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Thread: New capability to make decals

  1. #1

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    Default New capability to make decals

    Earlier this year I decided to jump into the business of making decals for miniatures. I picked up an Oki C711WT as it uses white, cyan, magenta, and yellow toner. It works well and produces nice decals; however, it prints white last in the sequence and registration is an issue for making multiple passes. White needs to be under the color so that the colored portion of the graphic is opaque. That limited me to making two-part decals when white is required; white decal first, then color. That's a bother for me when making the files and it's a bother for those applying the decals. It does beat the the alternative of not being able to print white though.

    I just received my much anticipated Oki C942 printer. It prints white first and then prints cyan, yellow, magenta, and black. Here's a picture of decals produced on the first test run of the C942. The model is an Armaments in Miniature, 1/200 scale, Ki-48 Lily. Decals include the tail marking and aircraft number, fuselage marking, and markings on top and bottom of the wings. These are one-piece decals.

    I'm very happy with the results. The colors are opaque and the registration is good. Now I need to learn more about the printer's capabilities, convert my existing files, and add some more.

    And now if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to my October Workbench which is creating 21 dioramas each consisting of a 54mm 3pdr gun and its six-man crew. Kevin

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Very Nice. Did you buy that new or second hand (either way a pretty penny I am sure).
    What decal paper do you use and how well do they conform to the surface?
    Also, what about multiple colours (Ie passes) are there any registration issues or bleed through?
    Do even solid colours like the British Red/Blue roundel need to have White as an underlay to prevent being too see through?
    And when are you taking orders?

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    Peter, it's new. And, yes the penny was pretty.
    - Decal paper is from http://www.decalpaper.com/ . It's laser printer paper, clear film, on blue paper. The blue paper makes the white areas stand out a bit. I've been ordering from the company for several years and don't have any complaints with the laser or inkjet paper. The decals conform well. The decal sheet come out of the printer and can be cut and soaked in water right away.
    - The paper goes into the machine one time, I don't have to make multiple passes. The registration is good and the printer has options that if selected, put white toner under color data even if there's no white data in the graphic. There's another option that, depending on selection, shrinks the white area under the color or expands the color area over the white. That helps prevent the little slivers of white appearing on an edge of a decal.
    - Yes, even the deep reds and blues can have white under them. The color toner, like the other laser printers and inkjet printers I've used, provides a translucent covering. Without the white backing, the underlying paint colors would change the desired appearance of the decal. Black is the only toner that does not have the option for white undercoating; however, if I know the decal is going over a metallic surface I recommend having a white backing just so the metallic paint underneath doesn't give the black decal a metallic appearance. I put white data in the graphic for those.
    - Taking decal orders since April '16. Right now the only decals in the store are the two-part. I'm going back through now to convert my files for the new printer. If someone wants a decal set that hasn't been converted I can bump that file to the front of the process.

    Kevin
    www.miscmini.com
    http://shop.miscmini.com/

  5. #5

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    looks nice! how much might it cost to get some decals printed up? im looking to finally finish some early b-17s i have (2 of clippers excellent early "shark fin" 17s and an academy 1:200 model i had that i reworked into a game piece).

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    Generally $5 per decal sheet. Sheets are ~4.25" x 2.75" and hold markings for two-four aircraft depending on the size and quantity of markings.

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by miscmini View Post
    Generally $5 per decal sheet. Sheets are ~4.25" x 2.75" and hold markings for two-four aircraft depending on the size and quantity of markings.
    email sent. thanks.

  8. #8

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    Kevin, are you going to branch out into British and German decals?
    Run for your life - there are stupid people everywhere!

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by Guntruck View Post
    Kevin, are you going to branch out into British and German decals?
    What he said.

    Not likely to find the money for a printer with white ink in my gaming budget in the near future. And any of my Testors home-made decals have been underwhelming.
    Mike
    "Flying is learning to throw yourself at the ground and miss" Douglas Adams
    "Wings of Glory won't skin your elbows and knees while practicing." OldGuy59

  10. #10

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    Great work, I can see the orders piling up for you soon......

