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How to: Apply decals like a pro

You've spent all that time and effort building your new car or truck. You spent hours properly setting up your airbrush and compressor ... or at the very least, you've spent precious minutes cutting open the lid on that new can of Pactra. Well, now is the time to finish the job properly. That's right; it's time for some decal schoolin'!

CLEAN THAT BODY

We'll skip the shower jokes and focus on the task at hand. If residual oil or other goop remains on the exterior of your body shell, the decal most likely won't adhere properly to its surface. Clean the body's exterior with soap and water, or use a bit of denatured alcohol on a lint-free rag or cloth (paper towels can leave lingering lint on the body). And don't use motor spray on the body! For one thing, it can fog the Lexan, and for another, certain motor sprays contain traces of lubricant, and you obviously don't want any residual lube on the body.

CUTTING DECALS

Cutting out decals can be a major task. If you have a highly complex decal job ahead of you (for example, almost any Tamiya kit), it's best to do the cutting in the order mandated by the instruction manual. Don't fool yourself into thinking that you'll save time if you cut them all out at once! Follow the numbers, and apply them in the order specified.

When it's time to cut out your decals, be sure to use a sharp hobby knife or curved Lexan scissors. Most people prefer Lexan scissors because it's easier to cut around decals' contours. Regardless of your preference, your scissors must be sharp; dull blades can easily butcher the material's edges, and the result will be a decal that peels off easily whenever it rubs against anything.

Some people prefer to use hobby knives to cut decals. With this tool, it's easy to use the blade's tip to trace around the edge of the decal very closely. Also, when you use a hobby knife, you don't have to cut through a maze of decals on the sheet to get to the one you want. It takes a little more hand/eye coordination and practice, but cutting out decals with a hobby knife is the preferable method.

AIR BUBBLES

Ah, yes-the dreaded air bubble! When you apply large decals, be very careful not to trap air underneath. If you do have some pesky air bubbles and you don't want to peel off the decal to get rid of them, prick them with a pin. Then heat the air bubble with a hair dryer and slowly "skim" the top of the decal with the edge of a credit card to push out the air.

WRINKLES

During complicated decal applications (for example, wrapping one around a fender), you may encounter a nasty wrinkle. It's inevitable; even the best in the business occasionally get wrinkles in their decals. If you get a bad wrinkle around a curve or along a decal's edge, make a very small slice in the middle of the wrinkle with a hobby-knife blade. You'll also want to hit the area with a hair dryer to aid in smoothing out the wrinkles as you apply pressure to the cut section.

HAIR DRYER

As we've mentioned throughout this how-to, the hair dryer is an invaluable tool when it comes to applying decals. If your decal has trapped air bubbles or difficult contours that need to be wrapped, stretched, or otherwise manipulated into place, a hair dryer can work wonders. Be sure to run it on a low or medium setting and at a safe distance from the decal; using too much heat or holding the dryer too close can warp or ruin the decal. Worse, it can damage the Lexan itself.

When using the hair dryer, smooth and form the decal with your fingers as you apply the heat. It's amazing how well decals conform to the body with a little added heat. In addition, if you find that you have to peel off a sticker and reapply it, using a hair dryer can help reactivate the adhesive.