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Today I received a microscale decal sheet for SP diesel locomotives to continue the process of detailing a couple of my older Blue Box GP's. Adding the SP to the nose was very straight forward. However I also want to add the road numbers to the end of the long-hood end of the locomotive. I've never done this type of decaling before and have a few questions:
1. I need to cut out each individual number from the sheet. I'm assuming a sharp exacto blade is the best way to do this...? They are so small...
2. Should I soak each one in a small dish of water, or maybe place them on a paper town and just drop a drop of water over the top to loosen up the decal?
3. I have Micro-set and Micro-sol to use for placing the decals and getting them to conform to the surface. Should I soak and place all four numbers at the same time and then try to position them all, or would it be better to place one number at a time, let it dry, and then do the next one? My concern with having all four wet at the same time is that every time I try to move one, the others next to it will move and I'll never get them positions correctly.
Any other tips for this appreciated!
Malibu43,
I have the same problem, whether it be number boards on diesels or any other place I have to apply individual letters and numbers, such as reporting marks on sides and ends of freight cars. I've had little luck so far, due to the "bumping" of one decal against another and throwing it out of alignment. The only thing I've thought of -- but not tried -- is placing one number or letter "exactly where I want it"... letting it dry... then painting over it with a glossy sealing coat. After that has thoroughly dried, the second character should be able to be placed. Rinse and repeat... But that will take "forever" to do all the decaling I want to do.
There's got to be an easier way -- but I haven't come up with it (other than contracting a "professional" model builder and paying them to do it... not really satisfactory, although the results are good.
I'm hoping you get a better answer than I've come up with!
Today I received a microscale decal sheet for SP diesel locomotives to continue the process of detailing a couple of my older Blue Box GP's. Adding the SP to the nose was very straight forward. However I also want to add the road numbers to the end of the long-hood end of the locomotive. I've never done this type of decaling before and have a few questions:
1. I need to cut out each individual number from the sheet. I'm assuming a sharp exacto blade is the best way to do this...? They are so small...
2. Should I soak each one in a small dish of water, or maybe place them on a paper town and just drop a drop of water over the top to loosen up the decal?
3. I have Micro-set and Micro-sol to use for placing the decals and getting them to conform to the surface. Should I soak and place all four numbers at the same time and then try to position them all, or would it be better to place one number at a time, let it dry, and then do the next one? My concern with having all four wet at the same time is that every time I try to move one, the others next to it will move and I'll never get them positions correctly.
Any other tips for this appreciated!
Can I assume each digit is mounted to a clear backer? I'm about to do similar work on numberboards using Shell Scale decals, however in my case, I have to first mount a blank backer board and then place the digits onto it, one by one. My plan is to mount the digits one by one, blotting them with a qtip to get out any excess moisture, before proceeding to the next digit. I think provided any excess water/microset is squeezed out, the digits should remain in place when the next one is placed, or at least not want to float around. That's my plan anyways but I'm following this post for all the tips I can get.
I didn't add that I have one additional problem... I am 70 years old, and over the past ten years or so, I have developed a fairly noticeable case of essential tremors, or shakiness. It is most active in my dominant hand, but also appears in my submissive hand (and also in a few other places). So in addition to having difficulty in placing something exactly where I want it, when I try to place another object right next to... well, let's just say frustration eventually ensues and I often have to just get up and walk away from the hobby workbench.
Despite my long-time love for it, as of late, HO scale is NOT my friend.
Still I persist. I love all kinds of modeling -- but model railroading is my long-time (as long as I can remember) favorite hobby. And I'm not ready to give it up. I'm even looking into deep brain stimulation, which will require brain surgery -- and since (undoubtedly) it will be classified as elective surgery, which will require me "acquiring DEEP pockets", because insurance companies will balk at the cost. Sigh... model railroading is about to become a much more expensive hobby, if you can believe it!
But I'm not looking for sympathy -- I'm looking for a work-around to counter my shaking hands, so I can continue participating in the best hobby I've ever found!
Malibu & Tom: If you have a bunch of units to add numbers to number boards, why not have somebody ( or you ) build up a decal sheet with those specific number's on it? You should be able to slide the whole number now and not have to slide, adjust, dry, gloss - rinse and repeat. I would do doubles for each number as you know how things go sideways and you would have a backup. They are still tiny!
Later
Malibu & Tom: If you have a bunch of units to add numbers to number boards, why not have somebody ( or you ) build up a decal sheet with those specific number's on it? You should be able to slide the whole number now and not have to slide, adjust, dry, gloss - rinse and repeat. I would do doubles for each number as you know how things go sideways and you would have a backup. They are still tiny!
Later
Well, I only have two to do, and I've already got the micrscale decal sheet that I used for the nose "SP". I wasn't initially planning on adding the small road numbers, but figured I'd try since I have the rest of the sheet to use.
I try to find numbers together as much as possible. So if the number is 875223 I'll look at the sheet and see if any are together like the 223 for example. If doing one at a time I wet them all slide them on the Micro set them use an exacto knife to move onto position. Optivisors help in this process.
I ended up tackling this today, and it wasn't really that bad. I did 6539 first, and found that after I placed one number and got the next one cut out and ready to place, the first would no longer move, even with more micro-set applied. So 6539 wound up a little more packed together than I wanted, and the 6 got a little mangled from a failed attempt to reposition it. 3702 turned out much better. 7948 shown with factory applied numbers for comparison.
Each locomotive took about 15-20 minutes, including looking for a couple numbers that fell on the garage floor.
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