Need HOW-TO Help

[crashinj]

Ok guys this is one of my dummer questions, are ya ready? So like how do you get the wrapper off a Crayola Crayon? Melting the the crayon does nothing but make a big mess, peeling it off - well mine came off in many pieces. Soaking it in water maybe then letting it dry? Have to try that when I get back from racing. So like how can I make a Micro-Maxx rocket out of my Crayons? hehe

My wife thinks I've lost it -- Hmm maybe I have!

Crashin J

 

[jflis]

here's what I do. this may or may not help...

(btw, this also allows you to build in any scale... *S*)

Use a razor knife and slice the lable off, running your knife right along the seam near the edge of the lable paper.

Now, you can use this directly by applying it to the rocket, but what I prefer doing is scanning it in, removing the color paper background, leaving just the black print, then printing it out on colored construction paper (same texture as the crayon lable )

If you have the scanner and the editing tools, it's great cuz you can print the final lable in any size/ scale and have at it.

jim

 

[Micromeister]

Funny you should Ask

Here's a scan of one I did exactly as Jim discribed about 2 weeks ago while working on my Mirco-Maxx Crayon collection. This scan should come out full size, so you can recreate whatever color lable you want. I'll add a pic or two for my Micro's in a following post.


He He! they came out better than I really expected!

 

[jflis]

yep, that's the ticket.

here is a scan that I did. My next reply will show you the same art with the background removed. These scans are about 70% reduced so that they would be of reasonable size for the forum.

After this, I would scan just the word on the label indicating the color and make any lable i wanted so long as I could match the color of the paper.

NOTE: The wax part of the crayon is a different color than the paper.

jim

 

[jflis]

and here is the artwork without the background. Sometimes I would go in and clean up speckles in the black area. Other times I would leave it along because it adds character and a sense of realism to the model.

 

[jflis]

and, another idea that would work, if you couldn't match the color in construction paper, is to leave the background color in place and print on WHITE construction paper.

perfect match, perfect texture.

kewl

 

[Micromeister]

Crashinj:
Here's the pic page of my 8pk Still workin on the box this weekend.

 

[Micromeister]

Crashinj:
Print your lables full size as shown in the scan all the extra unprinted paper is the underwrap (twice around the crayon) for my set I re-created the lables in Corel, then inkjet printed the lot on an 8 1/2 x 11 in the colors backgounds needed. Krylon makes a special clear for art work called Fixatif #1306 in the large 11oz cans. this stuff is fantastic on paper lables, over crayon, charcoal, pastels, pencil, pen and ink, makes the lable water resistant, smudge proof and able to stand up to applying elmor's to the lable for application. If your building Micro-Maxes theres a one page plan in pdf format on the MicroMaxRockets yahoo group with 4 pre made full size lable. I'll post the very badly condensed jpeg of the page here so you can see if it'll work for you. Hope this helps with your Crayons


My wife is the reason I ended up making the 8pk, I was only going to make one but she wants me to put them in a box and maybe just maybe launch them from the same box Ah ha I'm not the only sick one the this family

 

[rstaff3]

A swarm of crayons coming out of their box will be awesome. That one will require you to email me a full-rez pic, however

 

[crashinj]

Ok great info guys, thanks. Here is my progress report.

Shortly after I made the orginal post I found John's file in the MicroMaxRockets yahoo group and printed it out for guide lines.

I was able to cut a label off after reading Jim's first post, thats what I was going to do in the first place but was looking for a easier way. hehe Now this wrapper fits my body tube perfectly so I'm just going to try to use it. If that does not work for some reason unknown to me yet I'll use one that I printed.

I took a piece of wood dowel put it in a pencil sharpener and got a nice tip on it, but crayons don't have a sharp tip so cut just a bit off. This dowel is 1/4 and slides into the body tube so I took a lil bit of quilters tape and built it up a hair. Man, it looks just like a crayon's tip now. I painted it a dark blue, almost a perfect match but I did it in the rain. Lesson learned paint and rain don't mix but I already knew this. Came in wiped it off, waited till rain stopped, tried again and it looked terrible. So sanded it off, grabbed the paint can and tried it again, except I got the wrong can, so its in primer now. hehe I'll try again later. Need to let it dry between coats, something else I know, but did it anyway.

