I have some stenciling I'd like to do, and am looking for advice

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lcorinth

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I came up with a rough sketch design for crates to carry my rockets, and I'd like to stencil some info on the outside. I also have a rocket paint job idea which would require stencils. But, I've never used stencils before.

On the crates, I want to have information like manufacturer, model, dimensions, engines required, projected altitude, etc. I guess I could print a stencil on card stock and hand cut out each letter with a hobby knife, but I'm wondering if there is an easier way. I'm envisioning some kind of kit with letters you could slide into place and then spray the whole thing with paint, but so far I haven't found any such thing on the Internet. Since I want to have a lot of information painted on each crate, some of it the same from crate to crate, some different, I'm wondering if there's some kind of tool for cutting or some kind of kit I can get.

I imagine a typical crate to have information like this:

Mfr: Estes Model: Crossfire ISX Mod Num: 1469
Height: 16.5 in Dia: 0.98 in Weight: 3.5 oz (I'm just making these numbers up for illustration - don't have the info in front of me)
Motors: B6-3 B6-5 D6-5
Est Alt: 1600 ft
Recovery: 10 in parachute

Etc...

I also have a logo I suppose I could just cut from card stock and reuse, as I'd put it on each crate.

I also have a couple simple rockets I'd like to make with the names of my girlfriend's nephews down the side - just simple lettering, like

T
I
T
U
S

-and-

P
I
U
S

(They're German Catholics, hence the names.)

Anyway, I don't know if I would use the same techniques on a curved body tube. But I'm sure I can figure that one out - the card stock route might be good for a simple one-off stencil like that.

Any advice or tips?

Thanks!
 
You can go to Office Max/Office Depot and they usually have a section for stick-on letters. But you are limited by the stock with regard to size and style.

To go custom, I think some vinyl sign cutters can do stencils if they have a laser cutter. If so, I have no idea on the pricing.

Greg
 
Try putting 'metal stencil kit' into Google, it turns up some interlocking stencil kits, soz I cant give a URL on this device. I had one like the ones on hitmarking.com years ago for marking up band equipment.

Alternately you could always do it with transfers, Boston Street is a good dont for military type stencils.

Rather than mess with soary tins for metal stencils you can sponge the letters on with good results. Get the sponge damp with paint rather than wet and just dab it over the stencil.

If you get the brass interlocking ones whatever you do dont let paint dry on the stencils, they are near impossible to seperate once formly stuck together.
 
For the rockets, look into buying decal printing paper and fixer spray from Hobby Lobby. It'll look a lot better than stencils I think.

Be sure to set your printer for photo quality to make the decals look good.
 
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