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Does anyone know how George Sellios, from Fine Scale Miniatures, installs the signs on his buildings and structures? This is one skill I would like to improve on and make more realist signage on my layout's buildings.
There is a story in Aug 2001 Model Railroading that explains it, I could only see the first page (42) but I believe on subsequent pages he touches on the sign installation technique...
In the past, I've justtaken a print out of the picture, and sanded the back until the sign is really thin. Then paint some white glue onto the building, the same size as the sign, attach the sign on the building. Using a clean paintbrush, work the sign down into the brick and mortar lines. You can also wet the brush and use it to "tear" the sign some, like part of the glue has released from the building and the wind has tore it.
I print my signs on thin tracing paper. If I want the sign to look newer, I leave as is. If I want to fade it, I sand it lightly with ultra fine paper, very lightly, till I get the look I want. Trick is to use very fine sandpaper (1500 grit or finer) to do the sanding so you can control how much ink you sand off. Works great. Ron
When you print signs on your computer, do you use a laser or ink jet printer? I'm worried that ink jet printing isn't water proof enough to install ink printed signs using white glue.
Are you creating your own signs?
I like the signs I've seen that only the outline of the letters show. Need to find that font.
Hi again, here is another article where a club was reproducing some of Sellios' work and they described their process for making signs, not clear if this is the same process Sellios used, though (see page 23):
When you print signs on your computer, do you use a laser or ink jet printer? I'm worried that ink jet printing isn't water proof enough to install ink printed signs using white glue.
I use a ink jet printer. You'd be surprised how waterproof an ink jet sign can get with a couple of coats of dull or gloss coat. Besides, why do you think that there is inkjet decal paper. You can make decals out of the signs as well.
Just wanted to share with you that I found a great article on sign making techniques for model railroads. The article is in the February 1986 issue of Model Railroader magazine on page 94 by Earl Smallshaw. The four pages of methods used by Smallshaw has a great deal of sign making information.
Hey Greg. I just use a normal inkjet printer and coat the paper with decal bonder or Dullcoat, just like Carey does it. I then glue it down with Aileen's Tacky glue. While the glue is still wet, you can get the paper into all the little nooks and crannies. I make all my signs from pictures off the internet. Ron
