Model Boat Mayhem

Mess Deck: General Section => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: Brian60 on August 25, 2016, 08:19:35 pm

Title: Decals.
Post by: Brian60 on August 25, 2016, 08:19:35 pm
I'd like some decals please. Not the type that are from BECC, ie printed on to a thin vinyl, but proper decals that are rub down and can be sealed under a clearcoat. I've found with the type supplied by BECC even with 6 clearcoats over them, the edge of the vinyl can still be seen, not very realistic looking! SO any ideas everyone?
Title: Re: Decals.
Post by: boatmadman on August 25, 2016, 10:26:22 pm
I have made my own using decal paper with good results:


http://www.craftycomputerpaper.co.uk/category/decal-paper
Title: Re: Decals.
Post by: Brian60 on August 26, 2016, 07:02:16 am
Yes I have done this myself, however even though I know you can get white paper and print colour on to it so that you end up with white print. This is not feasible when you need to match as I do the red oxide colour below waterline and the specific blue colour above the waterline on depth markings. Unless of course there is a downloadable colour scanner that is known? Now that could be useful!
Title: Re: Decals.
Post by: nivapilot on August 26, 2016, 08:37:49 am
I made my own on decal paper, I bought a couple of sheets of white paper and a couple of clear sheets.

Now to get white letters on black background, I had to use Microsoft office publisher to get a black background, with white letters....that way when I printed, I ended up with a black sheet and the letters won't print (being white), when put on the tug, and laquered it is very hard to spot the decal.

Brian60, you would have to do the same, but match your boat paint colours, would be difficult, but not impossible.
unless you used a different colour that white for the letters, try a "dirty white" for instance?
Title: Re: Decals.
Post by: malcolmfrary on August 26, 2016, 09:16:52 am
A very few of the Letraset fonts are available in white.  There are probably other rub-down dry decal suppliers.  Just why white is so rare escapes me - for the last many years black printing has been as common as muck, white is the one that the "home" user cannot do easily.
http://www.letraset.com/InformationPages/PRODUCT/A5Lettering-Sheets.pdf
Title: Re: Decals.
Post by: Brian60 on August 26, 2016, 09:50:55 am
A very few of the Letraset fonts are available in white.  There are probably other rub-down dry decal suppliers.  Just why white is so rare escapes me - for the last many years black printing has been as common as muck, white is the one that the "home" user cannot do easily.
http://www.letraset.com/InformationPages/PRODUCT/A5Lettering-Sheets.pdf (http://www.letraset.com/InformationPages/PRODUCT/A5Lettering-Sheets.pdf)

Yep Malcolm, I used them exclusively until about 6 years ago, so easy to nip into WHSmiths and buy a sheet, even they only seem to stock the black ones now. White as you say is so difficult to get hold of.

I have found a colour scanner in the google app store, I've scanned the lid of a can of red oxide and its given me the hex code as it has with the blue colour. I've put them in Corel and made up a decal. It looks close to the colours but until I print it I won't know for sure.
Title: Re: Decals.
Post by: essex2visuvesi on August 26, 2016, 10:14:27 am
Another way would be to use an inverted mask and spray on the lettering.
Give me a shout if you want me to knock you one up
Title: Re: Decals.
Post by: Brian60 on August 26, 2016, 10:24:27 am
Always to the rescue essex :-)) I'll get back to you nearer the end of the month when I'm ready for them if I may.
Title: Re: Decals.
Post by: ChrisF on August 26, 2016, 10:36:20 am
A very few of the Letraset fonts are available in white.  There are probably other rub-down dry decal suppliers.  Just why white is so rare escapes me - for the last many years black printing has been as common as muck, white is the one that the "home" user cannot do easily.
http://www.letraset.com/InformationPages/PRODUCT/A5Lettering-Sheets.pdf

That's a blast from the past for me!  I started off as an architectural technician and used loads of the stuff on drawings. That's why most was black as it was usually applied to tracing paper  and prints taken from that, not much call even then for white really.

I haven't  seen or used Letraset for years as mainly moved onto stencils and now Microsoft Visio.
Title: Re: Decals.
Post by: essex2visuvesi on August 26, 2016, 10:40:12 am
Always to the rescue essex :-)) I'll get back to you nearer the end of the month when I'm ready for them if I may.


No probs :) you know where I am!
Title: Re: Decals.
Post by: NFMike on August 26, 2016, 12:03:33 pm
Rub on lettering ("Letraset") and transfers are used for railway modelling and there are a lot of sheets with specialist logos, numbering, etc. Don't know about straight alphabet sheets, but might be worth a trawl.