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AFV Painting & Weathering
Answers to questions about the right paint scheme or tips for the right effect.
printing your own decal,some question
avenue
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Philippines
Joined: May 25, 2013
KitMaker: 544 posts
Armorama: 542 posts
Posted: Monday, September 19, 2016 - 08:16 AM UTC
after finishing printing ,can I use it right away,or do I have spray something on it?
Pave-Hawk
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Western Australia, Australia
Joined: May 05, 2006
KitMaker: 900 posts
Armorama: 510 posts
Posted: Monday, September 19, 2016 - 08:43 AM UTC
Depends what type of printer was used. If it was printed with an inkjet then yes it needs to be sealed before using. I just use a light coat of an acrylic glosses spray on my printed decals.

If a laser printer was used then sealing is less critical because laser printed things won't run when wet, as they are essentially melted plastic rather than ink.
avenue
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Philippines
Joined: May 25, 2013
KitMaker: 544 posts
Armorama: 542 posts
Posted: Monday, September 19, 2016 - 08:53 AM UTC
will tamiya flat clear or clear acyrilic work?
Hisham
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Al Qahirah, Egypt / لعربية
Joined: July 23, 2004
KitMaker: 6,856 posts
Armorama: 6,363 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 20, 2016 - 03:14 AM UTC
Yes, Tamiya will work... I printed mine with an inkjet printer then I sprayed them with Tamiya clear coat from a spray can and that worked just fine.

Hisham
Kevlar06
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Washington, United States
Joined: March 15, 2009
KitMaker: 3,670 posts
Armorama: 2,052 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 20, 2016 - 03:47 AM UTC
All,
If you really want the ink to stick to the sheet, clear coat your decal paper with clear flat first, BEFORE printing. Let them dry for an hour after printing, then clear coat with either flat, semi-gloss or gloss to suit your needs. Even better, use
Micro-scale decal solution to coat the decals to ensure they remain flexible. This method ensures that the ink is trapped between coats of sealant. Otherwise your decals may be sitting on slick decal paper with a only a coat of sealant on top, but nothing to keep water from seeping under the edges and dissolving the ink. I've been making custom decals for years with the method above.
VR Russ
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