I have made some home-made signs for my layout - Photoshop and printed using an ink-jet printer onto card stock.
They look great, but I am wondering if I mount them as is, or laminate or protect them in some way - ie: cover with clear tape, spray clear coat, or not.
What do you do?
These signs in particular will be glued on to a structure (Theater).
Any feedback on your practices would be appreciated!
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I'd try hitting them with Dullcote as you finish the rest of weahtering and things up on the structure. Might be worth a test shot on some printed, but not applied copies, whatever you choose to use. That way you can see if things are compatible, won't cause runs or color shifts etc.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Funny this should come up. Last night I noticed that one of my signs was very faded. It's at least 10 years old now, and now that I think about it, that part of the layout probably gets a lot of sunlight from the skylight above.
If I can find the artwork I used for it, I'll print another one. I have a newer printer which has different ink, so it may do better. Either that, or Suzanne's House of Beef will get a new logo or just look a little rundown.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Yeah, I mean easy to just reprint and apply if they get worn right?
Inkjet will run if sprayed with dull coat, tried that but not with a photo cartrige which is more stable, maybe a more stable black witll work too, don't know. Last their are some sprays out there just for this use, haven't tried them, I have an HP so would like info too.
LION uses color laser printer. Project finished.
Indded lion has used this to make sides for passenger cars, platform walls and even buildings.
Have not a color laser printer. No problems, near by printshop has one and will not charge too much for such copies.
Some print shops have wide format printers that feed from rolls of paper. Excelent job they do, could make wonderful non-stop back drops, but will cost. They charge by the square inch or whatever.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
rrebell Inkjet will run if sprayed with dull coat, tried that but not with a photo cartrige which is more stable, maybe a more stable black witll work too, don't know. Last their are some sprays out there just for this use, haven't tried them, I have an HP so would like info too.
DullCoat certainly makes sharpies' ink run, that I know from some weathered roads I did, so I suggest trying it out on the type of ink you used before using it on a treasured sign or other item.
I bought some artist's fixitive (rattle can) intending to experiment with it (primarily with weathering powders) but have never gotten around to it. What do you suppose the guys building these new stiff paper structure models use?
This is a slight change of topic but I have all flourescent lighting in the basement and it is amazing what that has done to the covers of my various train books on a shelf - very faded spines where the light hits it, to the point of total color shifts. We just had reason to change out four flourescent fixtures (suspended ceiling) elsewhere in the basement and the electrician put in LED fixtures. I wonder if that would be different (or worse?) in terms of fading. It certain is brighter! If I had the resources I'd put LEDs everywhere over the layout because swapping out flourescent tube bulbs over the layout is no walk in the park.
Dave Nelson
dknelson This is a slight change of topic but I have all flourescent lighting in the basement and it is amazing what that has done to the covers of my various train books on a shelf - very faded spines where the light hits it, to the point of total color shifts. We just had reason to change out four flourescent fixtures (suspended ceiling) elsewhere in the basement and the electrician put in LED fixtures. I wonder if that would be different (or worse?) in terms of fading. It certain is brighter! If I had the resources I'd put LEDs everywhere over the layout because swapping out flourescent tube bulbs over the layout is no walk in the park. Dave Nelson
From what I understand (and double checked on a science website), the white phosphor coating, inside a flourescent tube, blocks about 95% of the UVRad. Lower (ie. 60w) wattage, soft white incandescent bulbs are about the same.
UV leakage occurs when the phosphor coating fails (it'll appear as dark/clear streaks/blotches).
our desktop inkjet printers use the cheapest inks the manufacturers can formulate. They are not meant to last longer than your kids school project needs them to. I've hit them with dull coat (just lay it flat, running problem solved), and with archival artists varnish (after a dull coat). Doesn't seem to make much difference--the inks are what a professional pressman would call "fugitive". They will fade, regardless of light source, and----though I'd love to hear if someone found a solution---regardless of coating. Interestingly the fading seems to be an advantage for custom logo decals on rail cars. It's almost like your cars weather naturally.
Very timely topic as last night I was placing T pins on the SIW to mark were my home printed street signs are going. I think I might try hitting the cardstock with Krylon clear before I cut it and see what happens I have nothing to lose If it runs. Also the printed brick on one of my bu got wet during ballasting and I have to replace that. I store all my signs etc as word documents on my computer.
Joe Staten Island West