I've been experimenting a lot of new stuff with my laser for this steel caboose. I wanted to show the finish product, but since I've been stuck for the last 2 weeks, I've decided to get some help. I think my Corel file is mostly 98% finish but I'm stuck with decals search and white decals lettering tests. I was able to find the real prototype drawing but there is no good pics or drawing were I can see what is written on the sidings, mostly looking for the black square with white text in it. Plus I've acquire a few cyclopedia's at big bucks, but I've been pretty left deceived by those, not really good for model making, the net has more info. If anyone has suggestions for the white decals on red background technique, and were to find more info on the real lettering, please give away. Here's the pics; http://zcentralstation.com/modules/xcgal/albums/userpics/10314/cn_caboose1.jpg http://zcentralstation.com/modules/xcgal/albums/userpics/10314/cn_caboose2.jpg http://zcentralstation.com/modules/xcgal/albums/userpics/10314/cn_caboose3.jpg Ben
Hello Ben, Check out this site, might have what you are looking for. http://http://stewart.railfan.net/rail/cabcn.htm
What are you using to print the decals with? An Alps printer? If not, I would recommend either snapping up an Alps printer off ebay and as many white ribbons as you can get. I found that I can rewind my white ribbons and print 3 passes to get extra life out of them. The Alps have been out of production for over 7 years, and support is ending in March. Supplies are drying up too. I tried to buy some ribbons from Big Buys, and they calle me back and said they would sell me 5 if I bought 6 of the other colors to reduce stock of the colors that don't sell, so I bought 3 yellow and 3 gold just to get the whites. I found another guy selling them on ebay, but he is awaiting his final order still. I have 8 more on backorder from somewhere else. Alps ribbons are worth their weight in Gold Plated Latinum these days. The other solution is a brand new deal, where you buy 2 Okidata C5200N laser printers, and a set of 4 white toner cartridges, and 4 white drums, then make the first printer an all white printer. The second printer gets made a regular CYMK printer. As the paper is ejected the front of the first printer with the white layer printed, it is fed into the second printer and gets a color layer. Tom Baker is heading that project up, and there is a yahoo group for it now. I don't know about Z Scale resolutions though. So what do I do? I print in spot color mode, and overlay several layers to get decals off the Alps. What is that black square with white writing? It's a Lube Plate, showing what kind of lubricants are used on the car, and dated last lubbed: This is a sample lube plate I include for Z Scale decals. You can't read it on the model, but it represents the stencil on the models.
Thanks Robert for the lube plate information, I didn't know what it was called or it's purpose, now I know. Regarding the Alps, I knew and was aware of its capabilities, but buying one was out of my priorities, especially because of the rarity you were just talking about, I was doing some searching on ebay since last year, and I think I'll wait for other white ink solutions. I was looking more for new tips and tricks with the white decals paper. I've tried scanning my red surface and insert the white CN logo over it, but my printout from Corel to the printer does not mach the colors from reality. Ben
If you use white decal paper, for a lube plate, couldn't you just print the black portion on the white paper leaving the white area blank? Don't know what kind of resolution that gives though. Never done it myself. Randy
works kind of OK, I have tried it for loco road No - have a look here: http://www.railimages.com/albums/chriskaminski/aae.jpg this was done using bog standard inkjet printer, but you are still left with white edges that you will have to mask/paint over I know it is poor substitute and would prefer Alps, but can't justify it :-( Chris
If you use a straight edge and sharp exacto, you can cut right around the black box, leaving just enough white to frame the box. Might not even need to use a straight edge because the box is so small.
Well! The lube plate issue was more to get what was written in it, not the decals, because I already did a square lube plate on my CP caboose and the white decals paper works great! My issues are more related with the CN white logo on top of a red color, color that I am fighting to get a mach with my sidings paint. Like I was saying, I've tried a technique of scanning directly the colored wooden siding of the caboose, and incorporate the white logo on top, but it does not mach the real color once it is printed on the decal paper, I'll read more on the Corel part to see if there is a screen color adjustment or something similar to try. Because trying to capture the same red color from reality is really hard, black is fairly easy though. Ben
How good are you with an exacto knife? Perhaps if you could print the pattern for the CN and and just trim off everything but the white. I don't know if my hand would be steady enough to do this, but it might be worth a try. Did you strike out on using HO or N decals? The caboose looks awesome, by the way. Randy
Hi Randy I would say that an X-acto is out of the question here, since there are other white lettering besides the CN logo that goes on the caboose, like the cab number, and all kind of other white stuff, but your also right, when it can be cut, an x-acto is a nice solution, like what I did with my pacman logo on my other CP caboose, I had drawn a really tiny black line around the white and had follow it using small scissors. HO or N decals? Well, they wouldn’t fit on a CN z-scale caboose for sure, which by the way I don't think that there ever had any steel CN caboose produce anywhere. And I’m trying to reproduce this one with all prototype specs. Thanks for your suggestions and comments! Ben
Here's another idea to try: Use your laser set to a low power level that just cuts the film on the decal paper to make the wet noodle, then use another color (laser speed/power profile) for the power that cuts all the way through the paper to make a small sheet of say 3 wet noodles. Then set the small sheet on a wer paper towel, and use tweexers to pull it off the sheet and apply to the car side! I have been doing this to trim around my decals to make them easier to apply.
Ok I'll try just that, I did not know if the borders would have become a little dark after being cut on a laser, that's why I never tried this technique before. For the other white numbers I'll use a red background, at that size the demarcation should not be to obvious, but at least the CN letters will be seams free. Thanks Robert for this nice trick! Ben
After you laser the decal sheet, gently wipe the top of the decal with a piece of moistened paper towel to get rid of any smoke deposit.
Decal Plotter I see, in the future, if no one comes out with any other type of printers that print white, for a fair price, then the only options will be getting an old used ALPS or perhaps investing in a small plotter that the sign making industry uses to cut vinyl adhesive sheets to make banners and such! In the case of the CN wet noodle, this would work great. Plotter would cut thru the decal film, but not thru the paper. Wet it and just remove the decals you need! Throw the rest in the trash! Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! Hobo Tim
[FONT="]Well, yes and no, Roland as a plotter that prints in white, the Soljet SC-545EX here’s the link http://www.rolanddga.com/color/products/inks/white/default.asp?menu=OVERVIEW&nxt=1 Ok, the Soljet goes for about $30k, and yes, it is pretty much out of my league, but I'm also searching for any graphics Co service that could have this plotter and offer a good price if I bring my Corel files to them. I know that in [/FONT][FONT="]Toronto[/FONT][FONT="] those kind of Co are everywhere, I’ll have to work hard to find one in [/FONT][FONT="]Montreal[/FONT][FONT="]. Ben [/FONT]
Funny those Model Rocket guys seem to have a bunch of ALPs. Don't those rockets just go up in the air and blow up to waste all the color ribbons? Wouldn't it be easier to just set cash on fire! ; )
Good idea on the laser for cutting Robert. I had completely forgotten that Ben had one (even though that's how he did this caboose). As far as HO and N decals, you basically have to go to a hobby shop that has a nice selection and sort through them by hand to see if anything from other sets is the correct size for using in Z scale. You might end up with rolling stock decals to use on a loco or who know's what. Doesn't always work, especially if not a whole lot of decals are available at all for the road name you are looking for. Randy
