16 replies to this topic

[signguy2108]

Some builds that got kicked to the side. Bought decal paper for a drag car project and decided to see how it would work on truck doors. Haven't had time to work on them a lot lately, but I thought I would post them anyway.

Attached Files

•  Kenworth 002.JPG   149.77K   72 downloads
•  Kenworth 003.JPG   138.68K   75 downloads
•  Kenworth 004.JPG   147.54K   65 downloads
•  Kenworth 005.JPG   140.1K   61 downloads
•  Kenworth 006.JPG   144.91K   70 downloads
•  Kenworth 007.JPG   148.61K   81 downloads
•  Kenworth 008.JPG   149.13K   113 downloads
•  Kenworth 010.JPG   152.02K   196 downloads
•  Kenworth 011.JPG   143.93K   184 downloads

[EaglePassNative]

Your decals came out nice. They give those models a real working truck look.

[camaro68]

Care to share how u made them PLEASE!!!!!!

[Truck parts]

I would also like to know if you couid tell us.

[signguy2108]

All you need is a $5000.00 graphics program and 37 years experience! Just kidding, but for the sake of those making & sellind decals, I won't give the secret away. However websites such as decalpaper.com has the instructions and the materials. I will tell you that after a lot of trail and error, 5/8" tall x 1'' wide seems to real well. Design & print a whole sheet or else you lose a lot of material. Just gives the models a little more realism. Have fun!!!!

[phoneguy]

All you need is a $5000.00 graphics program and 37 years experience! Just kidding, but for the sake of those making & sellind decals, I won't give the secret away. However websites such as decalpaper.com has the instructions and the materials. I will tell you that after a lot of trail and error, 5/8" tall x 1'' wide seems to real well. Design & print a whole sheet or else you lose a lot of material. Just gives the models a little more realism. Have fun!!!!

You forgot about the $20,000 printer!!!!! I can relate......lots of trial & error. If everyone starts making decals, I will be out of business!!!!!

[BigBad]

So either you buy the program and that 20000$ printer... Or you make your own with plain white or transparent decal paper. You're not out of the woods yet, cause you cannot reproduce metallic colors such as silver or gold. You can't reproduce pale colors or white (there is no white ink, duh...) on tranparent unless you are applying the decal on a white surface. BUT, it does a fairly nice job on most applications. You have to think it out some before producing anything. Colored stripes on transparent does a nice job of replicating a "candy apple" effect over metallic paints, by the way. Oh, and don't forget to seal the ink on that decal with a clearcoat some time before dipping it in water... Trial and error, like Larry and Jerry said. But it's nice to say I did it myself.

[signguy2108]

Your right, and I was not getting into how to make decals, because it can be time consuming and fairly expensive by the time you get it right! What i was trying to show is that we strive to build correct models and to be a correct working truck, they need to identification on the doors. I see decals for big trucking companies, but what about the replica of your friends truck at ABC TRUCKING that only owns 1or 2. The decals on these trucks are people I did 1:1's for years ago and still had in the computer. Just thought it would be fun to show what could be done to add realism to the trucks. Trying to hide the fact I can't do airlines, etc.

Edited by signguy2108, 11 October 2012 - 08:09 AM.

[BigBad]

Your right, and I was not getting into how to make decals, because it can be time consuming and fairly expensive by the time you get it right! What i was trying to show is that we strive to build correct models and to be a correct working truck, they need to identification on the doors. I see decals for big trucking companies, but what about the replica of your friends truck at ABC TRUCKING that only owns 1or 2. The decals on these trucks are people I did 1:1's for years ago and still had in the computer. Just thought it would be fun to show what could be done to add realism to the trucks. Trying to hide the fact I can't do airlines, etc.

Well the ones you're showing at the top look great. They do add to the working truck look.

[camaro68]

Didn't mean to step on anyone's toe's just trying to find a way to put my name on my trucks

[phoneguy]

You didn't step on my toes. Some people are happy doing the inkjet decals, which can be timeconsuming in itself, considering the curing times for the ink and the clearcoat. A lot of people don't realize just how much does go into creating the artwork for some of the decals on the market today. I know for myself, I can spend as little as an hour putting a simple text decal together on up to several weeks working on a complete truck & trailer set. Anyone in the graphics business knows what I'm talking about.
I originally started out doing inkjet, now everything is done on my ALPS printers.

[FLAWLESSVW]

I want to try my hand at making my own decals here shortly. I am well versed at Adobe Photoshop so should be able to handle that side pretty well.

My question is: color laser or inkjet? Seems like a no-brainer (laser) but figured I'd ask to see if any gotchas. I have access to a high-end color laser at work in our marketing department and thinking that's going to be my best bet but any advice between the two would be great.

[phoneguy]

inkjet vs laser----I can't help there, never used the laser

[Truck parts]

I was also thinking of put my name or son name on some of my builds. Jerry, YOU do a great job on your decals. Was not tring to put any one out of work.

[pete3522]

decals aint that bad depends on your comp skills etc i tried a few just like everything else trial and error .The inkjets tough bein your dealing with alot of wet ink.The alps printer is the way to go!

[mackinac359]

I've made my own Ink Jet decals with BMF's paper. Not bad for dark text, but colors tend to look grainy, no light colors and no silver or white, so basically black, green, blue and brown. I never seem to get the BMF paper to lay flat at the edges, battling with it constantly. It is much easier to buy from the decal guys when I want the logo done right.

Tim

[Chariots of Fire]

I've done a few decals myself. In order to save expensive decal paper I first print out the image on a piece of white paper. Then I cut a piece of decal paper large enough to cover the image along with enough to tape it down on the white paper with cellophane tape. Then the whole thing goes back into the printer to be printed again on the decal sheet. You just have to make sure the edge of the tape is far enough away from where the image is so that the printing doesn't end up on the tape itself.