Decals from Testors

[Gilles C]

Yesterday, I bought this kit in preparation for a new box I want to build.

http://www.testors.com/catalog_item.asp?itemNbr=2255

The program included with the kit seems interesting, be I still have to use it for real to be sure.

I also found this booth wich could be built for a cheaper price...


http://www.testors.com/tes_cds/catalog_tech_rpt/Spray%20Booth.pdf

[audioguy]

That booth is a cool idea.. pretty simple looking too! I might have to give that a try.

Audioguy

[toneman]

Very interesting link!!

Thanx!!!

Bet it's similar 2 DynaArt paper or LazerTran paper.
Both give directions for making "waer slide" decals.
both are escentially a plastic coated paper.

I have some of both along with
the black t-shirt iron on stuff.
Just haven't had the time to practice on my old
old old Anderton boxes.
Was originally trying to may front panels for my MOTM
without painting or silkscreening.
Paint must be a 2-part epoxy so the silk-screen
ink can be removed if there's a mistake or smear.
the ss-ink is laquer-based.
if i'd use T-shirt water-based ink, then i coul use normal
laquer-in-a-can paint.   Can't buy laquer in larger sizes
here in Sacramento(CA).  But, can but laquer TNINNER
and Acetone at any HomeDepot.
Weird huh!?!
I'm going 2 look for the Testors stuff...
thanx again!!
tone

[Gilles C]

I found out that the program they give with the kit doesn't permit to import or make new decals, only use those furnished with the program.

But it's only $9.95 for the updated version that permits that. I'll see if it's worth it.

I saw so many nice looking boxes lately on this forum that it gave me the motivation to begin a new series of nicely decorated boxes...

Flames for a hot box, a supernova for the SuperNova, etc...

I wonder what I could use for a simple buffered ABY box I am working on???

Oh, and the only thing I didn't like when I built my original AB Switch Box is the thickness of the decal I used.

http://www.finitesite.com/gtechblues/photos/SWpict.gif

So that's why I decided to try to use a decal softener for the next one.

[Marcus Dahl]

Yesterday, I bought this kit in preparation for a new box I want to build.

http://www.testors.com/catalog_item.asp?itemNbr=2255

The program included with the kit seems interesting, be I still have to use it for real to be sure.

I also found this booth wich could be built for a cheaper price...


http://www.testors.com/tes_cds/catalog_tech_rpt/Spray%20Booth.pdf

I've started getting used to the water slide decals. They tend to work well.

The paint booth is a good idea. Maybe a Lazy Susan would work well in there too.

[gez]

I've started getting used to the water slide decals. They tend to work well.

Haven't used them yet, but how do you ensure you don't get air bubbles?  I saw a picture of a boutique pedal in a guitar mag a few months ago and noticed little pockets.  Also, I replaced the decal on my Jazzmaster many years ago and got slight bubbling then.

Does this just come with the territory or is there a way round it?

[mikeb]

Hmmm .... my brother has been making display-class models for years, I should pick his brains about the bubbling with decals ......

Mike

[Torchy]

Ive made scale models since I was 12 ... Humbrol make something called "Decal Cote", comes in 2 flavours.

DecalCote1 is applied to the box (or model) surface just before you apply the decal. This helps the air bubbles escape and lets you position the decal.
DecalCote2 is applied over the top of the decal to stop crinkling as it dries and makes it follow the contours.

Tamiya make their own products but the Humbrol seems to work better. Try model shops, there are a few of these products now. Oh, and they work well with headstock logos  :wink:

[gez]

Thanks Torchy, I'll have to mess about with this.

[Lonestarjohnny]

Thank's Gilles,
checked it out and got some good idea's from your post,
Johnny

[Gilles C]

Cool  

Btw, one thing I saw in the instructions and tried before when I used water decals like these, but another brand, is to add soap to the water to help position it and not get air bubbles.

The paint booth is a good idea. Maybe a Lazy Susan would work well in there too.

I like the idea of using a Lady Suzan...

I haven't tried my airbrush yet, but that is an idea I will put to use when I do.

[Adam Shame]

I bought some stuff like that off Ebay once.  It is laying around somewhere.  I used it for headstock decals, and it worked really well.  A trick a guy at the hobby shop told me is to put some white glue in with the water.

[Paul Marossy]

When I was building plastic models a lot, I got pretty good at those water based decals. My trick to get out the air bubbles used to be to make sure the decal was wet anough to slide around a little bit, but no too wet so that the adhesive was messed up. Then, after applying the decal, I would get a wet q-tip and roll out the bubbles. I usually got a very bubble free decal that looked great using this method. A lot also depends on the quality of the decals, too.

