Decalong over natural metal finish

[Husker]

Hi everyone, question about decaling over a natural metal finish. I'm looking to build the 1/200 scale Hasegawa 737-800 in the American Airlines retro scheme. I plan on using Alclad natural metal finishes over gloss black for this highly polished metal finish. I wonder how decals will look over this? My concern is that when I did a highly polished metal finish on a Mercury Atlas launch vehicle I could clearly still see the decal film even after clear coating with Alclad gloss. I was afraid I'd lose the nice metal finish if I put down a coat of Future first. The finish seemed mirror smooth so I really don't think it's silvering. I like the metallic high gloss finish I get using the Alclad, which this particular livery requires, but hate that decal film. Will using future cancel out most of my efforts to get the finish I want? Does anyone have experience using the Alclad gloss as an undercoat for the decals? I usually build military aircraft and have great success using a puddle of Future under my decals but these are not natural metal finishes so I don't care if I use a gloss or flat finish coat.

What are your experiences? Thanks, Steve.

[Fly-n-hi]

You should be able to decal right on top of the Alclad II with no problems. I'd cut out the decals right up to the colors so that there is no extra film on them just to be safe, though.

[alien]

Hi everyone, question about decaling over a natural metal finish. I'm looking to build the 1/200 scale Hasegawa 737-800 in the American Airlines retro scheme. I plan on using Alclad natural metal finishes over gloss black for this highly polished metal finish. I wonder how decals will look over this? My concern is that when I did a highly polished metal finish on a Mercury Atlas launch vehicle I could clearly still see the decal film even after clear coating with Alclad gloss. I was afraid I'd lose the nice metal finish if I put down a coat of Future first. The finish seemed mirror smooth so I really don't think it's silvering. I like the metallic high gloss finish I get using the Alclad, which this particular livery requires, but hate that decal film. Will using future cancel out most of my efforts to get the finish I want? Does anyone have experience using the Alclad gloss as an undercoat for the decals? I usually build military aircraft and have great success using a puddle of Future under my decals but these are not natural metal finishes so I don't care if I use a gloss or flat finish coat.

What are your experiences? Thanks, Steve.

I have used Alclad II High Gloss Natural metal finish. I have used future over it to keep the decals from leaving the aircraft aircraft and to hide the decal film. I have put on multiple coats of Future, but have not noticed any loss in the shine? put on thin coats of future.

Stephen

Edited December 28, 2011 by alien

[Netz]

A thin layer of flat will kill the toy like gloss of the Future,or any high gloss over NM.

Curt

[MaRiO FDZ]

I used NMF Aluminum tape over my kit... you can decal straight on top of the kit, just make sure you use MircoSol to remove the carrier film, it will dull the aluminum a bit.

HTH

Take Car

Edited December 31, 2011 by MaRiO FDZ

[Jennings]

...just make sure you use MircoSol to remove the carrier film

Micro Sol (nor anything else you can use) will remove the clear carrier film. That's not what it's for, nor how it works. Micro Sol (and all other "sol" type products) are simply weak acetic acid solutions that soften the decal film and ink so it will conform to surface detail. If you removed the clear carrier film you wouldn't have a decal left. The only way to get decals without clear film is to use dry transfers.

J