Hello men
I'm back and this time with good news!
The decals are on the bodywork and I'm satisfied with the results.
It was the most difficult task I did in applying decals on fuel tanks ever. If you have no experience in applying decals, don't start with the Z1B decals!
When applying decals you need some simple tools:
- the tools
a pair of scisors, a measuring instrument, fine adhesive tape, a piece of rubber, paper towels, a spray bottle with water and a drop of dishwashing soap, a hobby knife with a rasorsharp blade and a lot of luck!
Start with determining where which decal must come and cut out the decal from the sheet.
Remove the protection paper from the underside of the decal so that the glued side is free. Don't remove the protective film!
Moisture the body part and apply the decal. If it's not in the correct position don't panic, the water allows you to remove the decal and reposition it.
When it's at the correct place, start putting pressure on it by hand at one side. Slowly work to the other side. Push the water away from underneath the decal to the sides of it. When it starts to adhere, take the piece of rubber and put some more pressure on the decal, again work from the centre to the sides.
Start removing the protective film, do it slowly and follow with one hand to prevent the decal to lift.
Finally take a paper towel and dry the decal.
It takes a lot of practice, time and effort but in the end you'll be pleased with the results.
Remember that you have to put a 2 dimensional decal on a 3 dimensional surface.
See for yourself:
- the tail piece
I'm a lucky bastard because I could use original Z1B parts from a friend in France to compare.
- the real thing!
The original tail piece I could use is a red one but the colours of the decals are the same.
- the lower lines in place
You have to start somewhere, I decided to start at the bottom...
- and the upper lines in place
and to work my way up.
- the top view
The most difficult part for me is to get a more or less symmetrical result.
Measuring doesn't work for me, remember the black stripe in the previous post...I have to do it "on sight".
- the other "real thing"
Compared with the original fuel tank, I'm satisfied with the result.
- decal job done
The parts are waiting now, they must dry completely and that could take a few days.
The final step is to put a protective clear coat on it.
Hope and pray with me that it will turn out correctly in the end.
GrtZ
Philippe