Decals questions


Midnught Special

Midnught Special

Member
Ok as some already know I got the lettering off the loco that I want to get off, now I am starting the process of looking for decals, however since Im doing a fictional road I want to make my own name wise, however im not really sure what I need to do, I have the Name, font type (experimenting with different types) and the logos I plan to use, as well as a computer and inkjet printer...


so what type of decal paper would people recomend/suggest that I use? also I assume I need to print the decals "mirrored" to get them on the loco properly, am I correct in the thought process?
 
Use injet decal paper. They will also have to be sealed to the paper. There are several brands of "bonder" out there. Testors is the brand I use. The bonder prevents the ink from running when dipped in water.

You do not print them mirrored. That will make the printing look backwards if I understand correctly.
 
ok so for this all I need is the paper and the testors bonder then, do I need to put the bonder on the paper BEFORE printing the words/logos or do I need to print the logos/words first then let dry and after put the bonder on before applying to the model??


Remember this is my first rename of an engine so im still learning, and searching the interwebs like google are bringing more questions then I want LOL!!!
 
ok cool, Ill start looking for what I need to do this :)

what type/brand of decal paper do you recommend using and same for the bonder stuff?
 
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If you have a HOBBY LOBBY store, they hve everything you need. I am sure there are some E-stores and mail order stores that do, also.
BM
 
NC&StL said:
If you have a HOBBY LOBBY store, they hve everything you need. I am sure there are some E-stores and mail order stores that do, also.
BM
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if its the one with the big orange letters yes I do have one near by that I can run to, thats where I got my paint from so I will be looking for a proper thinner there as I really don't need a lot and don't plan to repaint much in the way of locos, but some I do plan to rename at least...so Im looking for a good quality inkjet decal transfer paper and a good bonder as well!!
 
Last time I looked they had the paper, "bonder", and all in a kit for onesey-twosey like we need.
 
ok cool, well im going to look for a kit, any specific kit or brand of kit in mind? I have some logos that I am going to use are white backrounds, which im going to try and print out in clear, so I can have the lettering and text only showing on the loco with its colours showing through as I want...trying to make a few opperation life saver locos too!
 
Sorry for the confusion, all of what I have seen is available in Hobby Lobby, and made by TESTORS as CJCrescent pointed out.
 
ok cool, ill look for the Testors kit with the paper and bonder, thanks! now I just hope I can take the logos I have and make the white backround transparent so the engines paint shows through...
 
What color is the lettering you are planning to create - and what color background are you putting it on ?

Colored inks in an inkjet printer are not opaque, but rather transparent. If you print these colors on clear decal film, they will look good on the sheet, but nearly disappear if you put them on a black background. If your lettering is black, or the colored print is going on a light colored background, you'll be ok.

(Edit) - Ok, found your post on the project .... it's looking like you are in need of white lettering ? Can I assume you don't have a Kodak Proof printer or an ALPS printer ? If you don't, how are you thinking you are going to get your white lettering from an inkjet printer ?


Mark.
 
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Mark R. said:
What color is the lettering you are planning to create - and what color background are you putting it on ?

Colored inks in an inkjet printer are not opaque, but rather transparent. If you print these colors on clear decal film, they will look good on the sheet, but nearly disappear if you put them on a black background. If your lettering is black, or the colored print is going on a light colored background, you'll be ok.

(Edit) - Ok, found your post on the project .... it's looking like you are in need of white lettering ? Can I assume you don't have a Kodak Proof printer or an ALPS printer ? If you don't, how are you thinking you are going to get your white lettering from an inkjet printer ?


Mark.
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heck if I know, as far as I know its just print the colour you want and go, no? I was not too sure of the colour to use honestly, I have a dark green engine and my railroad scheme calls for a green and orange scheme (BN green is what I plan to use) but for the locos that are "aquired" from other roads would be what ever green is "avalible" and some part painted orange and lettering quickly put on the loco for my road to give the repatched look...its supposed to be representitive of a small time rail road that has limited money and loco power if that makes sense....so they are doing things on a budget and reuseing locos and parts when ever and where ever and how ever possible...




on a side note I know computers and build computers but when it comes to printers I don't know a lot, to me a printer is a printer, its just something thats supposed to work...
 
Printer issues

I think what was trying to be said it that most printers don't print white. So if you want white lettering that could be a problem with most printers.
 
not really concerned with white letters, I was thinking orange or some other light colour for the letters, I was just concerned about the white backrounds of the Opperation Life Saver logos I want to put on a few locos.
 
For the operation lifesaver decals, you can just print the black and red on white decal film and cut the white background to the correct size.

The problem you are going to have is with your orange letters. Unless you want to print them on white decal film to have a white background, printing them on clear decal film is not going to net the results you are hoping for. If printed on clear decal film, you will have orange transparent numbers. Applying these on a green surface, they will be barely noticeable, and no doubt turn a brown color with the green showing through. Light colored lettering needs an underprint of opaque white first in order to make the colored overlay opaque.

Even Microscale decals today have a white underprint under lighter colors because their EPA friendly inks aren't as opaque as they used to be.


Mark.
 
Another option would be to have someone else custom print decals for you. I have had this done on many many projects over the last 7 years. Mainly due to the fact that no one else makes the decals for the railroads I model.
 
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