Model Boat Mayhem

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length.
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Vinyl lettering  (Read 1336 times)

rnli12

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 715
  • Location: Cornwall
Vinyl lettering
« on: September 04, 2020, 11:07:21 am »

Hi,
Does anyone have recommendations for sealing vinyl lettering on a model to prevent it pealing off over time?
Many thanks,
Rich
Logged
Regards,

Rich

Capt Podge

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4,443
Re: Vinyl lettering
« Reply #1 on: September 04, 2020, 11:18:49 am »

Hi Rich, I've always sprayed the lettering with varnish, haven't had any peeling off in 23yrs of modelling  :-)


Regards,
Ray.
Logged

rnli12

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 715
  • Location: Cornwall
Re: Vinyl lettering
« Reply #2 on: September 04, 2020, 11:25:57 am »

Thanks Ray, any particular make?
Rich
Logged
Regards,

Rich

Colin Bishop

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 12,171
  • Location: SW Surrey, UK
Re: Vinyl lettering
« Reply #3 on: September 04, 2020, 11:35:50 am »

Be careful what you use if the paint finish is enamel as some sprays can react with it causing it to bubble up.

Safest to use is one of the solvent based polyurethane varnishes  (not the quick dry water based ones) such as Ronseal or Rustins. The interior variety is best for models as it doesn't contain the UV inhibitors which give a slightly yellow tint. Unless you leave your boats outside all the time or on a sunny window ledge they won't yellow.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ronseal-UTVSC750-Internal-Satincoat-Varnish/dp/B001GU4BIA

https://www.rustins.ltd/rustins/our-products/indoor/polyurethane-clear-varnish

Both are virtually guaranteed to go on safely over almost any finish but it is always advisable to do a test piece first.

The quick dry varnishes often don't bond well to paint topcoats and can either peel or go milky if immersed in water.

Colin
Logged

Capt Podge

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4,443
Re: Vinyl lettering
« Reply #4 on: September 04, 2020, 11:41:06 am »

I use Halfords rattle cans. Years ago I would have brushed varnish on but unsteady hands have removed that option.
Whatever you use, just make sure it's UV resistant, otherwise yellowing will occur over time.  :-))


Regards,
Ray.
Logged

Colin Bishop

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 12,171
  • Location: SW Surrey, UK
Re: Vinyl lettering
« Reply #5 on: September 04, 2020, 12:16:35 pm »

Use a Halfords rattle can over Humbrol and you are likely to simply bubble the paint, I have the test pieces to prove it. The new Halfords lacquers might work on very old enamel finishes but certainly not on anything recent. They do seem to be OK over many acrylics such as Tamiya and Vallejo though. I have been testing them myself for my current project.

It is always best to use paints from the same manufacturer all the way through wherever possible to ensure compatibility otherwise you take pot luck. Even rattle cans from different manufacturers can be a problem as they often use incompatible solvents. So if you paint your boat with Halfords cans and then apply a varnish from somebody else you can often get a bad reaction.

I have never had any problems with good quality Polyurethane interior varnish yellowing in over 40 years myself. The boats simply don't spend protracted periods outdoors in sunshine. If you use the exterior versions or yacht varnishes then you will definitely get yellowing immediately as the varnish contains yellow UV inhibitors and this really shows up on light coloured topcoats.

Above all, ALWAYS do a test piece, otherwise you will find, as people frequently do, that you are faced with stripping everything off and starting again.

Colin
Logged

roycv

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3,389
  • Location: S.W. Herts
Re: Vinyl lettering
« Reply #6 on: September 04, 2020, 08:32:47 pm »

Hi rnli... Whenever you stick this sort of thing down clean up the surface with meths to remove any traces of grease, fingermarks etc and that should sort out any problems, then a light seal as suggested above.
Roy
Logged

Des

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 30
  • Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Re: Vinyl lettering
« Reply #7 on: September 04, 2020, 10:13:07 pm »

I use automotive acrylic lacquer gloss clear coat, sprayed on from a rattle can.  1 coat prior to applying the lettering to give a good smooth base, then another coat (or 2) over the lot.
I've used this over auto spray paint on my hulls, as well as over Tamiya acrylics, and over ordinary water-based acrylic house paint without issues - but ALWAYS after testing on scrap beforehand.  The clear coat is solvent based, whereas the base coats may be either solvent or water based - hence the need to test.  But several light sprays are always better than a heavy one where the solvent may interact with the base paint.
Des.
Logged

roycv

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3,389
  • Location: S.W. Herts
Re: Vinyl lettering
« Reply #8 on: September 05, 2020, 03:58:12 am »

For small and easily placed items like a name I put on dry.  I had some large plastic decals to put on a model and the instructions were most unexpected.

They said to peel off the backing and soak in warm water sponge the area on the model wnere it is to go and position while all wet.  Then use a sqeegee from the centre sqeeze out the water.  It all worked very well enabling easy and accurate placement of the decals.
Roy

Logged

rnli12

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 715
  • Location: Cornwall
Re: Vinyl lettering
« Reply #9 on: September 05, 2020, 07:00:05 am »

Thank you all for your responses  :-))
Logged
Regards,

Rich
Pages: [1]   Go Up
 

Page created in 0.102 seconds with 22 queries.