply your decals, allowing the decals to dry overnight between stages so you always have somewhere to handle the model. For example, you can apply all the decals to the saucer, engines and neck while holding onto the body. Let the decals dry, then you can handle the model by the saucer and engine areas to apply the decals to the body.
Once all the decals are applied and dry, you can then spray a dulling finish to tone down that glossy surface. I recommend an acrylic type such as Testors Model Master Flat Clear Acryl or similar.
Final assembly:
Glue on the remaining parts as per the instructions.
Gosh! That was easy, wasn’t it!!
Now, go and display your model proudly! Enjoy! You made it yourself!
EjIMBo.
E. James Small
Excellence In Model Building
www.smallartworks.ca
All photography by E. James Small
