Custom Waterslide Decals

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Kruegon

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Is there anywhere left where I can order custom or OOP Waterslide decals? I'm building a lot of OOP clones and upscales.
 
Excelsior Rocketry.

Just be sure to follow the instructions and apply a clear coat (e.g. Liquid Decal Film) before application. Gordy has tons of old decal sets for Estes, Centuri, and others. Highly recommended.
 
Excelsior Rocketry.

Just be sure to follow the instructions and apply a clear coat (e.g. Liquid Decal Film) before application. Gordy has tons of old decal sets for Estes, Centuri, and others. Highly recommended.

+1 on Excelsior. Just about everything that I've done that wasn't a kit has used his decals. He's even made decals to my specifications for scratch build projects. There's lots of flexibility, as long as the artwork fits within the limits of his printer.
 
Thanks guys. I usually have scans before I ask for decals. I can also create my own designs in Photoshop before sending them. I always try to make it as easy as I can on anything I ask of others. Even when I'm paying them to do it lol.
 
In my recent emails w/Gord, he's written me the following:

Due to printer issues I no longer do custom decals.

And after reading that he's got a printer back up again, I asked again and got this:

I'm still not taking custom orders at this time.

Gord
 
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Well dang. What about stock Estes decals for OOP kits?

If your already designing our own decals why don't you inkjet print them. The only issue is printing white which can't be done on an inkjet but there are ARE both Clear and White Background inkjet decal sheets available for Micro-Mark (Highly recommended) or several other vendors I can't recall the names of at the moment.

I've been making my own decals for decades. Back in the BC (before computers:)) we made water slide decals by oil base painting on water glue paper packing tape. A bit later I learned to make REAL decals using the Silk Screen process (expensive, envolved and Messy). I have an Alps but like just about everyone's it has it's issues, Now with the exception of white decals I've all but retired the Alps for my epson inkjet using 8.5 x 11 clear and white background waterslide decal sheets from Micro-Mark. the trick is to overcoat the freshly printed sheets with Krylon #1306 Workable fixatif, when dry (overnight) add a second finish coat of Krylon 1305 UV Resistant clear.
While all these Ink-jet decals are NOT nearly as opaque as silkscreened decals but they have been proven just as durable.

Hope this helps a little. If you'd like a bit more detail check out Tech-Tip 016_Making Decals in the library section of www.narhams.org
 
If your already designing our own decals why don't you inkjet print them.
Or laser print them, if you have access to such a printer. (Two of the four links in my previous post are for laser decal stock.) It's largely the same as for inkjet - can't print white, white and clear stock available. I don't have the experience to know about the fixatives; in general laser printed material doesn't need that as much as inkjet printing. (It's in the name: INKjet.) My laser printer developed trouble right after I got the stuff, so I haven't been able to try it. My guess would be that the first fixative isn't necessary, just clearcoat the rocket after application, the same as you would with commercially made decals.
 
It's definitely something to look into. I guess for one I'll need to compare costs first and see if the end it's worth the paper, ink and screw up factor to do my own.
 
You might try TangoPapa Decals as well:

https://www.tangopapadecals.com/decals.htm

I believe that they, as well as Excelsior, have been hurt by the orphaned and aging ALPS printer technology but they might have something your need.

Tom Prestia - Owner
Address
1901 Mitman Road, Easton, PA 18040
Telephone
484-767-8731 (10am - 6pm EST)
E- mail
[email protected]


I dipped my toe into the DIY decal world with Testors decal bonder spray and decal paper. A little trial and error produced acceptable results on my HP inkjet. The main selling point is I can get it locally at Hobby Lobby.

testors decal bonder.jpg testors decal paper a.jpg
 
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You might try TangoPapa Decals as well:

https://www.tangopapadecals.com/decals.htm

I believe that they, as well as Excelcior, have been hurt by the orphaned and aging ALPS printer technology but they might have something your need.

Tom Prestia - Owner
Address
1901 Mitman Road, Easton, PA 18040
Telephone
484-767-8731 (10am - 6pm EST)
E- mail
[email protected]


I dipped my toe into the DIY decal world with Testors decal bonder spray and decal paper. A little trial and error produced acceptable results on my HP inkjet. The main selling point is I can get it locally at Hobby Lobby.

View attachment 263161


I picked up a can also thinking perhaps Testors had gotten smarter at least one of their Clear Coats....Alas NOPE! This stuff like all their clears contain 0% UV inhibitors. This omission makes them yellow badly in a very short amount of time when exposed indoors or out to any UV light source (fluroescent Lamps or the sun).
 
For those who worry about the cost of ink, if you have a compatible printer a Continous Ink System is the way to fly, it cost my father in law $78 for the ink tanks and enough ink for two fills (each color fill is 100ml). I, my father, and my father-in-law all use them with no issues, Available from https://cisinks.com/
 
Regarding using decal paper in color laser printers, what I've read sounds potentially risky, with paper melting to the fuser and ruining the printer. Does anyone have any insight on that? We've got a nice, new color laser printer here, but I'm reluctant to use it for this...
 
So where is everyone getting the files to print the decals from, mainly I'm looking for the Estes rockets I like to clone. I have managed a few but is there a source or files people are willing to share?
 
I picked up a can also thinking perhaps Testors had gotten smarter at least one of their Clear Coats....Alas NOPE! This stuff like all their clears contain 0% UV inhibitors. This omission makes them yellow badly in a very short amount of time when exposed indoors or out to any UV light source (fluroescent Lamps or the sun).

