Experiment: Results of Clear coat over decal

[Davoaldo]

Hi Guys haven't posted for ages
but yeah i've been doing some experiments with clear coating over decals.
I live in Australia so the weather changes alot summer can get really hot and winter can get very cold.

I found out that no matter how long u wait for teh decal to dry or how thin u put the layer of clear coat over the decal, over time the decal will still crack because of the weather.
I had one that i just put together really fast and spray clear coat thick it was very very smooth like glass and one piece but by 2 month it started showing cracks everywhere not big ones but u can c them quiet easy.
However ther other that i did was with alot more care i decaled maybe waited for like 1-2months
then first coat very thin just like mist thin and i contiued doign that over a 3month period it came out very very nice after i polish and sanded it
looked liek a one piece and i thought finally i can protect the decal with clear coat but nwo after a year its starting to show 1 or 2 spot where the decal r starting to crack

I use airbrush to paint the clear coat it tamiya arcylics
and i knowthinner can kill decals and if u don't lay the decal down right it will crack also and all those stuff

so i was just wondering any of u experience this long term model being damage by weather?? or if u found a way to stop this and i mean long team like i can keep my models for years to come
here is a example of one of the one starting to crack
2 years old

you might not be able to c them cause they are very small but i can c them like if i hodl it realy close to me and i have a feeling there will be more as time passes by

[Rtuned]

Recently I got these problem poping up too. Then I found out that Tamiya Clear Coat (Rattle can) and Gunze Super clear don't mix. I believe most of us know that Tamiya clear or Gunze Topcoat are Arcylic base and it will not winkler the decals, but when spray topcoat or Tamiya clear to protect it, after dry I spray Gunze Super Clear on it, something happen you will see Planet Mars surface on it, it's the same as you pour water on your waxed car. It's not the dust, it's chemical reaction. So I thought it could be sand the surface that affected, and respray again, the Mars "holes" seems to remain on it...Damn!
As for the whether did kill the shine. I heard this is because all we used are mainly Hobby clear and compound, but it can be correct by using automobile compound and wax. (I use Nouve #1-3 to do my finishing) and the shine will stay. At least it's help for me but i don't know will it help the rest.

[RallyRaider]

Fuck that is hard to read (I don't normaly use swear words but it's appropriate after trying to read that). And honestly I can't be bothered to try and help if you can't be bothered to write legibly. Even without the kindergarten dropout writing standard I can't understand what you are trying to say - there is nothing difficult about clear coats. I live in Australia too and have NEVER had a clear coat crack on me.

[Rtuned]

Originally Posted by RallyRaider

Fuck that is hard to read (I don't normaly use swear words but it's appropriate after trying to read that). And honestly I can't be bothered to try and help if you can't be bothered to write legibly. Even without the kindergarten dropout writing standard I can't understand what you are trying to say - there is nothing difficult about clear coats. I live in Australia too and have NEVER had a clear coat crack on me.

My clear had never crack but not shine as usual only. Hope I'm not the one to upset you, if yes...Sorry! I son't mean to.

[RallyRaider]

No not you RTuned, you write well considering English is not your first language. Besides you are not asking for help, rather offering assistance. Love the Enzo GT in your sig by the way!

[SupaMan89T]

Something else that ruins your shine....smoking my aunt smokes so nothing is safe but that can ruin your shine makes it like foggy and stuff ill show some pics of right after i finished my supra and then 6-10 months later.
Before


Some of you might think lighting or camera but its clearly got foggy over the months.
After


Thought i had a front facing pic i must have deleted it. Smoking will effect your clear also humid weather will take the shine away.

[bigfrit]

Hey man,just telling you my side of the story
I ve smoked in my room, with models still drying and models made, and it didn't affect them at all, not during, not after, so dunno what you're doing wrong?

Also on white models it does'nt show any signs of deterioration...

Oli

[godfather23]

I got the problem with clear coating over decals, too. No cracks, but bubbles going up, even though the decals dried for two weeks and the could not be any air underneath it. No solution for the problem. I don´t think its the wheather, happened to me in Winter and Summer!!!

[Samurai75007]

anyone use real car clear coat?

[JTRACING]

I have not had any problems with clear coat over decals, I clear all of my nascar models, and some I have had around for years. and none of them yellow or crack, and I live in a house with smokers lol.

I use dupli-color clear for everything.

[RallyRaider]

Originally Posted by godfather23

I got the problem with clear coating over decals, too. No cracks, but bubbles going up, even though the decals dried for two weeks and the could not be any air underneath it. No solution for the problem. I don´t think its the wheather, happened to me in Winter and Summer!!!

Do you use decal setting solution and a hairdrier to really get the decals tight on the surface of the model? If you are getting bubbles it sounds to me like there must be some air or poor adhesion there somewhere.

[RallyRaider]

Originally Posted by Samurai75007

anyone use real car clear coat?

I've just started using two part urethane. Don't know if I like it yet.

[cooltc2004]

I use only dupi-color. On my 1969 Camaro, I didnt use clear, trying to make it as accurate as possible, and back then they didnt use clear.

[proosen]

I use Modelmaster Metalizer sealer on my enamel paint jobs and still has to see any cracks on my decals. The first one I did this on is about five years old now and still looks fine. It dries in an instant and you can put on a whole can in one session if you like, let it rest for a couple of weeks and then polish it out. Gives a great shine!

Niclas

[godfather23]

Originally Posted by RallyRaider

Do you use decal setting solution and a hairdrier to really get the decals tight on the surface of the model? If you are getting bubbles it sounds to me like there must be some air or poor adhesion there somewhere.

Yup, thats the technique I use to get the decals tight onto the model. Awkward thing is that it just happened on the roof and nowwhere else??? Anyways, I think there are things going on out there nobody can figure out. I pretty much gave up on finding out the reason for this problem and hope it will work fine next time...