combined arms Posted November 1, 2003 Posted November 1, 2003 I just got my 1/48 FAST packs. (thanks, Valkyrie-Exchange). I have never been one to put the stickers on any of the valks in my small collection, but I think the armor looks a little bare. Should I just use the stickers that Yamato provided or should I invest in the custon decals that i have seen pictured here in the boards? What are the pros & cons of each? Any advice is welcomed. Neil Quote
VF-1Guy Posted November 1, 2003 Posted November 1, 2003 A lot of people prefer decals since they give it more of a model look. Decals are thinner and don't have an obvious border like a sticker. There are a few tricks to getting a decal to look good and to make it more durable (surface prep, solvent, clear coat, etc). I can't comment on how well a properly applied decal stands up to time. I personally prefer stickers. I find that the Yamato stickers are thin enough that they don't look that obtrusive. You can make the stickers look better by trimming away the excess border. I use a pair of first aid scissors to this. One potential downside of stickers is that they may yellow or peel over time. I don't see any issues on my Yamatos yet, but who knows after 20 years. Quote
ychanus Posted November 1, 2003 Posted November 1, 2003 Yeah, custom sticker/decal are much better, but I don't know if it worths the extra 10 + shipping cost, as I'm cheap with a lot of 1/48s. That means I'll have to buy 5-7 stickers = 50 - 70 bucks + shipping. Quote
NoSuchFile Posted November 1, 2003 Posted November 1, 2003 TakaToys Sticker Review I recommend them Quote
Isamu Atreides 86 Posted November 1, 2003 Posted November 1, 2003 Anasazi37 (Devin) makes some kick ass stickers and decals. i think WM Cheng used his to do that strike valk of his. i bought a set for my Low vis, and these things rock. as bad ass as it looked bare, it looks way better now!!! Quote
Anasazi37 Posted November 2, 2003 Posted November 2, 2003 i think WM Cheng used his to do that strike valk of his. wm cheng indeed used the waterslide decals that I make. It brings tear to my eye to see something that beautiful....*sniff*....If I can make my strike look even half as good as his I'll be happy. To answer your questions, combined arms: Yamato "Stock" Stickers - Pro: Easy to apply (peel 'n stick). Con: Tend to fall off after a few years (due to the finish on their valks). Custom Stickers - Pro: Only slightly less easy to apply (cut, peel, stick). The adhesive on these is a lot stronger and won't peel off nearly so easily. The design work and overall quality on these also tends to be much better. Both Takatoys and I make sets for most valks. Con: They're still stickers, which means that no matter how thin they are they will still stand out a little against the surface of the valk. Custom Decals - Pro: The designs look painted on and you can't generally tell where the decal ends and the valk begins. For detail nuts (like me and many others here at MW), this is the way to go. If the decals are properly sealed with a good clearcoat, they will last indefinitely. Con: Application is a time cosuming process and you should have at least basic modeling skills. Quote
recon Posted November 2, 2003 Posted November 2, 2003 Yes i agree Takatoys and Devin produce top notch after-market stickers for the 1/60, 1/48 series, which are durable and strong yet has a better appearance than those of yamato stock stickers. Hey devin, please inform me when you are ready to start on the 1/48 stickers for the valkyries as well as the Fps, not forgetting the 1/72 Blueroses decal set for the 1/72 Hasegawa series, so that i could start ordering from ya. Cheers Quote
vf-24 Posted November 2, 2003 Posted November 2, 2003 Does anyone have pictures to show the difference between the yamato and taka toys stickers? Quote
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