Stickers Or Decals?

[rotorhead]

having just bought my first valk(vf-1s focker and fast/strike packs), i'm wanting to add a little detail. i've used a mechanical pencil to bring out the panel lines. now i'm looking to get the decals put on, but i hear so many bad things about the yamato decals that i'm not even going to bother with them. my question is, should i get the takatoys stickers or the anasazi decals? i do plan to handle the valk on occasion, which may include running down the hall screaming 'WHOOOOSH!', so i want to make sure they'll hold up. i also do not plan to clear coat the valk. i'm trying to keep any mods i do reversible, if i ever end up selling it later. granted, it's doubtful i will, but it was one of the ways i was able to talk my wife into letting me get one.

that being said, where in the world can i find either the takatoys stickers or the anasazi decals? i've found several vendors that carry them, but every single one of them is out of the roy vf-1s and standard fast pack decals. i REALLY don't want to resort to the yamato decals if i can avoid it.

thanks to all in advance!

greg

[wm cheng]

Waterslide decals all the way!!

Especially if you're going to clear coat the Valks afterwards anyways - that will protect the decals. Additionally, with the waterslides, the edges are so thin that they appear painted on (more realistic) and the edges don't get caught and lift up as some stickers sometimes do.

You may be able to PM anasazi directly here on MW...

[rotorhead]

ah, the great wm cheng! actually, it was your vf-1s that made me want to make mine nicer however, i'm trying to avoid clear coating. i could clearcoat it with some future, but i want to try to keep it close to stock. the panel lines can be washed out later, and decals or stickers could be removed if necessary, as long as they're not clearcoated. how durable is an uncoated decal? or an uncoated sticker? is future too shiny for the finish? please forgive my noobiness

i didn't even think of pm'ing anasazi directly. boy, do i feel stoooopid. but on a side note, my brother in-law has a decal making kit for his computer. it's the basic one i've seen at most hobby shops. from what i've read, i know i'll be happy with the anasazi decals if i go that route. what i don't know is if they are better than the hobby store decal kit, the same, or what. from the sounds of it, his stuff is probably a good deal better.

Waterslide decals all the way!! 

Especially if you're going to clear coat the Valks afterwards anyways - that will protect the decals.  Additionally, with the waterslides, the edges are so thin that they appear painted on (more realistic) and the edges don't get caught and lift up as some stickers sometimes do.

You may be able to PM anasazi directly here on MW...

382622[/snapback]

[wm cheng]

I'm not sure about the durability without clear-coating, but I clear coat mine with ModelMaster semi-gloss which gives a finish exactly like the plastic (it was too hard to tell where I sprayed and where I missed ) You're right, Future is too shiny, but would make a good under coat to apply the decals onto.

I don't think there is any realistic way to return the Valk to its original state. There will be signs - I am guessing, but the plastic will probably age differently around the areas that have stickers or decals applied, and if they are taken off, they may leave ghosts in the plastic (at least this has happened to some of my older toys in the past - but not necessarily the Yamato Valkyrie per se). You should just enjoy your Valk! If you want to invest, keep one MIB! Its pretty hard to pass off something that's been modified and played around with as MIB. Plus you'll always be handling it gingerly.

The homemade decal kits only work when you are decalling onto light or white surfaces - it cannot print white. You've got a problem with the U.N. Spacy lettering on the legs if you use those decals. I use Anasazi's decals, and they are great (keep in mind that it comes from an Alps printer - so the colours other than CMYK are screened to make up the composite colour).