Here is a few pictures of some race car models that I have built that are packed with decals:
http://www.diyguitarist.com/Models/Porsche956.jpg
http://www.diyguitarist.com/Models/BMW_BT50.jpg
http://www.diyguitarist.com/Models/HondaFormula1.jpg
You can't really see the decals up that close, but I can assure that there are virtually no air bubbles in any of those decals. I built these models about 15 or more years ago.

[Marcus Dahl]

I've started getting used to the water slide decals. They tend to work well.

Haven't used them yet, but how do you ensure you don't get air bubbles?  I saw a picture of a boutique pedal in a guitar mag a few months ago and noticed little pockets.  Also, I replaced the decal on my Jazzmaster many years ago and got slight bubbling then.

Does this just come with the territory or is there a way round it?

Well, what I'v been doing is wetting the airea that I'm going to apply the decal too. then I take a small paint brush and paoer towel to to it. The paper towel is for the excess water and the small paint brush is for the air bubbles....

[Marcus Dahl]

Cool  

The paint booth is a good idea. Maybe a Lazy Susan would work well in there too.

I like the idea of using a Lady Suzan...

I haven't tried my airbrush yet, but that is an idea I will put to use when I do.

A Lady Susan? Isn't that a book title. Which airbrush model did you get? You should like it a lot...

http://www.stacksandstacks.com/html/product18_0.htm
http://www.lowes.com/lkn?action=howTo&p=Build/lazysusan.html&rn=RightNavFiles/rightNavHowTo

[Gilles C]

[A Lady Susan? Isn't that a book title. Which airbrush model did you get? You should like it a lot...

http://www.stacksandstacks.com/html/product18_0.htm
http://www.lowes.com/lkn?action=howTo&p=Build/lazysusan.html&rn=RightNavFiles/rightNavHowTo

Hey, that last link for the Lady Suzan remindered me where to get that stuff. I'll check that this week.

My airbrush? A cheap single action I bought just to make sure it would fill my needs before I invest in a better one.

A friend of mine found it hard to control his double action airbrush, so I played it safe.  :?

And I got a compressor only a few weeks ago. I tried it with a can of propellant just for a few tests. So now, what was missing is a new project.

Cheers,  

Gilles

[Paul Marossy]

Yeah, I could see that for smoothing out air bubbles, a small paintbrush would work very well, too.

[Marcus Dahl]

[A Lady Susan? Isn't that a book title. Which airbrush model did you get? You should like it a lot...

http://www.stacksandstacks.com/html/product18_0.htm
http://www.lowes.com/lkn?action=howTo&p=Build/lazysusan.html&rn=RightNavFiles/rightNavHowTo

Hey, that last link for the Lady Suzan remindered me where to get that stuff. I'll check that this week.

My airbrush? A cheap single action I bought just to make sure it would fill my needs before I invest in a better one.

A friend of mine found it hard to control his double action airbrush, so I played it safe.  :?

And I got a compressor only a few weeks ago. I tried it with a can of propellant just for a few tests. So now, what was missing is a new project.

Cheers,  

Gilles

I thought that I would get 2 more of the el cheapo Testor plastic airbrushes before I got a realy good one. I've always been partiafl to Badger for the double action deal. YOu've really got to play with 'em before you get the action where you want. Did you get the blue Testors air compressor?

[Gilles C]

I thought that I would get 2 more of the el cheapo Testor plastic airbrushes before I got a realy good one. I've always been partiafl to Badger for the double action deal. YOu've really got to play with 'em before you get the action where you want. Did you get the blue Testors air compressor?

No, It's a compressor that was used in some old equipment. A bit noisy for home use compared to Testors and the likes. But I got it free...

But I'm not sure I will be able to use it inside anyway, so I'll see. (Life in a comdominium has its disadvantages...)

It is fixed on top of an air tank, so it will not be running all the time.

My friend has a Badger, if I remember well. I had Paashe in mind as my next real airbrush, but I think my friend told me Badger were easier to clean, or something like that. I'm not sure. I'll ask him again.

The airbrush I have is about the same as the plastic one from Testors that you're talking about. Easy to use. Easy to clean.

Just thinking. There should be a place where people could exibit their boxes. No technical things. Only some show-off... And only guitar effects.

But all the photos at the same place, with details like who did it, etc...

Photo-bucket could be a place to start with.

Gilles

[brett]

One trick for getting rid of air bibbles is to put a little vinegar on the box and decal.  I *think* it works by drying to a very viscous liquid.

Also, when using decals, I let most of the adhesive on the back wash off in the water.  Excessive adhesive seems to leave a weak layer when you paint over the decal, and chipping and scratching occurs (in my experience).

cheers