nmertes Posted April 8, 2019 Report Posted April 8, 2019 Some years ago Aeromaster & Microscale produced letter & number decal sheets. Does anybody know if those are still in production or if another company is doing something similar?
Ralph Nardone Posted April 8, 2019 Report Posted April 8, 2019 I recently bought Woodlands Scenics dry-transfer letters and numbers: https://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/show/category/DecalsGraphics You can apply these to clear decal film--if, say, you're making an aircraft serial number or some other string of characters. Once you have the dry transfers applied, cut the resulting decal out and apply it as usual.
ghodges Posted April 8, 2019 Report Posted April 8, 2019 I can second Ralph's recommendation for the Woodland Scenics dry transfer lettering. Look for them in the model railroading section of the hobby store. In addition to making "decals" out of them as Ralph suggested, you can use them as masks to paint the markings on. First, paint the color for the letter or number, then rub on the dry transfer over it after the paint has dried. The hard part (for most) is getting the dry transfer(s) on EXACTLY straight and even; especially if there are several close together. (just takes some practice). Now, finish painting the model as usual. Once that's done, you can use some Scotch tape to peel up the dry transfers to reveal the painted letters and numbers. GIL
nmertes Posted April 9, 2019 Author Report Posted April 9, 2019 Thanks for the recommendation Ralph & Gil. I'll look into them.
Spruemeister Posted April 12, 2019 Report Posted April 12, 2019 As far as using the Woodland Scenics dry transfer lettering as a mask, I can add that this is now problematic. The letter sheet has some sort of adhesive applied to it to apparently to keep the backing sheet in place until you decide to remove it. This adhesive must have some pressure sensitivity properties, whether intended or not, and it more or less makes the application of the letter to a surface permanent. I experimented with WS US 45 degree letters as a mask and I could not get the letters off the surface again. Even attempted to use a hobby knife point to encourage the process, and failed miserably. So be forewarned, it may not work for you. Test first. It used to be a neat and easy way to mask for letters without the clear decal film being an issue on natural metal paint schemes. I do not have any experience with any other manufacturer of dry transfers. Rick L.
noelsmith Posted July 14, 2019 Report Posted July 14, 2019 Rick, Dry transfer sheets are rub down transfers. The backing sheet is for protection only. They are designed to transfer individual letters of numbers onto another surface after alignment and pressure applied with a stylus to the front of the sheet. They can be applied to clear decal sheet, after which they can be used as waterside transfers (decals) that we are all used to when cut out. Hope this helps.
ghodges Posted July 14, 2019 Report Posted July 14, 2019 In my experience, the Woodland Scenics do have a heavier or "better" adhesive that makes it tough to remove them if you use them as masks. That makes sense since they're designed to be a decal (marking) permanently applied. Age can weaken that adhesive though, some some of their items do work as masks, though I'm not sure how you'd tell how old a particular sheet is. Architectural dry transfer lettering, on the other hand, seems to work better as masking. I believe that's because the adhesive is weaker (being designed to be applied to paper) and they can usually be pulled up with a strip of tape. There are a LOT of fonts available, but you need to have a very good and well stocked store with architecture supplies nearby. A large university book store is usually the ticket for those! GIL
Wolfman63 Posted July 18, 2019 Report Posted July 18, 2019 I do not know of any waterslide decals for generic numbers and letters. I do have about10 sheets of the microscale sets. I have white, dark blue, black, and brown letters. I have scanned in the colored ones so I can make my own. As soon as I can get the white toner ink I plan on printing a few sets of the white letters. The sheets have many different sized letters for many scales.
Nick Filippone Posted July 19, 2019 Report Posted July 19, 2019 What exactly do you need the letters and numbers for? There are actually a lot of letter and number sheets available but the style or font, if you will, varies. RAF differs from U.S. for example. British aircraft civil codes have a different style than military. Nick Filippone '
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