Applying custom lettering?

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big-ted
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Re: Applying custom lettering?

Post by big-ted » Mon Jun 24, 2019 2:57 pm

tom_tom_go wrote: Mon Jun 24, 2019 8:21 am If the lettering rubs off in places it will look authentic!


Right. Trouble is, with this method, it isn't the lettering that rubs off, but the black surrounding area, hence the sharpie to touch up. If I go over the lines with the sharpie & encroach on the letters, that's just wear & tear... ;)

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GTB
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Re: Applying custom lettering?

Post by GTB » Mon Jun 24, 2019 4:47 pm

big-ted wrote: Mon Jun 24, 2019 2:24 pm I'd like to make up some data markings for some grey box vans now that I have the technique down. Need to find a grey sharpie... :?
It wasn't uncommon for a railway to paint the wagon no, load, tare, maintenance dates, etc. lettering in white on black patches, especially if the wagon was painted a light grey. That way you can keep using a black sharpie for touching up. ;)

Art supply shops sell marking pens in a wide range of colours, but like inkjet printers the ink is fairly transparent and the chances of finding a pen that matched the paint would be somewhere between slim and none. There are opaque paint pens available, but the colour range is very limited.

Regards,
Graeme

big-ted
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Re: Applying custom lettering?

Post by big-ted » Mon Jun 24, 2019 5:36 pm

GTB wrote: Mon Jun 24, 2019 4:47 pm
big-ted wrote: Mon Jun 24, 2019 2:24 pm I'd like to make up some data markings for some grey box vans now that I have the technique down. Need to find a grey sharpie... :?
It wasn't uncommon for a railway to paint the wagon no, load, tare, maintenance dates, etc. lettering in white on black patches, especially if the wagon was painted a light grey. That way you can keep using a black sharpie for touching up. ;)
Genius! :D

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Lonsdaler
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Re: Applying custom lettering?

Post by Lonsdaler » Thu Aug 22, 2019 5:54 pm

I'm very late to this conversation, not having checked into the forum for some months, but I have printed all my own decals on a laser printer, with (to me) acceptable results. I find that the edges of the decals need 'touching in' with paint matching the base coat they are applied to, as the white paper they are printed onto shows at the edges.
Interestingly, I recently ordered more of the 'same' paper from the supplier, (Crafty Computer Paper) and I can no longer produce good quality prints - it appears that the formulation of the paper has changed, and now there is a very narrow range of printers that they recommend for printing on - sadly not including mine :roll: However, I used a friends inkjet and some of their inkjet paper, and have produced decals of the same quality - but you must apply a layer of lacquer to the finished, dried decal before applying it to the model.
I've attached a couple of images showing some of the decals I have produced.
Milk-tanker.jpg
Milk-tanker.jpg (252.36 KiB) Viewed 6565 times
Gretadale Diaries milk tanker
Mochyn.jpg
Mochyn.jpg (263.6 KiB) Viewed 6565 times
The railways workhorse, Mochyn
Phil

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My Line - https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11077

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FWLR
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Re: Applying custom lettering?

Post by FWLR » Fri Aug 23, 2019 6:31 am

Welcome back to the forum Phil. Where have you been.... :hello2:

They are brilliant both of them Phil. Pity your supplier don't have the same paper you used before, I can't see much difference myself and I suppose when they are on the track no one else would be able to either.... :thumbright:

Can you tell me what type of paper your friend used, I myself have a Canon Inkjet, which is pretty good. Haven't tried any printing for my stock though, I haven't got the confidence.... :(

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Re: Applying custom lettering?

Post by big-ted » Mon Sep 23, 2019 9:56 pm

A timely thread-bump as I'm in the process of building a tanker wagon & need to figure out how to paint it!

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Re: Applying custom lettering?

Post by Hayball » Tue Jun 27, 2023 1:17 pm

You could make it permanent with a REA Jet printer!

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