VMS Supplies AX09 Decal Set & Soften 2 in 1 (adhesion booster & decal softening agent, 30ml)

Decals need two things: an adhesive which will help them stick to the model better (especially true for bare plastic) and softening agent which will mould the decals to uneven surfaces such as panel lines, bolts, weld seams, zimmerit or cast textures. Classic solutions involve two fluids which complicates things and makes the two bottle sets a more expensive affair. VMS Decal Set & Soften is a single, 2 in 1 product that does both jobs better by giving fantastic adhesion with proprietary adhesive formulation while being less aggressive than classic softening fluids minimising the possible damage to paint coat.
Combine with: Decals
Recommended techniques: Brush
Available volumes: 30 ml dropper bottle

How to use the fluid (thin decals).
Makes sure your paint coat is 5+ days old.
Apply a drop of fluid over target area and place your decal over so prepared area.
Allow 45 seconds for the decal to absorb the fluid, then press the decal to the surface and squeeze the excessive fluid and.
Use brush soaked with water to neutralise the excess decal fluid and wipe the area clean away as seen in the video.
Mould the decal if necessary using a cotton bud.

How to use the fluid (thicker decals).
Makes sure your paint coat is 5+ days old.
Make sure you are dealing with thick decals by conducting the 5 minutes immersion test as shown in the video .
Soak the thick decal on the surface of decal fluid for 10 minutes as seen in the video.
Apply a drop of fluid over target area and place your decal over so prepared area.
Press the decal to the surface and squeeze the excessive fluid and.
Use brush soaked with water to neutralise the excess decal fluid and wipe the area clean away as seen in the video.
Mould the decal if necessary using a cotton bud.

How to know my decal type (thin vs thick).
Conduct the 5 minutes immersion test as shown in the video .

How effective is the fluid.
One model requires around 0.5-1 ml of fluid depending on the decal amount, bottle holds 30 ml. You will be able to finish around 30-60 1/35 scale models before you run out of the product.

What agent to use to clean brushes.
Plain water is enough to clean the brushes.

How long do I need to wait before I can varnish my model.
Wait 24h - the decal will achieve the best fit over this time.

Do I need to use gloss varnish before applying decals (so the can be positioned better).
Our decal fluid is formulated to let the decal slide over surface without the need for a gloss undercoat which is a classic technique.

I applied the decal fluid over VMS Varnish HD "gloss type" and it dissolved the varnish coat.
The decal fluid shouldn't be applied over varnish as it has the potential to dissolve it, varnish is best used to seal the decal once it has been applied. You will be able to slide the decal around thanks to the fluid itself so gloss undercoat is not necessary.

The paint dissolved when the decal fluid was applied.
We advise applying the fluid over 2 properly cured layers of paint (5+ days old). If cured paint (2 layers) is still affected then you can dilute the decal fluid with water - take 2 drops of fluid and 1 drop of water mix them and use this lighter fluid cut, if still too potent you can make a mix using 1 drop of fluid and 1 drop of water. Alternatively you may soak decals in the fluid for a few seconds and then apply over model without applying the fluid on the model itself - this will minimise contact with model's surface but will help soften the decal - we show this technique in the video with thick decals. Please note, regular, thin decals require just a few seconds of soaking like 10-15 seconds so use spare decals and conduct a test to make sure.