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You have a model. It might be a structure, locomotive or it
may be a car. You put a lot of time
into its construction and agonized over the paint job. Now it is time for the finishing touch.
Decals make any model look better
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Of course, If you can find what you are
looking for it will be more economical and time saving if you can find and
buy what you want. This is usually
not a problem for modern era models but it can be a problem for older and
rarer models like the horse car above.
Now there are specialists who can
exactly match many of the old time fonts but it is both time-consuming and
expensive, and if you want, more than one set the cost can become
prohibitive. This is where printing
you own can save you time, money and give you exactly the design you want.
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Actually,
there are several types of decals but the two that we are most interested
in are the “water slide” and “rub-on.” The Water slide, so named because it
slides off the paper hen soaked in water, is the most popular decal
especially in modeling and starts with a paper backing or carrier that
forms the base. On top of this,
there is a thin binding or release layer of water-soluble glue that will
hold the decal to the surface to which it is applied. A thin transparent
layer forms the decal proper. The
only thing remaining is for you to apply your own artwork via inkjet or
laser printer.
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“Rub-on” decals are similar to “water
slide” but come in two slightly different versions. Both versions have the same paper base
and a transparent film upon which the artwork is applied. Both also have a binding and tack layer. In the first version there is a tack
layer is on top as shown. The
artwork is applied in reverse and pressure is applied from the paper side
to apply the decal. In the second
version one additional transparent is added over the tack area. This layer must be peeled back (along
with the tack layer, artwork and film) and applied to the surface to be
decorated.
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Decal papers are commonly used for Dry-slide and
Rub-on decals but can also be used to photo-etch photo-sensitive printed
circuit boards
Vellum papers can be used for transparent for windows
or to create nighttime interior scenes in buildings. Print people etc. on vellum and backlight
with white LED. Vellum can also be
used for signs and billboards
Acetate - Both clear or tinted can be used to
create stained glass and clear store front windows. Just print whatever lettering you want to
use.
Foils – Can be used to Create mirrors and a large number of special
effects
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Adhesive backed papers come in thicknesses ranging from
simple paper to 1/8” pasteboard. The
thinner papers are suitable for covering the solid walls (or roofs) of a
model while the thicker papers can be used for the walls themselves. You can even create whole towns from
built-up the thicker papers. Simple
print pictures of individual buildings, then stack the cut-outs several
layers deep for an impressive backdrop
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Making your own decals is not that
expensive all things considered. The
cost of a blank sheet ranges from about $0.50 to $2.00 depending on the
paper type and the quantity you buy.
Printer ink is negligible unless you are creating brick walls or
other patterns that fill the page with ink.
I figure a set of decals for a car costs from $0.20 to $0.50
including waste and scraps.
Most papers come in the standard 8-1/2”
x 11‘’ letter size sheets. One way
to cut the expenses involved in printing decals is to cut the sheets down
to the size of a standard 3” x 5” index card. This task can be made easier
through the use of the same graphics program used to create the decals to
create various templates to guide the cutting of the sheets. Just print a
“+” at the corner of each card to guide your cutting.
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Another trick is to print a “traveler”
on the back side of the paper. This
helps to show which side of the paper is the back and which side contains
the decal film. It also helps to
keep track of what has been done where steps such as spraying varnish may
not be obvious visually. Another
benefit is that it helps keep track of drying times and test what materials
to use for best results. I also
have a supply of plain paper “coupons” cut to the same size to use for
testing until I am satisfied with the results.
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Decals, according to most manufacturers,
are a perishable item and have a shelf life of around 90 days. There may be some truth to this statement
but I have decals that are over 30 years old and still quite usable. The trick is to follow the other
instructions carefully and faithfully.
Store all decals flat and at a constant humidity. Keep away from sunlight and at room
temperature. Another reason for
cutting the larger sheets into smaller sizes is that it is easier to store
both printed and unused sheets in plastic bags. This reduces sorting and handling
supplies and prevents contamination from dirt and finger oils. One source
for bags and tags is Rings ‘N Things.
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I
use two programs to develop my designs.
The first is Corel Draw for manipulating images and creating
artwork. The second is the MS
desktop publisher where the images, fonts and other components are
assembled into the decal artwork.
Both programs are fairly inexpensive and have plenty of power to do
the job. This sheet shows complete
decal sets for (2) cars. Note the
“+” marks used as cutting guides. You should include car numbers and
reporting marks in your design and do not forget the car ends.
