Custom decal maker?

[JBoyle]

Anyone here make custom decals?
I have a scan of an old PT boat decal set anyone willing to print them off?

They consist of white letters (with black shading) letters & numbers about 3/4" high.

I'd be willingto re-imburse you for the sheet, time and postage.

Thanks.

[Steve Nelson]

An easier alternative might be to check the train section of your local hobby shop. Woodland Scenics makes dry transfer numbers and letters in several different fonts and colors, and each sheet has several different sizes. I should be easy enough to lay on the black numbers/letters, the lay the white ones on top slightly offset to give the "drop shadow" effect.

SN

[JBoyle]

Steve
Thanks for the suggestion.
I've already tried that. I even found an outfit that makes USN-style numbers, but I can't get the "PT" letters.

[Warbird Kid]

Dry transfers have always made me loose my temper. But it also might be because I usually try to put them on the side of an aircraft that can fit in your palm.

[The Inspector]

Chris,
You can also go on line and GOOGLE 'free fonts' and download your own library of thousands of letters and letter styles and types then feed 'em thru your trusty printer

[Steve Nelson]

The only problem with printing your own decals is that the standard inkjet will not print white, and even the colors are very translucent. Even laser printers have similar characteristics. I've made decals on a laser printer, but only black letter/numbers, or colors that will be applied over a white background. The only way to print white is with a "dye sublimation" printer, usually an ALPS brand (expensive even when new, and no longer made.)

SN

[Garth]

The only way to print white is with a "dye sublimation" printer, usually an ALPS brand (expensive even when new, and no longer made.)

SN

It's not so much the dye sublimation capability of an ALPS, as it is the white ribbons it can use in non-dye sub mode.

If you aren't having any luck elsewhere, I'd suggest going to groups.yahoo.com and looking for the "ALPS" and ALPS Decal" groups and making a request for help on them.

--Garth

[Steve Nelson]

Thanks for the clarification, Garth. I've never actually seen an ALPS printer, and don't know a lot of the details of how they work. I have a friend who has one, who has made a couple of decals for me (he printed the white backgrounds, and I did the color overlays on a color laser printer.)

SN

[Xrayist]

You might do a web search for Mike Grant Decals. He used to make a lot of different ones, and might make custom ones. They are of very high quality and he is an easy person to deal with. Good luck and let me know if he was any help.

[JBoyle]

Thanks,
John

[kennsmithf2g]

Hi,

For white decals, I have been sucessful printing the background color on white decal paper on an inkjet printer. Sometimes it takes a few trys to match the background color but print on paper until you get the match.


I looked into Alps printers but they are out of my budget


Kenn