HELP: Question about decals!

[juancho142]

Hi, I don't know if this is exactly the section for this but I'll ask, feel free to remove if it's wrong.
I've paused my airfix HMS Sovereign of the seas 1:168 build (now at the rigging part) and I've started to make a few WW2 airplanes, which are pretty interesting. I haven't built any models since I was a kid, and now I have to put decals and I want to make it as best as I can. I've seen that there are decal solutions like microsol, microset and others so I ordered one on the mail as the only hobbies dedicated store in my country has nothing.
However it appears these items are not allowed to enter through customs... which means I'd have to return them. I'm trying to see if I can solve it, but if I can't, is there any homemade way to make this solutions or any way to apply the decals properly on the models???
For what I've read online about microsol and microset, one of these is like diiluted vinegar and the other one like isopropyl alcohol. Any help is appreciated!
Thanks,

Juan

 

[paul ron]

make your own decals on wet slide decal paper... print them on your computer....

Amazon.com : water-slide decal paper

 

[X Bubble Head]

Was trying to use Hayes clear waterslide decal paper to print sets of 1/72 draft marks, but they leave one thing out of the instructions regarding printing white alpha-numerics: Most ink jet printers can't print white, (they let the paper do that) so this isn't a straight DIY project using decal paper as advertised and will require help from a print shop with a dye sublimation printer or equivalent.

 

[paul ron]

ahhhh yes white is a problem. perhaps press on letters may be the solution?

the sublimation process will certainly do the trick.

btw there are companies that can make decals... do a search n ask them?

 

[X Bubble Head]

Press-on, dry transfer characters won't cut it for the model at this scale, (1/72). Water slide decals are the way to go. I'll work with a local printer, then reach out to an established decal maker if I strike out.

I had one quote that was around $150 for the first formatted sheet and $20 a sheet afterwards . . . That's a little steep for a formatting task that I knocked out in fifteen minutes, (and that includes red dashed lines around each pair group (bow/stern) of draft marks.

 

[Alan Smith]

You could try a mix of 10% cellulose paint thinners plus 20% water and 70% alcohol for setting decals - but no guarantees. I have used it in the past with success - however, one cautionary note - the ingredients in commercial cellulose thinners seem to vary a lot dependant on brand and on price. I always use the cheapest if that's any help - and make sure that your home brew mixture is compatible with whatever paint you are using.