Badges and tire lettering - there has to be a better way.

[foxbat426]

I mean seriously why do the manufacturers even put this small lettering in their molds to show up on the bodys and tires. I have a pretty steady hand and can get some badges and tire lettering painted, but the lettering that comes on the tires with this Monogram 69 GTO are small. There has got to be a better way.

[Brizio]

Probably because it they don't put them, somebody will complaint that there is no lettering...

[slusher]

l have used a small piece of chalk to highlite the smaller letters. lf you mess up wipe off try again...Slusher

[cobraman]

Have you tried the Bare Metal Foil method for the badges ? It works pretty good. It has been metioned here a few times and most guys have good sucess with it.

[foxbat426]

i thought about the chalk method - one problem i see is it won't get real bright like paint. also do you seal it with future once you have it right??

I haven't tried the bare metal foil method for the badges. I have tried removing paint from badges though and letting the white plastic show through and I have to say that you can mess up your paint job pretty quick with this method with one slip up.

[Guest]

There is a better way... decals.

[brad4321]

I shave/sand them off, use decals, and cover in dullcote. Looks awessome.

[Art Anderson]

It's been a decades long fight for me (and others!) to get model companies in the US to tool the lettering, even badges "taller" to allow for painting, but with spotty success. Come on, Revell, AMT (and even Moebius--where I do have some limited influence!), the vast majority of today's model car builders PAINT their cars, and if you do scripts and badges exactly in scale depth, they vanish under even airbrushed paint! So, how about it, folks?

Art

[Guest]

I wish the kit companies would just leave off the badges and provide photo etch. To me, it would make a kit worth an extra five bucks or more. Kit companies should be able to mass produce photo etch fairly cheap. They wouldn't need to provide every single different badge like we buy from MCG. Just the basic body badging would be fine by me.

[Junkman]

For the raised white letters on tyres, I use Humbrol Matt White (stirred, not shaken) and my fingertip.

[jerseyjunker1]

nothing on the letters. would just like to know what the name foxbat426 stands for. the reason i ask is that while displaying my junkyard diorama at the fathers day rod run at horseshoe lake in succasunna nj on june 17th 2012 a guy taking o bunch of pictures handed me a buisiness card and told me to check out his website.the card is black with some kind of space ship logo and the name FOXBAT008 i am just curious since you have the same thing going on.

Manny

[jbwelda]

[peekay]

The BMF Under Paint method for badges and scripts works great. As described elsewhere, first BMF, then primer, then color, then polish the paint from the raised script/badge.

Trim the BMF as closely to the basic outline of the your script as you can without going crazy with it. A stretched out word like

F O R D will look better if you use a seperate piece of foil for each letter and trim individually but you DON'T have to cut out the "holes". For a word like Cadillac, one piece trimmed to the basic shape will work fine.

After paint is dry YOU NEED TO MASK the area surrounding the script before you start polishing or you will scratch and stain the paint! I do this with strips of BMF up real close to the script and, if necessary, masking tape beyond that. I start polishing with a small piece of 6000 sanding cloth, working carefully without too much pressure until the lettering is exposed. Easy does it - you don't want to go through the BMF. I then switch to a soft cloth dampened with Novus 2 polish (Tamiya Finishing would also work) and finish with a dry cloth.

At this stage there will be a black sludge in the recesses of the script/badge. I clean this away carefully with toothpaste and a soft toothbrush. (A word of warning - this sludge can stain matt or semi-gloss paint).

This method works especially well on fine scripts and I even prefer it to PE. Some larger badges are still better foiled the regular way, after paint.

[Agent G]

peekay,

Would this method work with just a corser polishing compound instead of sand paper? I really cringe when I think of actually sanding the paint off even with a high grit like 6000.

I like the comfort zone ya know.

G

[Harry P.]

peekay,

Would this method work with just a corser polishing compound instead of sand paper? I really cringe when I think of actually sanding the paint off even with a high grit like 6000.

I like the comfort zone ya know.

G

Yes.

[peekay]

peekay,

Would this method work with just a corser polishing compound instead of sand paper? I really cringe when I think of actually sanding the paint off even with a high grit like 6000.

I like the comfort zone ya know.

G

Note that I said sanding CLOTH - I use Micro Mesh and I use it dry and go lightly. I find I have more control and less mess but yes, a coarse polish works too.

(Poetry unintentional)

Either way, masking very close to the script is important. I use BMF to mask because tape is often nearly as thick as the script itself.

[Bartster]

For the white letters on tires, try white pastel sticks (think art supplies). Trial & error til you get it right. Then clear coat whatever sheen you prefer for your tires. Pastel sticks better than chalk. Bart.

[vintagestang]

Why can't they do the tires like real tires? Put white rubber or vinyl for the letters on one side and leave the other side black letters.

[Guest]

For tire lettering I use a white gel pen.

[Agent G]

Note that I said sanding CLOTH - I use Micro Mesh and I use it dry and go lightly. I find I have more control and less mess but yes, a coarse polish works too.

(Poetry unintentional)

Either way, masking very close to the script is important. I use BMF to mask because tape is often nearly as thick as the script itself.

Gotcha!

Thank you sir!

You too Harry.

G

Edited June 20, 2012 by Agent G

[jamesG]

Probably because it they don't put them, somebody will complaint that there is no lettering...

I resemble that remark maybe a white china pincel would work? couldn't clear it though as they are wax or grease. just something that poped into my head as Iwas reading the thread.

[foxbat426]

Great information - all of it! I will try the pastel sticks for the tire lettering as the chaulk works nice, but it's too light.

On the badge for this GTO i'm doing - This is my third build. What i did was sprayed with flat enamel right over the GTO badge on either side of the car. My intentions were to deal with it with silver paint after i clear coated, but the badges started to disappear more and more with each coat. what i did was masked the badge off and lightly sanded away the flat enamel paint over the badges. i used a very fine sandpaper and lo and behold the badges are popping through beautifully flat with the paint.

The only problem is they'll be white on this build as I didn't use the BMF underneath - thats ok with me as I'm learning a ton here. the white should look fine under the clear. Next i'm going to clear coat the Goat!

Thx