Decal quesitons...

[jettrainfan]

Last question i have for a while...
1.What do you need to put decals on a caboose.
2.how do you do it?

Thanks, this is hopefully my last question related to my Bobber caboose project.

[simkon]

You can buy dry transfer decals, or ones that require fluid.solution. Or buy decal paper, print them with an ink jet printer, apply adhesive, then apply solution to allow it to set better. Testors has all this readily available, except I don't think they have printers for sale though

[jettrainfan]

OK, know how to use any of them? and what do those methods need?

[simkon]

dry transfer- pencil
fluid transfer- water or solution
custom decals- your own decal paper and supplies or someone that will make them for you. The adhesive typically comes in a spray can and should not be put on too thickly, setting solution is optional and recommended if applying over rough and bumpy surfaces.

[jettrainfan]

Alright thank you very much! i will probably go with the dry or fluid. Why not the custom? seems that the item is already out and cheaper.
Again, thanks!

[ebtnut]

Only problem with the DIY custom decals is that you can't do white lettering, which is what about 80% of RR letter is/was.  ALPS used to make printers that would do white, but they've been out of business for a while now.  I don't think you can get an inkjet cartridge with white ink, and even if you could it would probably not be opaque enough for our needs. 

[CNE Runner]

The other option is to have custom decals made. There are several advertisements in either Model Railroader or Railroad Model Craftsman that specialize in this area. Be warned: graphics design can get very expensive (it can be considerably cheaper if you can provide a camera ready image). Also there is a fairly stiff 'set up' fee for the first run of a custom decal.

For one little bobber caboose - custom decals are not cost effective. If you had several locomotives and/or freight cars it might make sense.

Ray

[Jim Banner]

The solution to the white lettering problem is to start off with decal paper with a built in white background.  Then, wherever you want white, you don't print another colour over it.  On clear background decals, you can let the colour of the car show through (think of the centers of letters like O, A, P, D etc.)  With white background decal paper you have to print the car colour as a background to your white letters.

To match the car colour, I usually start with something that looks about right on the computer monitor, then print a 1/2" square of it on regular printer paper.  The colour of the printed square always looks different than the colour on the screen, but it is a place to start.  Add or subtract red green or blue to get the colour closer to the car colour, then print another 1/2" square test patch.  Keep repeating until you get a decent colour match.  Keeping the square small minimizes ink usage and printing the squares at different spots on the same sheet of paper saves on paper.  I find it helps if I write the RGB values beside each test square - it keeps me from repeating the same colours.

The colour match does not have to be perfect, especially if you trim the decals relatively close to the letters.  There is usually so much contrast between the white letters and a darker car colour that your eye has trouble trying to do a colour comparison right next to the letters.  And if you can see a slight difference after the decal is applied, a minimum of weathering will take care of it.

Two more tips that have nothing to do with colour:

(1)Decal paper is expensive, much more expensive that regular printer paper.  Thus the suggestion to use regular paper for colour matching.  When you are finally ready to print your decals, print them first on regular paper.  Then cut a piece of decal paper a bit larger than the area covered by your decal or decals.  Tape this piece of decal paper over the printed area, using a piece of tape across the end that goes through the printer first.  Don't cover too much of your decal paper with the tape or your decal may get printed on the tape!  Make sure you feed the sheet into your printer in the same direction and the same way up you did the first time.  Most printers are accurate enough to print right over where they printed before, so your final decals will be printed on the piece of decal paper with very little waste.

(2) Don't forget that homemade decals generally have to be sprayed after printing.  Two or three light coats with lots of drying time between coats works better than one heavy coat.  Your decals will be stronger with less risk of running or sagging the colours.

Jim 

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

Testors is the best way to go with custom decal systems. You can use any printer(Photo Printers perfered so you can get crisp decals)

Here's some models I've done using the testors system:

[Jim Banner]

Nice work!  Some questions on spraying the decals:
- do you use the Testor's spray?
- how many coats?
- how do you control the application?  I have used the Testor's decal spray but find those little cans produce very heavy sprays.  It seems wasteful to spray a small decal and everything around it from two feet away and I have trouble controlling it in very short bursts.  Any advice?

Jim

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

I apply a moderate coat and let it dry for 4 hours.

i use the testors spray

i useally do a whole sheet of decals at once to save on the paper and to make it worth it. I also produce extras incase a friend wants one or there is a printing defect on the image.

i do long bursts inside a box (the kind reams of paper come in) and it seems to control where the spray goes, also helps keep the wind from blowin the spray around(if outside or near a window)

[CNE Runner]

'BORRF' - Those vehicles are amazing!! I find it hard to believe that they are models - and not the real thing. Kudos!

Ray