# Lettering and graphics for your model?



## josephunh (Mar 27, 2013)

So I have two of my new flatcars ready for paint and details like lettering but wondering what is best way to do this since it is my first time doing it. The water decals I despise as they always loom like crap and you can see it is a decal. I know folks who can do the vinyl printing but to get small detail it will mean printing on a background the same color as the car which means trying to color match the paint which seems difficult to do. Isn't there something like dry transfers that might work? Anyone know who is making them if that is a possibility?


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

There's a company in Vancouver called *All Out Graphics* that I use for custom dry transfer work. They're very easy to work with and do good work. You just draw the artwork and e-mail it to them. They'll send you back a sheet in whatever color you choose within a week or two. 

Dry transfers are not cheap. It's not cost effective to have custom dry transfers made for just one car. I'd recommend filling a 9" x 12" or even a 12" x 18" sheet with artwork to do a number of cars. If you've got a friend local to you who might need custom artwork, consider splitting a page with them if you don't need that much yourself. So long as the color is the same, you're in good shape. Extra colors will cost extra, because there's a negative needed for each individual color. 

They have the basic colors (white, red, blue, gold, silver, etc.). They can also custom-match a specific Pantone color as well. If you need to match a specific color, it's best to snail-mail them a color chip so they can match it on their end. DO NO rely on computer screen renditions of Pantone colors. (Ask me how I learned that one, and does anyone need orange-maroon "East Broad Top" passenger car lettering?)

Later,

K


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## josephunh (Mar 27, 2013)

Thanks for the indo I will check them out.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

josephunh said:


> So I have two of my new flatcars ready for paint and details like lettering but wondering what is best way to do this since it is my first time doing it. The water decals I despise as they always loom like crap and you can see it is a decal. I know folks who can do the vinyl printing but to get small detail it will mean printing on a background the same color as the car which means trying to color match the paint which seems difficult to do. Isn't there something like dry transfers that might work? Anyone know who is making them if that is a possibility?


 The vinyl printing shouldn't need a same color background? It's essentially peel-and-stick, rather like dry transfers. We boaters use it for boat names, numbers, etc.

Maybe you need to persevere with the wet decals ? They might be a pain, but they are the least expensive solution. And they are easy to put in the right place.
I use Solvaset brushed/dripped on after the decal is in place. It softens the film and makes it snug down onto the surface in the cracks.
If you put them on a matt surface, then of course they will shine. Spray the general area with gloss clear, add decals, then spray the same area with matt clear after they dry. I found the Krylon UV indoor/outdoor cans work well.


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Water-slide decals dont *have* to look bad..they can, but its not a requirement! 
Its actually quite easy to make the edges disappear and blend in.
here is my most recent water-slide decal project:










Those were printed by Stan Cedarleaf, applied with water and solvaset, then when dry, hit with a spray of Krylon "satin" clear. You can only see the edge of the decal if you get 3 inches away from the model, more than 3 inches away, and the edge is invisible. Water slide technology works very well..its been around for at least 50 years, probably longer.

Having said that though, I would like to try vinyl! Im going to be working on some LV diesels, and the one thing I dont like about water-slide decals is that they can tend to be somewhat opague..not completely dense, letting through some of the background color. For yellow lettering like this:

http://www.railpictures.net/images/d1/3/5/0/8350.1231894100.jpg

I would like to see how Vinyl looks..I think maybe vinyl could create much more vibrant yellows than water-slide decals could..(although maybe not..its just something im considering..decals might be fine too..)

Has anyone seen any vinyl lettering where the letters are separate? so the letters can be applied individually without a background? they would probably need to be laser cut somehow, but the technology for that must exist by now..If so, I would definitely want to explore that.

thanks,
Scot


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

> Has anyone seen any vinyl lettering where the letters are separate? so the letters can be applied individually without a background? they would probably need to be laser cut somehow, but the technology for that must exist by now..If so, I would definitely want to explore that.


 Scot,
As I was typing (at the same time as you,) the marine guys use a vinyl "printer" to do boat names, etc. It's like a plotter, but has a knife instead of a pen. It cuts through the vinyl but not the backing sheet. I imagine it has the same resolution as a plotter.

Somewhere recently there was a thread about vinyl printing tiny letters. Let me see if I can find it.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Look at Del's G Scale Graphics, his wife does the vinyl lettering. The only negative is size. it can only go so small, the letters are cut out of the vinyl and stick to the model. I believe they come properly spaced on a backing sheet. Press and remove paper/backer.
http://www.gscalegraphics.net/custom-lettering.html


John


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Vinyl will only work on sizes down to about 3/16". Neither G Scale Graphics nor Shawmut Car Shops (both providers of vinyl lettering for us train folks) will do anything smaller than that. That usually leaves car data (numbers, weights, etc.) out unless your railroad used unusually large lettering for that. 

Later,

K


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## Bruce Chandler (Jan 2, 2008)

I did this car with vinyl lettering for Del's G Scale Graphics.








Each letter IS separate, but they are on a carrier strip so it's pretty easy to apply. 

He also does larger letters, such as these white ones applied on a painted black background.


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## Larry Green (Jan 2, 2008)

I use Del's vinyl for my models, and he has created a logo and other special work for me. The smallest character that is feasible is 3/16' high. Only the characters are applied: the top and bottom carrier films are disposed of during application. He is great to do business with.
So, the cat is out of the bag--his wife does the weeding!

Kevin--yes, the colors are vibrant, with no bleed-thru. I have applied white on dark green paint, and just did yellow over deep maroon.

Larry

Larry


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Nice! thanks everyone!
I am definitely going to look into this for some future projects.
Scot


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## josephunh (Mar 27, 2013)

Most of you have brought up the issue with vinyl in that very small lettering cannot be done and that is an issue of me that is why I am looking at other options. The water decals I know can kinda be blended in but lets face it you still see them so maybe the dry transfer ones may work better in my application anyway, since one of the items would have to be a black square with white writing on it that is fairly small.


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## Scott (Jan 29, 2008)

I've used stencils, decals, dry transfer and pad stamping to varying degrees of success.


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

A year and a half back or so, I invested in a "kit" to make dry transfers at home. It works really well!!

*Here's a thread* about it.

And an image of a large HO scale factory *showing the results*.


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## Sjoc78 (Jan 25, 2014)

This was done with some inkjet printed water slide decals. The edges are still a little visible on the logo mainly due to some color match issues but I used solvaset and it snuggled down and just looks like maybe a repainted logo on a faded car.

The inkjet decals need to have a good coat of clear acrylic sealant before you use them but I was pleased with the results.


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## josephunh (Mar 27, 2013)

I am thinking that Dry Transfers offer the best bet as I am not looking to try and spray these with Krylon afterward and ruin the paint job. Only issue now is trying to figure out how to create the graphics and in proper size as apparently I need to do that before anyone will touch it is creating them.


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

I've used both decals from Stan Cederleaf and vinyl letters from Del. I like the ease of installation with the vinyl letters, but Del can only do letters. No logos. Stan can do the logos along with custom logos. But if you want white decals from Stan, you needs to request the decals be double stamped so the base color does not bleed through. I put white B&O logo decals on a red caboose and they looked rather pinkish. I put another white B&O logo on top the first and then it looked white. Once the decals are dryed, I've sprayed the car with a matt clear spray and the decals looks fine to me.


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