#7 7 years ago

Hintsand tips - Decals made easy

"....It's a lot easier and cheaper then buying a vinyl cutter and learning how to use it. It might not cost much more than a pack of decal paper...."

I can't report on the 'learning how to use it' part, since I haven't started, but having a CNC machine means that you can add all sorts of tools onto the cutting end. At the moment I just use a small router to cut balsa - I would use a bigger one or a laser to cut ply - and I have just bought a 'swiveling knife' set to cut vinyl. Cost of a mount and 15 blades - £4.37. Should let me cut any size or shape character out of vinyl (or anything else) sheet...

#6 7 years ago

Hintsand tips - Decals made easy

Is that 321 new P for 20 sheets (assuming it's not just for 1) if so not too bad, about the same as mine from Aussie.

#5 7 years ago

Hintsand tips - Decals made easy

I do the same as JB, got my vinyl 'paper' for inkjets here
https://www.photopaperdirect.com/products/A4-Gloss-Vinyl-Self-Adhesive-Sticker-Paper-Buy-20-Get-20-Free.html
Cheers, Doug 😎

Young at heart 😉 Slightly older in other places.😊 Cheers Doug

#4 7 years ago

Hintsand tips - Decals made easy

Hi C-H, had a look at that site thanks, and they don't do too bad a job by the looks of it. I still prefer to do my own as for $30 I can make hundreds of decals (depending on size) from 10 A4 sheets. Looks like they do pretty much the same thing as I can do but just on sticky backed vinyl. They still need to be sealed as well by the looks of it to water / fuel proof them. Some of my planes fly at up to 100 MPH so these decals once sealed hang on pretty well as do the ones on the boats. As I mentioned previously about having to wait, Callies say up to a month for a custom decal ? Also, as they mentioned, the better the pic you send them the better the result, which is what I said earlier, doing it the way I do. Either way, if it works, you make it yourself or have someone do it, its how the model looks in the end that counts.

#3 7 years ago

Hintsand tips - Decals made easy

A really good way to get nice graphics is to order vinyl graphics from a web company called "Callies". Vinyl graphics are much sturdier than decals. They are very understanding of the needs of modelers. They will make whatever you specify for very reasonable charge. You deal with the company by email. You can get images and text; of whatever you need and specify colors, size, font etc. It's almost too good to be true. After you contact them with a request, you will receive an email with a price. They can easily produce replicates, so you can get some spares in case one is damaged or you want to stick some on your transmitter, boat stand or toolbox.

It's a lot easier and cheaper then buying a vinyl cutter and learning how to use it. It might not cost much more than a pack of decal paper.

The sure way to succeed is, just try one more time

#2 7 years ago

Hintsand tips - Decals made easy

Thanks for the comment and info. The reason I started doing my own was, that here you get charged an absolutely ludicrous price for a simple decal. There are hundreds of companies here which do all sorts of decals (including car wrapping) but to get them to do small detailed decals is just not worth the money, (one company wanted to charge me about $5 per letter for a simple name in thin vinyl). I have found that doing the waterslide decals there is no hassle waiting, travelling for miles etc just to get a small item and I can do virtually anything with very little time and cost involved. Further examples shown, are some I have copied from pics and some like the Goodyear logos, Super Cub etc I have drawn (the Graupner ones on the planes are copies of some old 70s original waterslide decals I have, tidied up and re-made. Handy for making dashboards for boats, planes etc, the red and white plane rego has been done on white paper (you can't print white unfortunately) and the background matched to the colour of the plane (saves trying to cut individual letters out) Might solve your gold problem if you are doing it on clear paper. John

Liked by RNinMunich

#1 7 years ago

Hintsand tips - Decals made easy

If anyone is looking for a cheap easy way to make any decals of photos name plates, designs etc, here is an idea you might find useful. I use a waterslide decal paper on which you can print anything you design, draw etc on your inkjet printer. I buy this paper from a company in Australia for around $30 NZ for 10 A4 sheets. You can buy clear or white. What you do is just print your design, photo, text etc onto the paper (plastic waterslide coated), let the ink dry, spray with either a clear lacquer or Helmar clear (the best), allow to dry, trim,soak in warm water as usual and apply. This material is quite tough and will not tear easily and you can spray lacquer over it to seal it on the model. It is a similar stuff as sold by Testors in a kit but is a lot more cost effective. I've included some examples of decals I've made for my boats and planes .
For small decals you can cut a small piece a bit bigger than your design, print your picture on A4 to see where it will come on the page, sellotape the piece of decal paper over the print, (tape horizontally top and bottom) put the page back in the printer with the same orientation as is was, and print onto your decal. This saves wasting a whole sheet of decal paper which cannot be re used. If you find a nice clear sharp design it will come out nicely on the decal

Liked by Lordgord and RNinMunich and

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Hintsand tips - Decals made easy

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Hintsand tips - Decals made easy

Hintsand tips - Decals made easy

Hintsand tips - Decals made easy

Hintsand tips - Decals made easy

Hintsand tips - Decals made easy

Hintsand tips - Decals made easy

Hintsand tips - Decals made easy