I have a SIG Four Star 60 where the decals are coming loose on the muffler side due to glow fuel. It's a little late now, however, can I seal decals with clear fingernail polish like you do monokote? I wondered if this would mess the decal up. Any other methods for sealing decals would be appreciated.
Mike
Memphis TN

Thoroughly clean the area with alcohol. You will probably need to go over it at least twice. Then seal them with the fingernail polish.

I second the clean nail polish. Brush it on over the decal. It will dry completely transparant and will be hard as nails.

Ken

Hi jigeye,

Ken and Campy's suggestions are what I use with new decals and it works fine. In your case with old fuel effected decals I have found that if you thoroughly clean the area with acetone and then cover the decal with a piece of laminating film (cut from a laminating pouch), about 5mm large than the decal. Iron the laminating film down over the existing decal and then seal the edges with clear nail polish makes for an almost invisible fix.

Set the temp on your iron by experimenting with a piece of scrap as different thicknesses of laminating film require different amounts of heat.

Good Luck,

Colin

Ok, I have bad luck with decals too. I want to try the fingernail polish. But fingernail polish is stuff my wife puts on her nails, that’s all I know. Is there a clear kind i assume and what brand or difference in gloss should you use? Is there a particular type of nail polish that modelers use? One more Q. I have heard that rubbing alcohol has oil in it for your skin, that wouldnt be good for the decal. is this true if so what is best for cleaning the surface befor your apply the sticker? acetone maybe? Thanks for the thread guys.... Tony

I had a piece of trim come loose on my Showtime this past weekend. Not having any nail polish I looked through my adhesives and finally settled on canopy glue. It worked out real nice, you can't even tell it had ever came loose.
Now my question: Is canopy glue fuel proof and/or should I still seal around the edges with nail poilish?

Missileman:
yes canopy glue is fuel proof.

tonywayne: DO NOT USE ACETONE! it will ruin decals and covering.
sorry for the caps. Im not shouting

And guess what is the solvent in fingernail polish?

Acetone.

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I use Top Flite Clear Coat "paint" over decals.

This has worked well for me.

Use clear luster coat spray or spray Polyurethane on the edges when you get them fastened down

Acetone may work on monokote, havn't tryed it. but i tested a scrap piece of towercote with acetone, and the color was completely eaten away from the film. Decals vary, the ones ive tested with acetone, dulled or softened.
I guess if you test it on the covering you are using first, before using it on your model, and it dosn't eat the color or dull the finish
then have at it.
I use alcohol or denatured alcohol at a fraction of the cost and get good results.

actually the main solvents used in fingernail polish are ethyl acetate and butyl acetate, not acetone.
acetone is used in finger nail polish remover . as in (color remover)

True, finger nail polish is (nitro fuel proof) but acetone disolves fingernail polish, so why would you want to wipe
your covering with acetone first?

my wife has had acrylic nails applyed several times, but the salon told her never use acetone as a polish remover
why?
because acetone melts acrylic, hmmmm it also removes color from towercote[&o]