How to avoid decals curling up?

[Hobbes]

I'm trying to apply decals from a Roden VC-10 kit, and they aren't cooperating. Despite liberal use of Microscale decalset and decalsol, they curl up instead of adhering to the model.

Is there an adhesive I could use on decals? Or another way to get them to behave?

[PR19_Kit]

That's an irritating problem that seems to be more prevalent with the ultra-thin decals people are producing these days.

Way back when, when MicroScale first started make their decals, they tended to do the same thing, but later on changed the spec. so they didn't curl up. I used a very dilute solution of PVA glue/water to soak the decal in to start with, which gave the decal a slight 'grab' onto the model and stopped it curling.

That technique may well work now, but you need to careful that the decals don't stick to your fingers or anything else either as it'll be sticky on BOTH sides! And the technique of laying them on a tissue after soaking doesn't work either as the decal will stick to the tissue.

[Don't ask me how I know this....] © Fred Zenrat

[Mossie]

If you've got any Klear left, you can use it to bed down decals. Being quite tacky, it holds onto decals well.  I've never used it on curling decals, but worth a try.

[The Wooksta!]

Pledge is just as good as Kleer.  Just been using it with similar results.