Clear, sharp license plates

[Randy Kern]

For as long as I've been making my own vanity type license plates, I've struggled to produce a sharp, clear plate when reduced to 1/25 scale. Thanks to MAMA club member Howard Weinstein and his photo-reducing article in the current MCM issue, I can see clearly now!

I get my Pa. license plates from the Acme License Maker site, and save them as a JPG file on my pc. I don't have any photoshop software, so I had been using Microsoft Picture Manager to re-size and edit the plates, but they always lost resolution sizing them down, and I was never happy with the results.

After reading Howard's article, it appears I have been using the wrong application, as Microsoft Word gives you excellent results. I followed his instructions, and the 1/25 scale license plates came out crystal clear.

As noted, you should still print them on photo paper (I use glossy), as it prints clearer than regular printer paper. I also just use an inexpensive HP Photosmart printer with superb results. Give it a try, as I think a personal license plate really adds that finishing touch to a street driven vehicle, or to add detail emblems as Howard did in the article.

Here is a sample I just made for my Murcielago.

Thanks again Howard, and I've got some license plates to re-make!

[Bridgebuster]

I saw that in the mag . . . neat. That's the way I've done a few and it works really well . . IF you have a good inkjet or color laser printer. Neat tag to put on it and nice looking lambo.

[karbuildr]

Great looking license plate. For the benefit of those of us that don't receive the magazine, would it be too much to ask how you did this?

[crazyjim]

Randy - you mentioned the current issue of MCM. Which issue would that be? I picked up the November 2009 issue just 2 weeks ago at my LHS. Tomorrow is February already.

The plate looks great and I'd like to try it out.

[Randy Kern]

Jim, it's in the December issue, #146. Yeah, it's a little late, but the content more than makes up for that.

Here again, this is just one small part of a build, but very satisfying once you get it right!

[midwest 1953]

The article in the December issue works well for resizeing and printing plates that you have, or can get..

Does anyone have a source or method for obtaining plates that aren't easily available?

In my instance, I would like 10-15 sets of Missouri truck plates, and trailer plates from 1975...

These are not the same as car plates, and are not available at Acme.

[crazyjim]

James, did you try blankplates.com?

[mr moto]

Here's a source for lots of other license plate images - virtually any year, any state, province and a few foreign plates. You'll need some other software if you want to personalize them but if you just need a standard randomly numbered plate, here they are!!

http://plateshack.com/

[mr moto]

The article in the December issue works well for resizeing and printing plates that you have, or can get..

Does anyone have a source or method for obtaining plates that aren't easily available?

In my instance, I would like 10-15 sets of Missouri truck plates, and trailer plates from 1975...

These are not the same as car plates, and are not available at Acme.

I think plateshack.com has those images also. Definitely check it out and see if they have what you're looking for.

[Janne Herajärvi]

Thank you for this tip. Now i know how you guys do them Here is examples of my plates. I used ACME to make them and then resized them in Microsoft Word. They look great even my printer is not best one. And it is fun to make them

[Lownslow]

couldnt find word but i got corel for free gonna try this with gauges

[Janne Herajärvi]

couldnt find word but i got corel for free gonna try this with gauges

You got laser printer? Those look really sharp.

[Lownslow]

You got laser printer? Those look really sharp.

Inkjet , thanks.

i originally didnt want to buy the printer but lasers were still out of my reach and the sales guy guaranteed there wasnt a sharper printer for the price ink costs are lower but still higher than kodak but at least the printhead doesnt Fail.

Edited February 15, 2010 by Lownslow

[shucky]

Guys, the plates look great! So is there some special way of reducing them in Word? I've never tried it in Word. Whats the technique?

[Jordan White]

I use Open Office Drawing, which is great for resizing the images and lining them all up for best fit.

[71drolds]

I CANT GET IT to show up in microsoft word. how do you import the image.

[crazyjim]

I believe you have to open a file and then import the .jpg file(s). I can look at the article in MCM tomorrow if you need. I've been using my graphics package to do custom plates.

[Jordan White]

Most of the time I have just been able to copy and paste the image into Word.

[diymirage]

I believe you have to open a file and then import the .jpg file(s). I can look at the article in MCM tomorrow if you need. I've been using my graphics package to do custom plates.

if you could put a quick synopsis or how to on here that would be cool

for those of us to dutch to go out and actually buy a copy

[crazyjim]

Here you go Diymirage. It's not word for word but I think I caught the major points from the article. Let me know how it works out.

Satisfy yourself with the large version of an image in high resloution jpg file. Open a blank Word document. At the top of the Word screen, click on "insert", which opens a box. in that box, click on "picture", which opens another box where you click on "from file" which pops open an "insert picture" window allowing you to choose from stored image files. Pick the image you want, click the "insert" box within that window, and the chosen image appears in the blank Word document. Right click on the image, which opens a box where you click on "format picture". That opens a new window where you go to the top and click "size", that allows precise re-sizing of an image without a reduction in nresolution.

Test print on plain paper.

If the image looks good and the size correct, you can duplicate the image as many times as you want on that page by right clicking on the picture and copying it.

Printing on glossy photo paper at the maximum quality setting yeilds amazingly sharp detail - superior to decal paper.