Decals

[mbinsewi]

Morning guys,

Thinking of trying to make my own decals for the custom built loco's I'm working on instead of my usual piecing together letters, numbers, etc, from what decal sheets I have on hand.    Any of you guys out there done this?  I've never even experimented with this before, so I'm looking for all and any suggestions as to printing, paper type, design methods and programs ( about all I have on here is MS Office, works, and paint), any info and input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Mike.

[MisterBeasley]

It's not hard.  Make sure you get the decal paper that matches your printer, either laser or inkjet.  It's not a question of quality.  The wrong paper just won't work at all.

I use an inkjet.  I usually either compose the lettering directly in Microsoft Word, or do it in Paint and then import it.  If I'm using a downloaded graphic, I import it into Word, also.  That lets me size and arrange the graphics and lettering.  It's not a high-end graphics program like Photoshop, but it does the job for decals.

You can't print white, and printers assume you're using white paper, so all the colors are balanced for that.  If you want colors to show up properly, then you need to apply the decal to a light-colored surface.  Either choose your line's colors with that in mind, or paint a white rectangle (circle, oval, etc.) where the decal will go.

In Word, push the margins almost to the edges, and the top margin, too.  Decal paper is expensive.  Use as much of the sheet as you can.  I print right to the top, and use as much width as I can.  Then, I use a paper cutter to cut the sheet just below the decals.  That way, I have a nice sharp, straight edge and I can feed the paper back into the printer for another set of decals at a later date.  Most printers don't care if the page is a bit short.

For inkjet decals, you need to seal the printing on.  I like Krylon clear spray for that.  Folllow the directions on the decals.  You will need a clean, smooth surface for a nice application, although applying a decal to a wood fence or brick wall will give you a weathered sign, if that's what you want.  Also plan to seal the decal after it's applied, either with a satin or flat spray.

[Train Modeler]

I have done this a little, thinner decal film is good for rough surfaces and be sure and seal well, let sit a day or so while repeating to seal.   Let the inkjet dry well before spraying a sealant.   I think laserjet is better.   There is much written about it, so do some research.

Richard

[G Paine]

Light color ink jet inks tend to me a bit transparent. This can be corrected by using white inkjet decal paper instead of clear. It works the same way as clear inkjet paper.

WHen I make a decal, I first print it on regular paper to see how it looks printed. Printing sometimes looks different than computer screen. When I get what I like, I cut a piece of decal paper that is a bit larger than the decal size and tape it over the plain paper printed image. Then put that back into the printer to print the decal. As Mr B said, decal paper is expensive, I save the scraps I cut from decal paper and use them for other decals.