misterNNL Posted May 22, 2019 Share Posted May 22, 2019 (edited) I just completed a scratch built 1947 travel trailer and want to add an accurate license plate as a final detail. I have a real '47 Ohio trailer license plate in my collection and would like to photograph it for that purpose. I do not have the computer skills to manipulate it to the correct size. I seem to remember seeing a hint several years ago for producing a 1/25 size plate by fastening it to a wall then taking a picture from a specific distance then having a print made. Any suggestions? The trailer I built is a '47 Great Western Deluxe 16'. Anyone interested in seeing it can PM me their email address and I'll send you some pix. Thanks in advance. Edited May 22, 2019 by misterNNL Forgotten details Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89AKurt Posted May 22, 2019 Share Posted May 22, 2019 I've taken a license plate to the place I get copies all the time, they laid on the copier/scanner, then used PhotoShop to reduce to size. I have them do exactly 1/2" wide, and then make some 5% larger, and more 5% smaller just to be safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misterNNL Posted May 22, 2019 Author Share Posted May 22, 2019 Sounds like I need to pay a visit to the UPS store again. Thanks Kurt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodent Posted May 22, 2019 Share Posted May 22, 2019 That might be the easiest way for you. Pay a millennial to do it for you. I shot a photo of my neighbor's rear plate straight on. I made a copy, and used Paint to fill in the registration stickers on the copy. I then used Snipping tool in Windoze to cut the plate images from the larger photo and pasted them into Word. As Kurt said, US, Canadian, and Mexican plates should be right about 1/2 inch wide, and Word has a built-in ruler. I then printed them on photo paper. I have a pretty nice Canon printer / scanner at work. Better than the HP I have at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteski Posted May 23, 2019 Share Posted May 23, 2019 LOL, that sure brings back some memories. Back before digital cameras, when I was using my 35mm Nikon SLR, I figured out what distance (with specific lens) I had to be from the plate to get the correctly sized plates on a 4 x6 photo. I did that for all the popular scales from 1:8 to 1:43. It was not 100% perfect (becuase of the way the lab set up their enlargers), but it was close. I still have bunch of 4 x 6 photos with those plates, ready for use. But nowadays, computers make this task so much easier, more accurate, and repeatable. Here is one of those photo-reduced license plates with a Detail Master photoetched frame.(in 1:43 scale). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigTallDad Posted May 23, 2019 Share Posted May 23, 2019 I use MS Paint...it comes free with every copy of Windows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy124 Posted May 23, 2019 Share Posted May 23, 2019 (edited) 6 hours ago, BigTallDad said: I use MS Paint...it comes free with every copy of Windows. So do I, but there's limits to that. If the source image is quite big and the required size only a few millimetres, you will end up with something unrecognizable. But I agree that it will work for license plates. Edited May 23, 2019 by Tommy124 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted May 23, 2019 Share Posted May 23, 2019 I can start with a photo I took with my phone, an eBay image, or one from the Acme plate maker. I clean up and crop in a free program called Irfanview, then set it up for printing in Microsoft Word. I may have to do some different size reductions until I get an image that fits into a Model Car Garage photo etched frame. Then I’ll print several copies on 60 lb card stock off my Canon inkjet. Tom, if you can take a clear straight on photo of the plate, email it to me and I’ll be happy to make the plates for you. You can also scan the plate if you have a flat scanner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misterNNL Posted May 24, 2019 Author Share Posted May 24, 2019 I spent a whole $ 1.27 at the UPS store today and in 15 minutes later I had the perfect '47 trailer license plate in 1/25 scale. Could not be easier. Thanks to everyone for their help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigTallDad Posted May 24, 2019 Share Posted May 24, 2019 2 hours ago, misterNNL said: I spent a whole $ 1.27 at the UPS store today and in 15 minutes later I had the perfect '47 trailer license plate in 1/25 scale. Could not be easier. Thanks to everyone for their help. Aww, c'mon...show us a picture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misterNNL Posted May 24, 2019 Author Share Posted May 24, 2019 I don't know how to post to the forums or trust me I'd be all over it. I'll gladly email you photo if you PM me your email address. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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