Decals first paint second?

[Wranger 9]

Hi Legends. I’m just starting out on my kit painting career. I was wondering, with regards to lexan bodies, why people don’t place the decals first, then spray over them. Would this not protect the decals from scratches etc? Or is it a case that the decals are too thin and any paint would show through and discolour them?

[TurboRSR 356]

Lexan/polycarbonate bodies are supposed to be painted on the inside, decals are placed on the outside. 

[InsaneJim69 1584]

I am confused. ... 

Lexan bodies are painted on the inside. The decals go on the outside. The lexan gives the paint it's shine and gloss. I guess you use tamiya PS flat clear after the decals to seal them to the body. But you would be left with a Matt/satin finish.

 

Edit .... Just re read your post. So you mean apply the decals on the inside and paint over them? The decals are sticky vinyls with the sticky part on the back of them. They would need to have their sticky side on the face of the decals for that to work. In the late 90's early 2000's you could buy flame,chequered decals etc that were made to be applied to the inside of the body and then painted over. There was also a specific glue that would allow you to print off your own decals and glue them to the inside of a lexan body then paint over them as the glue was clear. Not sure if either of these still exist.

James

 

[TWINSET 1793]

The picture glue is still available; https://xxxmain.com/products/lexan-picture-glue

Mod Podge also works ok, but isn't quite as transparent

 

             

 

@Wranger tamiya decals go on the outside, just remember to peel off the overspray film on the outside of the body before applying the decals (but after you finished painting)

 

[InsaneJim69 1584]

That's the stuff. That's ace it's still available. 👍 

James.

[TWINSET 1793]

Here's their internal decals too; https://xxxmain.com/collections/internal-graphics

 

[Willy iine 18806]

I think maybe the OP thought the decals were applied from the inside?   

Anyway I've seen people clearcoat over their decals on hard bodies, and it looks fine until they crash (deep scratch) or UV discolors them.. then they got even bigger problems as removing decals under the clear for repaint requires a lot more work.

One of the restorations I did on a M38 came with a clear coated body over decals.  It was a scratched up mess.   I decided to just cut up the body to remove pieces I needed for other body restorations (ie: fenders, corners, bits of interior, etc). 

If small scuff, touch up with clearcoat works, yes.. 

For lexan/polycarbonate bodies, paint from inside, peel back outer mask liner, then decal from outside would be the normal approach.  

 

[Wranger 9]

Having re read my own post...lol..I still think it would be nice to be able to stick the decals on the inside...but of course the glue is currently on the wrong face to do that...D'oh!!

[Willy iine 18806]

You never know, Wranger, you got some really good painters like @Re-Bugged that paints his decal-like precision stripes and all on the inside then sprays the car's main colors over them for a super flush, clean look.   

[Finnsllc 917]

Thanks @TWINSET  Just ordered a bottle of the picture glue to have onhand.

[Re-Bugged 10153]

If it’s racing stripes your after, I do like the Tamiya curvy masking tape for that. It can take a bit of time building up the different colours but it’s worth it in the end, (the 23 is a decal on the outside.)

 

Also good for hard bodies, no decals at all on this one..

 

Theres a guy on YouTube that’s worth watching that is another level all together, Hemistorm. I see people are also making their own masks now with the technology available, a big  initial outlay to start but if your doing lots…