I doug a piece of plastic out of the kitchen trash can that is clear, and will work perfect for fins I think. Thats my next project cause I know I can't mess that up....ya know, its really turning into one of those days!

CrashinJ

 

[jflis]

Originally posted by crashinj

...cause I know I can't mess that up....

CrashinJ

man, that's right up there with "Hey, Earl! Lookit this!" as famous last words... LOL

 

[Micromeister]

Famous last words Crashinj!

If I only had a nickel for every time i've said those works, Piece of cake, How could I screw this UP? Never, Never!! even think it...Murphy is out there, just waiting for ya!!! OH Yeah! he'll get ya every time!!!!!

Dick! I'm not sure the launcher thing will work yet, I'm looking at two box varieations to allow seperate 4pks, with liftout contacts. one problem is the thing is very small and launch rods will not be possible so guidance tubes with supports are likely a must. just minor stuff I haven't had the time to work out yet. Will be neat of I can work out the 'lectirc' stuff without ruining the look of the box itself stay tuned it may be a week or so. I've got to spend a little time on the Decal making workshop for the meeting friday so many rockets so little time!

 

[crashinj]

Well, I wasn't going to do this, but it will probably be a couple of days before I can get back on the Crayon so here is a view of it. But really, if you have seen one crayon you have seen them all! And who wants to look at a crayon anyway. hehe



Next will be a simple PingPong ball, lets call him/it Mr. Pong!

News at 11


CrashinJ

 

[jflis]

gotta love the crayon!

but, like your crayon, it *has* to be a Crayola to be authentic! *S*

here are some pix of mine:

13mm (i also have a 18mm min diameter and an 18mm BT60 based) (also in this pic are my mini X-Ray, Mini-Scout, Tumbleweed, Saucer, Mini-Gyroc, Mini-Mars-Lander (a year before Estes came out with it), Mini-Orbital Transport and Robin-Egg Lofter (in the background, all out of focus, you can see my Maxi Mars Snooper, Maxi Astrocam, Maxi Cameroc and Maxi Scout )

https://jflis.com/hobbies/rocketry/photos/mini-collection.jpg

BT60 based on the pad:
https://fliskits.com/photo_album/cmass_102002t/images/P1010010.JPG

and launching!
https://fliskits.com/photo_album/cmass_102002t/images/P1010011.JPG

a great subject and a perfect flier!

 

[Micromeister]

Very Nice Crashinj:
Great job, she looks fantastic
I do luv them Micro's The fins can be smaller, I went a bit on the oversize side for the public plan. If the 8pk box and/or box launcher works, i'll post the Plans for both with a 4 fin configuration in the Micro group. Roc-sim say's they'll fly but I'm still a little sceptical on these tiny models.

Jim:
Yours are as i'd expect, Great as usual
I've always been a bit leery of using brand names of things on models, I even try not to include Estes logo on clone decals for fear of possible legal problems. Do you think this is an over cautious concern? On the flip side, wouldn't the "brand" company like seeing a copy of their product or name in front of additional audiences? This has always been a dilemma for me...what ta do?

 

[jflis]

well, technically, they can go after you. If you don't have permission to use their mark, you don't have permission.

In reality, however, my experience in law indicates that so long as you are not *selling* it nor using it to sell something else (eg: you're only using it for your personal enjoyment like a model design) they won't bother you.

It's expensive to litigate and they (and their mark) certainly aren't at risk when such a use is discovered.

Further, companies like this usually DON'T want to go to court and involve their lawyers (too expensive) and will often begin by sending you a letter.

Needless to say, if I ever got a letter from Binny/Smith, I would pull the pix of this rocket *S*

So, I would say the risk is very small, but never zero. Frankly, I never worry about it for my personal models. Buy, by way of example, I would never associate the ACME rocket with the Farside cartoon without getting a formal license in place, cuz i will be selling it for profit, so...

hope this helps,
jim

 

[Micromeister]

Yeah that's pretty much my take on the tm mark stuff also. I think I'll stick with re-creating something generic, just for the JB's. Lawers and Archictect. Ya gotta just luv em.
yes-ta-day i coo-unt spell en-ga-neer, now I are one