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Forums - Modelling / Painting |
The painting forum is for the discussion of techniques on the painting, decalling and weathering phases of AFV modelling and the tools and materials used. |
| Topics | 1380 |
| Messages | 7055 |
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| Subject: | Re: Decal manufacturing issues |  |
| Date: | Dec 22, 2007 |
| From: | Christopher C. Tew | |
I'd say that the paper you printed on came from a batch that did not have enough porosity to allow the EPSON ink to set in, or the porosity was uneven - or your printer is inadequate to the task. I doubt the latter. I use an EPSON C84, which is about as cheap as they get, and I get excellent results. If your printer prints evenly on good quality paper, the problem's not the printer.
EPSON inks usually go on pretty dry and only get really wet in the highest reolution. Can you achieve the effect you need with a lower resolution? Try experimenting with media and print quality settings. If it looks good and even on a scrap piece of photo quality paper, it should look good on the decal paper.
The liquid decal film contains a volatile solvent that might have reacted with the undercoat or the ink. I've used Testors Glosscoat with consistent success. This has also presented no problems with using softeners afterwards, even Walther's Solvaset.
Be sure that you have given both inks and coating time to dry. I let the ink dry overnight before applying the overcoating and then let the overcoating dry overnight ( a two-day process in all) before I'm ready to declare the decal finished. BTW, you do have to use an overcoat to get good, consistent results.
Yrs,
CTew |
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