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I'm putting together something completely different and taking a break from GW stuff. I'm working on a Perfect Grade Gundam Kit, which come with loads of transfers. In the past I've avoided transfer's like cool hip young girlies avoid GW Stores as I hate the fact that once they are applied they look like stuck on transfers, but in order to make the model look like it should, I need to apply the transfers.

I've been reading somewhere that there is a solution you can buy to apply the transfers instead of using water, that disolves the carrier film, thus leaving the transfer and avoiding the 'its just looks like a transfer' look.

Does anyone know what this is called, and has anyone any experience of using it?

Think I got a bottle handy...sec. Decal Transfer Solution. It's a testors make and I've never used it.

Well, you're a bit off here, as the markings that come with a PG Gundam kit are stickers, not decals. The stuff you're thinking about is decal setting solution which is a mild acid (basically vinegar) that softens Waterslide Decals when you apply them. Waterslides are decals you soak on warm water to soften the glue so they can be applied. I've built one PG Gundam kit and have another one in storage... if you want to apply markings that look painted on, you'll need to get some waterslide decals and some setting solution. MicroMark makes some, PolyS makes some, and others do as well. Bandai makes a few sets of Gundam decal sheets, but they're more sized for the Master Grade kits (but in reality, smaller markings would look more in-scale on the larger model of the enormous machine). Gundamstoreandmore had the decal sheets the last time I checked, and they are in the US and very reliable.

Prometheum5 wrote:Well, you're a bit off here, as the markings that come with a PG Gundam kit are stickers, not decals.

Sorry but I do know the difference. These are 100% transfers. There is a sheet of stickers, which is the bulk of the decals, and a small sheet of transfers. Its the MBF-02 Strike Rouge. I'll have a google and Ebay for the decal solution, I've ordered stuff from Micromart in the US before.

Thanks for the help.

Ah, you're right... however, I think we may still both be wrong. All of the MG kits I've bought came with dry-transfer decals, where you rubbed them onto the surface from the backing... the kits I own are the GP-01/FB and the original Gundam, so I don't know if the ones with the Strike are dry or waterslide. If they are dry-type you won't need any solution as there's no backing/carrier film... correct me if I'm still wrong on what the kit comes with

You want Micro-Sol and Solvaset.

Check your local hobby shop. They make working with transfers a breeze. One softens the decal so that it can adhere to any contour and the other dissolves the transfer film and helps to make it stick.

Not sure which does which, but I use both