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Is there a trick to applying decals to zimmerit surface?
Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2014 3:44 am
by Marc780
You know the problems, they don't look right, they fall off, they don't mold to the surface. is there a trick to applying the decals to zimmerit surface so they look good? Glue, heat, something else?
Re: Is there a trick to applying decals to zimmerit surface?
Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2014 4:02 am
by MichaelC
Marc,
I use lacquer thinner, gently brush it over the decal and it will slowly soften it and mold to the zim surface like this:
If you keep applying it you will end up melting it a bit and it will look like the paint has come off.
MichaelC.
Re: Is there a trick to applying decals to zimmerit surface?
Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2014 6:57 am
by tomhugill
Microsol.
Re: Is there a trick to applying decals to zimmerit surface?
Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2014 7:33 am
by hotte8487
the trick is: take no decals at zimmerit surfaces
Re: Is there a trick to applying decals to zimmerit surface?
Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2014 9:39 am
by Marc780
hotte8487 wrote:the trick is: take no decals at zimmerit surfaces
But i tried painting the numbers and it looked like a monkey did it.
Re: Is there a trick to applying decals to zimmerit surface?
Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2014 9:54 am
by billpe
You can also try a decal softener.
Personally I'd make some templates of the tactical numbers. It takes a while but its a nice way of getting some authentic looking numbers as the real ones were generally applied using templates.
Re: Is there a trick to applying decals to zimmerit surface?
Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2014 1:05 pm
by MichaelC
billpe wrote:You can also try a decal softener.
Personally I'd make some templates of the tactical numbers. It takes a while but its a nice way of getting some authentic looking numbers as the real ones were generally applied using templates.
Microsol is a decal softener. Lacquer thinner works the same way. You can also try painting mask from Montex:
http://www.rctank.de/KING-TIGER_1
MichaelC.
Re: Is there a trick to applying decals to zimmerit surface?
Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2014 4:47 pm
by ALPHA
Contact Palepainter...He isn't building right now...but he does visit.... PM him...see if you can have him make you up some stencils.... Maybe Painless can help...because they live close ...and Painless could also tell you about the quality of the stencils as he has used them on both his Sherman builds...other than that..the best way to do Zim is by hand...Remember it doesn't need to be perfect... it's a tank...sketching the numbers with a pencil first helps
ALPHA
Re: Is there a trick to applying decals to zimmerit surface?
Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2014 5:21 pm
by brizo58
Hi,
Yep lots of micro sol and set works well

. Brian...
Re: Is there a trick to applying decals to zimmerit surface?
Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2014 7:37 pm
by jtracks
I'm new here so please excuse my ignorance. I was under the impression that zimmerit was a clay or putty type substance. Do they coat the entire tank with the stuff to get the pattern? Thanks.