Quick Decaling???

Bob,

Just clear flat (final coat)

Dave

I agree, just the clear flat seems to do the trick.

Ditto, Bob!

After they have been really snugged down, ONE coat of Testor's Dullcote.

jackson

Thanks guys

Pete, is that you?!?!?!  What the heck are you doing over on the O scale forum?  Are you retired yet?

I was thinking that a coat of gloss over the decals would help hide the edges better, never done it before that's why I asked.

Flat clear it is

Hey, Bob....thought my reply would get a rise out of you!   Since I retired last year, i resumed a past hobby!  Plenty of time now and need to keep out of the wife's way...lol

Hope all is well with you and the family.   Sorry to hijack this thread for a bit but needed to say hi to a good ol' friend!

Pete

When I saw the "handle" I knew it had to be you, welcome!

The guys/gals on here are great, very knowledgeable and helpful, I know they've pulled me back from the edge a few times .

I'm in the process of modifying a Williams/Samhongsa brass USRA 2-8-2 into a Seaboard Air Line class Q3 2-8-2 and I've put decals on one side of the model so far and spraying them over with gloss clear came to mind.

If I pull it off I'll post some photos soon.

Thanks Big Guy,  i have learned alot from this talented crew already!

Can't wait to see some of your work too!  Gotta be great if its anything like you had done on that other forum!

Just finished my roundhouse and turntable last week.

I posted it here....      https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/t...-millhouse-turntable

take care - Pete

I do a coat of gloss first, for the reason you outlined.  On a gloss passenger car or, say, GG1, I apply Future Floor Wax with a Q-Tip.  Two days later it is Dullcote out of a spray gun.  Dunno what I will do when Floquil is all gone.

I got it done, finally.

I applied the decals (Champs decals are/were THICK) and had to spray a number of coats of clear flat to make them disappear.  I can still see them if I look straight down at them, but looking from the side I can't see the outline.

Here's a quick photo.  I still have a few things to do and then I'll try posting better photos:

Bob,  That really looks great!   Unfortunately with decals you never really get rid of the edges. The flat dullcote just lessens it. From what I can see of your layout it looks very detailed.  Nice job!

Yeah - it really does look nice.  High gloss before decaling, and gloss after, or just flat?  I can only see film when the base coat was not perfectly smooth and glossy.  I can see edges no matter what, but not without some serious magnification.

I think I shall paint mine all black with that shield on the cab.  Really looks good!

Which is why I use Walthers Solvaset to hide the film edges. Works great for me.

Thanks guys!

Pete, the layout is "a work in progress".  I start making changes before the paint dries!  My scenery skills are awful, but I figure if I keep trying sooner or later I'll have at least a small area where I can take photos (the photo taking aspect is another thing I have to work on).

High gloss before decaling, and gloss after, or just flat?

Bob (thanks for the tip on filling the holes), I sprayed the model with Polly Scale Steam Power Black (F414110), thinning it to the consistency of 2% milk (as per the Iwata girl at a model show I went to).

I then sprayed Krylon Colormaster Acrylic Crystal Clear Gloss (51301) over the model to give the decals a shiny surface.  I applied the decals using Microscale Micro Set, then Micro Sol (Mark, I didn't have any Solvaset).  The decals were old, don't know if that had any affect or not.

After I was satisfied with the decals I sprayed Krylon Clear Matte Finish (1311) to finish the model.

Somehow I feel a coat of gloss over the decals BEFORE the flat may be the way to go, just haven't tried it yet.

This was such a nice model to start with, I almost hated to start the conversion.  But I REALLY wanted to have a Seaboard Class Q-3 Mike and I'm 99% sure no manufacturer will ever offer one in O scale.  It's not 100% accurate, but I feel it captures the look pretty good.  I found maybe 50 photos of the actual 117 Q-3s and I tried to get one that the model "fit" more than the others.  I chose #411, mainly because I had the decals for it.  The day after I applied them I found an actual photo of 411 and can see some differences in the running/foot board along the side of the boiler, figures .  A few months back I had already built the Vanderbilt tender and had it behind a Seaboard Ten-Wheeler, which was inaccurate.  I gave the USRA tender to the 4-6- and took the Vandy to use on the Q-3.

If I don't install PS2 this engine may be the guinea pig for installing RC or just straight DC.  I've already run it via DC by jumpering the plug pins on the rear of the engine and running it from an old 1 amp HO transformer.