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    Thanks all.

    Yes, I plan to branch out and create decals for as many nationalities and aircraft as I can. I'm trying to meet individual requests while aligning with pending releases of scenario books and Armaments in Miniature models.

    I'm working on decals during evenings and on weekends. During the day I try to stay focused on painting miniatures. The sweet spots are when models I'm painting just happen to need decals that someone else wants or that line up with a model/scenario release. The following is generally the way I'm focused at the moment:

    Just finished:
    G3M Genzan and Mihoro Kokutais
    Ki-21 7th, 12th, 14th, 61st, and 98th Sentais
    Ki-48 8th and 75th Sentais
    A5M4 Chitose Kokutai
    B-26s at Midway - conversion complete

    Actively working:
    P-40b/c, Buffalo, Ki-27, Ki-30, Ki-43 (i and ii), & Ki-48 for Burma
    G4M1 & A6M3 for Coral Sea and Rabaul
    F6F Hellcats in VF-27
    Conversion of existing files
    D4Ys, Rufes, Petes, & Ki-45s
    4th Fighter Group P-51b/c including "Salem Representative"
    B-26, 449th Bomb Group including "Flak Bait, "Sit N' Git", "Cock in Hand", "Winnie Dee & WD II", "Lil Murf", and "Murder Inc." I think I have 12-15 aircraft picked out and written down someplace here.
    Some releases for AIM (lots of British and German aircraft here)
    B-17C/D for 7th and 19th BGs

    A little behind the above:
    109s and Ju-87s for Battle of Britain
    B-17G 100th Bomb Group
    B-17G 425th BG
    B-24D 328th BS, Ploesti, including "Hell's Wench"
    B-24J 43rd BG including "The Dragon and His Tail"
    PBY-5 and 5As
    Vietnam Tonkin Gulf participants.
    More AIM releases

    I'd also like to do some sets for models available through Shapeways. Those will probably be mixed in someplace along the line.

  12. #12

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    There would be a huge market for Luftwaffe white crosses and swastikas, as well as generalised RAF very pale grey letter markings.

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  14. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by Zoe Brain View Post
    There would be a huge market for ...........generalised RAF very pale grey letter markings.
    Roger that
    Run for your life - there are stupid people everywhere!

  15. #15

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    Definitely, especially for making up RAF squadron IDs


    I'm learning to fly, but I ain't got wings
    Coming down is the hardest thing

  16. #16

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    Kevin, if it helps I used to have a fair list of recommended references on 8th AF war-paint, B-17s in particular. If I can find it again, want it?
    Historical Consultant/Researcher, Wings and Sails lines - Unless stated otherwise, all comments are personal opinion only and NOT official Ares policy.
    Wings Checklists: WWI (down Navarre Nieuport, Ares Drachens) | WWII (complete)

  17. #17

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    Diamondback, sure, I'm not going to turn away help.

    For German aircraft, I have commercial permission to use an appropriate font. I just need to design and size the markings.

    For the RAF, I either need to find a commercially available font/set of fonts or build them myself. The other thing I need to do is select the appropriate colors for the codes, bands, and roundels. I've located some RAF fonts at http://web.archive.org/web/200202101...5219/fonts.htm . So far I've not been able to reach the individual/organization with rights to the fonts.

    I'll see what I can do.

  18. #18

  19. #19

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    Default More decals designed and tested

    I've done some more decal designing, printing, and testing. Below are the results. All models are 1/200 scale and Armaments in Miniature.

    P-51 B/C, 4th Fighter Group (FG), I need to create some kill markings. Decals include the wing and tail ID bands, serial number, national ID, unit ID, and graphic of the, Salem Representative.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    P-40N, 49th FG. Decals include aircraft number, national markings, and diamonds on the tail.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    P-40N, 3rd FG. Decals include mouth, national markings - wings/fuselage/tail, names, aircraft ID numbers, and kill markings. I need to apply the eyes.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    P-40N, 80th FG. Decals include the skull w/name, national markings, and aircraft ID. I'm printing the skull in two parts, a top and a bottom. This makes it easier to apply the decal around the exhaust stacks. The first picture shows the lower skull in place. Once it's set, the skull cap can be applied. The two parts overlap so it's easier to make them appear as one piece.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Ki-27b, 77th Sentai.