I agree that the Testors contains no UV inhibitors. I can only put in evidence one of my first attempts using it on a 2007 Skydart clone which was a regular flyer at every calm launch until 2013. To my eyes the decals appear to have held up rather well; divine intervention or dumb luck ! :) I've since learned about better papers and coatings here but I still maintain that for a local source it produces reasonable results for me for not alot of scratch.

2007:
skydart 2007.jpg

2015:
004.jpg005.jpg
 
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I picked up a can also thinking perhaps Testors had gotten smarter at least one of their Clear Coats....Alas NOPE! This stuff like all their clears contain 0% UV inhibitors. This omission makes them yellow badly in a very short amount of time when exposed indoors or out to any UV light source (fluroescent Lamps or the sun).

I wonder if some of the enamel clear coat paints have UV protection? Usually after my decals have dried I'll spray the entire rocket with a few coats of clear coat to protect everything to some degree.
 
I wonder if some of the enamel clear coat paints have UV protection? Usually after my decals have dried I'll spray the entire rocket with a few coats of clear coat to protect everything to some degree.

The only rattle can clears that have UV inhibitors are labled UV resistiant or similar. Krylon 1305 Gloss UV resistant clear and Krylon 1309 Matte UV resistant clears are Excellent. I've personally had Direct southern Sunlight exposure test pieces with these products ongoing since 2010. To date none of the test panels or tubes show the slightest yellowing ting.
There are a couple other manufacturers producing UV clears now, I haven't used them so can't suggest or recommend at this time.
Further I do not recommend the use of ANY Rattle Can Clear coating on any model rocket as a protective finish...they are NOT.

PS: Adding any rattle can clear coat to your models is NOT a protective layer. Rattle can clears like CA become very brittle as they harden. Handleing bumps and landings will crack and chip the coatings which will lift parts of your decals along with it. Pledge with Future is by far a better way to really put a protective coating on you rockets. Better then any rattle can clear would be any decent coat of auto wax or NU-Finish polymer.
hope this helps.
 
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Regarding using decal paper in color laser printers, what I've read sounds potentially risky, with paper melting to the fuser and ruining the printer. Does anyone have any insight on that? We've got a nice, new color laser printer here, but I'm reluctant to use it for this...

I've run laser decal paper through the office color laser printer (Ricoh MPC403) with no issues.

Chris
 
Regarding using decal paper in color laser printers, what I've read sounds potentially risky, with paper melting to the fuser and ruining the printer. Does anyone have any insight on that? We've got a nice, new color laser printer here, but I'm reluctant to use it for this...

I'm interested in this too. I want to get a laser printer, for a variety of reasons, but being able to print water-safe decals would be great. I have had some issues using inkjet printing and overcoating, from time to time. Would prefer a process where there is no risk of the ink bleeding. Fliskits decals are generally laser printed and look fantastic.

I'm not willing to risk messing up the laser printer we use at work (we are allowed to use the printer for occasional small personal things, but doing anything risky would be unethical).

Marc
 
I've run one sheet successfully (not for rockets) before the printer developed unrelated problems. There are different sheets sold for laser and inkjet printers. This is speculation, but I suppose running inkjet decal sheets through a laser printer could be the cause of any melting problems people might have had. Or there could be other reasons; I'm brainstorming.
 
No, I've read about laser-specific paper causing damage to laser printers. Enough that it seems risky. Best I've been able to dig up is that different model printers have fusers that run at different temperatures, and the paper works with some. Obviously, not with the hotter ones. I've read that you can best get away with it when the printer is first powered up and not fully up to temperature, but that seems like a real hack way to approach it. Completely unscientific, with no way of predicting success. Like Marc said, doing that at work is too much of a risk and wouldn't be right. I get a decent paycheck, but I don't want to be in the position of having to replace a color laserjet...
 
Well dang. What about stock Estes decals for OOP kits?

Hey,

If you're planning to attend the NSL in Orangeburg, I'll have 10 sheets of white and 9 sheets of clear 8.5 x 11" that I bought from decalpaper.com a few months ago. Paid $24.63, sell for 5 bucks.
 
I highly recommend clear and white decal stock from Papilio.com, and their UV clear topcoat. Works great with my Canon photo printer's ink system.

The hardest part of making your own inkjet/laser decals is color matching. The ICC color profiles that come with most printer drivers do not have a profile for clear stock. The assumed white background and brighteners used in printer paper mean that the colors will be pretty far off if printed on clear decal material. Especially for reds I have had to print my own color match test grids to get decent results. It's tempting to get a ColorMonkey or similar printer calibrator but that raises the investment...though it would make the color management way easier.

I also have a vinyl cutter that will do white, but you can't get fine details; the lower limit for lettering is 6-7 mm. For larger patterns the vinyl works great.
 
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Not sure I want to invest in a vinyl cutter. I'd have to build a lot of rockets to justify that.

I'll check out that other brand. I just need something that will allow me to get pretty close. Thus the issue with clone builds.
 
My attempt so far with printing my own inkjet decals didn't go so well. They printed beautifully, other than a little bit of blurring on a couple of parts, then as they began to dry everything started to get lighter and lighter, now the blacks look like dark greys and the reds are translucent. After two days the ink still isn't dry enough to dare clear coating. Im using a HP C6250 inkjet with a CIS continous ink system, on Experts Choice Decal Paper from Bare Metal Foil. The instructions included rubbing the surface of the paper with talcum powder to help adhesion of the ink, it seemed to work, however I believe the ink is the problem in this case.
 
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