Aston Martin DBS Build Journal Volume 4: Hobby Link Japan

I recently bought some third party decals from an online store called Hobby Link Japan.  The order arrived promptly and in excellent condition.   Since I was happy with my purchase, I’ve placed a link to their site on my newly created “Favorite Sites” section found at the lower left portion of my blog.

 

The first item I bought was a sheet of 1/24 scale Aston Martin logo decals by a company called Hobby Design.   I’ll be using this to replace the original Tamiya decals which I’ve accidentally torn earlier.  Although my photo does not show it clearly, these emblems have a metallic look to it.

Using some tape, I carefully removed the old decals and applied the replacement logos on the brake calipers.  I guess that problem is now solved.

After applying the decals, I went on and finished up the chassis

The second item I bought was a sheet of carbon fiber decals by Scale Motorsports.  Also scaled for 1/24 kits, this decal has tiny spots printed on a clear transparent sheet.  You could hardly see it while it is still on its backing sheet.  One will have to cut a piece of the decal to the appropriate size before applying it to the model.

This was the first time I tried doing a complex decal job like this; I first tried applying a small piece on a scrap piece of plastic to get a feel of how to use this product.  After my practice run I decided to go for the real thing.   

From reference photos, the actual DBS had a rear diffuser that was made of carbon fiber.  This part had a real tough surface to work with and probably the hardest piece I needed to cover with the C/F decals.  To prepare for the task, I first painted the part with semi gloss black. After the paint dried, I proceeded to measure and cut a piece of the decal a little larger the size I wanted to cover up.  For this job I also used some “Mr. Mark Softer” which helps soften the decal and stretches it a bit over curved or irregular bumpy surfaces.  After applying the decal I gave it a coat of gloss.

Since I was really trying hard to concentrate on this nerve wracking process, I forgot to take some pictures of the process.  I did however take a picture of my finished product.  As expected, it was not a perfect job but I reckon it was a good attempt for a first-timer.