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You might want to look at a few special
fonts for help in your overall design. Fonts can range from special
lettering to various images you may want to use such as logos, reporting
marks and special symbols. When
purchasing fonts you should realize there are two different
categories. The first and most
common are the raster fonts. These
are less expensive and you can control the exact size in points. The point is a newspaper term and equals
1/72 inch. The other category is the
vector fonts. These are more
expensive and more detailed so can be resized easily without loosing any
detail
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If
you use small images for your artwork or highly detailed raster fonts, you
may have problems getting crisp images on the printer. One way to get around this is to make
your decal image two or four times larger than you plan to use, then scale
the printer down by a half or quarter.
This can dramatically improve the resulting image.
Both inkjet and laser printers make
great decals. Just make sure you
match the paper to the printer you use.
This DOES make a difference.
Inkjets use wet ink and are a bit less expensive to keep in
supplies. Lasers use a dry powder
that is heated and fused to the paper.
They are a bit more expensive but work equally well with the proper
paper and the right settings
Either way you will probably find that
the printer should be set for photos instead of plain paper. Make these settings on the decal paper,
not the plain paper coupons and record the printer’s paper type, quality,
ink volume drying time and whatever other options are available for later
use. Some printers allow you to set
a dwelling time between the printing of each page to allow the ink to dry
and prevent smudging. Glossy
finishes like decals should be set for a small volume of ink and a long
dwelling time. Work carefully and do
NOT touch the front surface of the paper at any time. Keep your work area dust-free and allow
two to three days time for the ink to completely dry.
One problem you may encounter is paper
size. Most but not all printers will
handle a 3x5 paper size. Here you
can use another template. Print a
3x5 rectangle on an 8-1/2 x 11 sheet, then tape the coupon within this
rectangle and feed it through the printer.
You probably only have to tape it on the leading edge and let if
feed through.
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The
decal, once dry, is now ready for finishing. Some sort of top coat or fixative is
required to seal the ink from running in water or smudging. Some manufacturers have their own product
however the most common product recommended is either Krylon Crystal Clear
or Matte Finish available at A. C. Moore and other craft stores. Spray the
first coat sparingly then when dry spray another heavier coat and let dry
again thoroughly. Certain types of
Rub-on decals will also require a tack layer
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It is now time to turn our attention to
the model itself. Paint but do not
weather the model and let dry for at least a week before decaling. DO NOT TOUCH the surface to be
decaled. Oils on skin can be
surprisingly potent in preventing decals from sticking You may touch a
surface next to area where decal is to be applied. Use a brush to “scrub” the surface
clean. If this is your first time
you might consider practicing on a simple sheet of wood or scribed siding.
Begin by trimming the decal as close to
the artwork as possible. Use only a
minimal amount of water when applying water-slide decals. Excess water can warp the surface and
wash away the glue in the binding layer that holds the decal to the
surface. It will also clog the pores
that give the glue purchase to cling to.
Decals will tend to curl a bit as they
soak up the water. This is normal
with new decals and more pronounced with those that are older. Never force the decal to flatten out as
this can crack the file supporting the artwork and make the decal unusable. Wait for about a minute or until the glue
dissolves enough to be moved the work the film gradually so that it extends
past the paper backing.
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Drag the overlapping edge of the decal
along the surface where it is to be applied to deposit a single drop of
water. Then hold the overlapping
edge against the surface and withdraw the paper from underneath. Carefully coax the decal into position
using a knife, pin or some sharp object and blot dry with a piece of
tissue. Start from the center and work out.
Puncture the film and squeeze any air bubbles trapped beneath the
film.
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Once the decal is in place you can add a
solvent such as Solvaset to partially dissolve the film so that it can
snuggle into any cracks and crevices.
Do this once and once only at this time as any further action will
likely cause the film to wrinkle and distort.
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Check
the decal carefully. Once the
solvent has dried you can cut the decal along the scribing and cracks of a
car side and apply another layer of solvent. As before, brush the solvent on once then
refrain from further touching until the solvent as dried. I you do this right you may still have a
tell-tale shine around the decal where the film shines through from under
the artwork but it should be minimal
Note that the bluntness or sharpness of the knife used to scribe the
decal will have a great effect as to how the film wraps around the corner
of the scribing
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Rub-on decals do not have the same shiny film as water slide decals
but are more fragile and can be a bit trickier to apply. Use a blunted point to apply pressure to
the center of the decal. Some use a
blunt pencil or the stylus used on a PDA.
Another weapon of choice can be the type of orange-stick a
manicurist used to clean under fingernails.
Hold the decal against the surface and start rubbing the center with
the point. Work in increasingly
larger circles and you should be able to see when the artwork separates
from the backing. Keep holding the
backing against the surface until the artwork has been completely separated
and is adhering to the surface.
Again, use some kind of varnish to protect the decal.
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The surface may now be weathered if
desired.
Continued on PAGE 2
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