Why can't I lift the sticker's off the paper? Please help!

[Messerschmitt Man]

Today I brought my first aircraft model kit set. It's 1/48 scale, and made by Tamiya.



I knew i'd come up against some problems but I never thought i'd have trouble with the stickers.

I simply cannot get the sticker's off the paper. The sticker's dont sit above the paper, so it's not an easy case of pealling them off the paper with my finger nail. As you can see i've allready damaged one.

Is there something special you have to do to get them off? I don't want to put them under steam because the moisture will cause damage.

Any advise anyone? before i biff out the whole bloody thing.

[ATrude777]

Take an exacto knife, and carve out the shape of the "sticker". then take a bowl of hot water, and place it in there. then after a minute or so, the "sticker" will lift off easily, and then you take ur knife and place it underneath the "sticker" and then put it on the plane.

[MaxPower]

yeah Listen to Alex .. I couldnt have said it better

[cx777]

"stickers" = decals

[chrisburns]

Guess someone found out that they are water slide decals

[Genessee]

How do you guys put those on? I always cut them out as close as I could, put them in water, and finally put the sticker (with backing) against hte model and slid the backing off letting the decal fall against the model.

Is it better to lift with a knife and apply it like that?

[MaxPower]

Is it better to lift with a knife and apply it like that?

after you have soaken it up, use a cutterknife or somethin with a very thin edge, peel it off carefully with the tip..and then apply it to the surface!

[chrisburns]

dip what I need in water, pull it off the paper, apply micro set, then put the decal, slide where i want it to go, then apply micro sol on top of the decal to give it the painted on look.

BTW, Mess man, you do know that you have to paint and put the model together first right?

[ATrude777]

BTW, Mess man, you do know that you have to paint and put the model together first right?

HAHAHAHAHAHA

Alex

[Messerschmitt Man]

BTW, Mess man, you do know that you have to paint and put the model together first right?

yeah i know! It's a couple of decals for the cockpit, that why i'm "decalling" early.

AA_MD-80@STL cheers buddy, it clears most of it up for me. Just two questions though.

1- by hot water you mean not boiling but not luke warm either?

2-after the decal comes off will it stick to the cockpit (in this case) by itself? or do i have to apply some of that glue i have that joins the model togeather?


cheers!

[chrisburns]

Really any water will do.

The decal will stick, however, be careful and not touch it, i would try and see if a hobby shop has Micro Set and Micro Sol, Micro Set is basicallya glue for decals, and Micro Sol melts the decal to the plastic in a way, this will allow the decal to stay on and have a painted on look.

[kukkudrill]

Better not go into Micro Set and Sol for a beginner. Really the decals should adhere as long as the surface has a gloss finish.