How to make stickers stick

[Lonewolf]

Greetings,

It's my first time posting in this section of the forum and I hope my question goes here.

I asked this in the Newbie ANSWERS thread, but hardly got a the response I was hoping for. Since lots of you guys apply what seems to be stickers to your custom jobs, how do you make them hold? I got great stickers from a 3rd party, but they are beginning to peel-off after about 6-8 months.

Is there anything I could do to make my stickers stay on my 1/48 VF-1, 1/48 Fast & Strike part and my 1/60 YF-19?

Thanks in advance and sorry if this doesn't belong here.

[winterdyne]

Greetings,

It's my first time posting in this section of the forum and I hope my question goes here.

I asked this in the Newbie ANSWERS thread, but hardly got a the response I was hoping for. Since lots of you guys apply what seems to be stickers to your custom jobs, how do you make them hold? I got great stickers from a 3rd party, but they are beginning to peel-off after about 6-8 months.

Is there anything I could do to make my stickers stay on my 1/48 VF-1, 1/48 Fast & Strike part and my 1/60 YF-19?

Thanks in advance and sorry if this doesn't belong here.

As far as I know there's no real way to completely stop stickers peeling. You can prevent it for a good long while by thoroughly degreasing the surface to which they're applied. That way the adhesive actually does its job. For a really nice finish though, waterslide transfers and a good clear coat are the way to go.

[Lonewolf]

As far as I know there's no real way to completely stop stickers peeling. You can prevent it for a good long while by thoroughly degreasing the surface to which they're applied. That way the adhesive actually does its job. For a really nice finish though, waterslide transfers and a good clear coat are the way to go.

I cleaned the surface with rubbing alcohol and waited for it to dry, I then carefully cut the sticker off the sheet and apply it with my x-acto knife whose blade is clean. Throughout the process, I made sure not to touch the stickers with my fingers.

So from the look of things, Waterslide decals would be better than stickers?

[winterdyne]

I cleaned the surface with rubbing alcohol and waited for it to dry, I then carefully cut the sticker off the sheet and apply it with my x-acto knife whose blade is clean. Throughout the process, I made sure not to touch the stickers with my fingers.

So from the look of things, Waterslide decals would be better than stickers?

Well, you did all the right things. Pure bad luck I guess.

I wanted a painted-on look and was planning a custom paint job anyway, so I went for the decals. They're not so immediate - they're EXTREMELY easy to damage until sealed in, and need to be done after a gloss coat to avoid silvering. They also take some time and some nerve to apply. But they do look good.

[thegunny]

Try coating the decal with PVA glue. Elmer's is one brand. It dries clear and if done with a light hand doesn't look too obvious.

Just put a dab under the edge that is lifting then wait for it to dry then coat the entire decal to just past the edges. If it looks too shiny you can put a coat of matt over it. Use a water based matt as paints like Testors Dullcote can re-act with the glue.

Edited December 17, 2007 by thegunny

[big F]

Mmm theres something I didn't know.

[MechTech]

Like Winterdyne said, water slide look best. If you have a gloss surface, apply them and clear coat after that, they look way better and add more realism; especially in good lighting . - MT

[winterdyne]

Like Winterdyne said, water slide look best. If you have a gloss surface, apply them and clear coat after that, they look way better and add more realism; especially in good lighting . - MT

But they are very fragile! I just scratched the kites on the nose of my newly cusomised valk whilst playing wi - erm, checking the transformation was still easy enough.

That said, if you've got a very fine paintbrush and a steady hand, they're easy enough to blend in with thin paint. That doesn't really work on stickers as they tend to crease as they peel rather than wear away.

Pro's and Con's:

Transfers:

Pro's: Can look really good, as though they were painted on.

Con's: Extremely fragile, time consuming to apply.

Use: On a custom valk that's going to get handled little and carefully. Trim your fingernails!

Stickers:

Pro's: Very easy to apply. Much more robust to handling.

Con's: Prone to peeling over time, are obviously stickers.

Use: On a valk you want to play with and aren't too concerned with a realistic finish.

[Lonewolf]

Thanks for the good advices all, I think I'll "stick" with my 3rd party stickers as I want a realistic finish that'll hold, but I'm not interested in putting hours of fine work to put waterslides on.

[Goodman Models]

Thanks for the good advices all, I think I'll "stick" with my 3rd party stickers as I want a realistic finish that'll hold, but I'm not interested in putting hours of fine work to put waterslides on.

Hey dood,

You could try this:

1. Clean the surface with mild soap and water (dish soap would be fine) & let it air dry completely.

2. If the surface is flat, you could gloss coat it first with a spray can of gloss. If it is straight plastic it will be fine.

3. Cut the stickers carefully without touching them; use tweezers or hobby knife to lift the sticker using the tip.

4. After placing the sticker use a tissue between your fingers to rub the sticker to smooth it down.

5. Use a gloss coat to seal the sticker by: a. warm up the can in WARM water, b. hold the can about 10cm from the piece, c. start spraying before the piece and pass over the whole thing before you stop spraying.

6. Cover it with an upside-down plastic container to prevent dust etc. from settling on it and let it dry for 24hrs.

7. Wash your hands before working

8. practice on a scrap first

Good luck!

Caseymunchkin