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    Ki-43i, 64th Sentai.

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    Ki-30, 31st Sentai.

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    Ki-48, 8th Sentai.

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    F6F3 Hellcat, VF-27, USS Princeton.

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    And, a conversion of an older two-part file...Yak-7b 434.IAP.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    In the works...
    B-17C/D - decals are ready, just waiting for the gloss coat to dry.
    SBD - VB-8 just need to apply decals.
    SBD - Battle of the Coral Sea (red dot and tail stripes). I need to paint a model for these. The decals are ready.
    Ki-43ii & Ki-21 - Need to apply the decals, they're printed.
    Hurricane IID (desert) - need to paint the model, the decals are ready.
    B-26 - 449th BG, graphics ready for test application, I need to paint some models.
    109E and Ju-87B (BoB) - still doing research.
    A6M2N and the rest of the airplanes...I just need more time in the day.

    Kevin



    Kevin

  20. #20

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    Wow.
    Just. Wow.

  21. #21

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    Good work Kevin

    Form a queue chaps, I can see these 'flying' out the door
    Run for your life - there are stupid people everywhere!

  22. #22

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    oooohhhhh very nice!!!! i especially like the p-40 skulls, and the f6f toothy mouth!!!

  23. #23

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    Fantastic stuff!

    Well done!
    I laugh in the face of danger - then I hide until it goes away!

  24. #24

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    Default last night and this morning

    Thanks all for the kind words and encouragement. Here are two more test samples. There are before and after pictures. Models are from Armaments in Miniature and are 1/200 scale.

    B-17C/D - before decals. I used aerosol aluminum paint overall and then painted the superchargers, de-icing boots, and engine areas. I also painted in the windows and coated the model with a gloss finish.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Same model after decals. Decals for this model include the anti-glare panel in front of the cockpit, the wing walks on the left wing, the national markings, the stripes on the tail, the aircraft number on the tail, and the U. S. ARMY on the underside. I printed the wing walks as one decal. After applying the wing walk decal to the left wing I decided I would adjust the file and make break it into multiple parts. The large decal was just too much fun to apply and begs to be ripped and have air trapped under it. The other problem created by the large decal is that I can only get one aircraft's worth of decals on my standard sheet. By breaking up the wing walk I may be able to get two. I'll try the multi-part wing walk on the right wing. I think I need to tweak the anti-glare panel a bit too.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    F-51D, 12th FBS "Mouse Meat". Same as above, the model is pictured without decals and then with decals. I'll probably make a few minor adjustments to these as well.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    We've smelt the sizzle, now we want the sausage. Start producing commercially or the puppy gets it!
    Run for your life - there are stupid people everywhere!

  28. #28

  29. #29

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    Okay, okay. I'm updating the store a bit today. Once that's finished I need to convert some more 2-part decals to the new format. Tomorrow I plan to print, cut, and bag decals to send to Armaments in Miniature* to replace the 2-part ones he had. Then I'll get back to finishing the files above and working on some new ones.

    *I noticed that I could not access the Armaments in Miniature website last night and this morning. I corresponded with Dave, AIM, and he said his web hosting providers are doing maintenance. It may take the weekend to get back to normal.

  30. #30

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    Default Still updating files

    I still have four sets to convert and then I'll be caught up in the web-store. Here's some recent decal work. The PBY decals are ready and in the store. The B-24D, Hell's Wench, decals are ready but I don't have any squadron mates for it to lead into Ploesti. Models are all from Armaments in Miniature and in 1/200 scale.

    I should be working a little more in the European Theater in the not too distant future.

    Hell's Wench

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    VP-14 Pearl Harbor

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    VP-44 Midway

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