Modeling Resources

ET2SN · 06-25-22, 12:53 AM

Another fun EBay link I recently found for you car and truck builders:

https://www.ebay.com/usr/modelcars.d...75.m3561.l2559

Modelcars.de is located in Germany near Mannheim and they make and sell decals. All kinds of decals in many of the popular scales (1/10th, 1/18th, 1/24th, 1/32nd, 1/43rd, you get the idea).

If you check the link, make sure to click the SEE ALL ITEMS button and you'll understand why you'll want to save their address.

This is one of those times when being patient pays off.

About eight or nine years ago, I bought a Welly 1/18th scale 1972 Trans Am and detailed the snot out of it. It turned out great but the sidewalls of the tires were blank. Thanks to the link above, I can finally finish the project.

I found a sheet of decals that included "popular tire brand from the seventies" Radial T/A outline lettering in white. Perfect for this car.

I'm in the middle of a long term test, BTW. I'm trying out a method of placing tire decals on different types of tire compounds. Everything from rubber based kit and die-cast tires to vinyl based tires. This isn't about short term looks, its about decals which will hold up for years.

I start out brushing isopropyl alcohol on the tire sidewall to clean off any contamination and let it dry. Next, I brush on a thin coat of AK Satin Varnish to seal the sidewall and give the decal something to grip. After that dries, I brush on some Micro Sol and apply the decal then give it a dousing of Micro Set to soften the decal backing. Once the Set has done its job, I apply another thin layer or two of the varnish to seal the decal in place. The AK varnish is very thin, which is why I like it for this project. If I don't update this post for another five years, I guess that means it worked.

One small update- Results with the tire decals look good so far, but if you're working with vinyl tires you'll have a tough time with aqueous (water based) varnish. Instead, I used good old Testor's Dull Cote. The lacquer solvents in Dull Cote also act like a decal setting solution.

06-25-22, 12:53 AM	#24
ET2SN Ocean Warrior Join Date: Oct 2017 Posts: 2,652 Downloads: 60 Uploads: 0	Another fun EBay link I recently found for you car and truck builders: https://www.ebay.com/usr/modelcars.d...75.m3561.l2559 Modelcars.de is located in Germany near Mannheim and they make and sell decals. All kinds of decals in many of the popular scales (1/10th, 1/18th, 1/24th, 1/32nd, 1/43rd, you get the idea). If you check the link, make sure to click the SEE ALL ITEMS button and you'll understand why you'll want to save their address. This is one of those times when being patient pays off. About eight or nine years ago, I bought a Welly 1/18th scale 1972 Trans Am and detailed the snot out of it. It turned out great but the sidewalls of the tires were blank. Thanks to the link above, I can finally finish the project. I found a sheet of decals that included "popular tire brand from the seventies" Radial T/A outline lettering in white. Perfect for this car. I'm in the middle of a long term test, BTW. I'm trying out a method of placing tire decals on different types of tire compounds. Everything from rubber based kit and die-cast tires to vinyl based tires. This isn't about short term looks, its about decals which will hold up for years. I start out brushing isopropyl alcohol on the tire sidewall to clean off any contamination and let it dry. Next, I brush on a thin coat of AK Satin Varnish to seal the sidewall and give the decal something to grip. After that dries, I brush on some Micro Sol and apply the decal then give it a dousing of Micro Set to soften the decal backing. Once the Set has done its job, I apply another thin layer or two of the varnish to seal the decal in place. The AK varnish is very thin, which is why I like it for this project. If I don't update this post for another five years, I guess that means it worked. One small update- Results with the tire decals look good so far, but if you're working with vinyl tires you'll have a tough time with aqueous (water based) varnish. Instead, I used good old Testor's Dull Cote. The lacquer solvents in Dull Cote also act like a decal setting solution. Last edited by ET2SN; 06-30-22 at 11:32 AM.