DIY decals and numbers

Having just acquired a laser printer (and some sheets of Lazertran waterside decal transfer paper) I am looking forward to at last being able to do my own mini-decals, e.g maker's badges etc, along with race numbers. Black and other colours to go on white vinyl number roundels are straight forward - but can any of you vastly more experienced modellers tell me how I produce plain white numbers?

Having just acquired a laser printer (and some sheets of Lazertran waterside decal transfer paper) I am looking forward to at last being able to do my own mini-decals, e.g maker's badges etc, along with race numbers. Black and other colours to go on white vinyl number roundels are straight forward - but can any of you vastly more experienced modellers tell me how I produce plain white numbers?

In order to get plain white numbers or discs you have to buy tranparent sheets of waterside decal transfer paper, not for lazer printers but for ink jet printers instead. Then you print on a ink jet printer not in a lazer the stuff that you want in white. I am not sure if you can do the same as above with a sheet of tranparent waterside decal transfer paper for a color lazer print and print on a color Lazer printer. But in my opinion should be the same.

Edited by Tonecas, 13 January 2013 - 15:38.

In order to get plain white numbers or discs you have to buy tranparent sheets of waterside decal transfer paper, not for lazer printers but for ink jet printers instead. Then you print on a ink jet printer not in a lazer the stuff that you want in white. I am not sure if you can do the same as above with a sheet of tranparent waterside decal transfer paper for a color lazer print and print on a color Lazer printer. But in my opinion should be the same.

Oh dear. I've just dumped my inkjet printer in the local skip! But in any case it did not have white ink - when I wanted to print in white it would do so only if I reversed-out from another colour: i.e it used the other colour to print round the outline of the character or number in white.

For a laser printer you can buy clear or white waterslide decal paper, rub down transfer or clear adhesive.

For a laser printer you can buy clear or white waterslide decal paper, rub down transfer or clear adhesive.

I'm clearly missing something here. How do I print, say, the numeral 2 in white?

For example, I wish to replace the numeral 6 on this Tipo 61 Birdcage Maser with the numeral 2.



I can without too much difficulty remove the 6 and if nesaary touch-in anywhere where the red paint gets damaged - but how do I then manufacture a white numeral 2? Letraset, which is what I would normally use, do not do the font I need but I can reproduce it my computer. Were the numeral on the car in any colour other than white, I could then print it onto the transfer sheet. For example, were the numeral black on the rd body I would transfer it straight onto the car; were the numeral black on a round white background I would print it as a black numeral and transfer it onto a white vinyl disc, then stick disc-and-number onto the car.

There must be a way we hobyists can create white numbers, surely? The manufacturers do not seem to have any trouble.

The easiest way to do a white 6 would be to use white decal sheet, first you would create a red background as close a colour to the car you can get, then paste the No6 onto it, print and trim off the red.

The easiest way to do a white 6 would be to use white decal sheet, first you would create a red background as close a colour to the car you can get, then paste the No6 onto it, print and trim off the red.

Thanks tbolt. That's what I needed to know

Or you can ask someone you know to make you some white vinyl numbers.

Or you can ask someone you know to make you some white vinyl numbers.

A strategem much more likely to produce satisfactory results, given my current skills with an Exacto knife. Stand by for a PM!

Might be too late,but this may be the easiest way to do this? =
http://www.grandprix...e-Numbers-model

Replacement white number decals. Hope this is of some use anyway.

Might be too late,but this may be the easiest way to do this? =
http://www.grandprix...e-Numbers-model

Replacement white number decals. Hope this is of some use anyway.

Thank you - I did not know those were available. At least one gets rather more numerals than buying, the thowing away mostly unused, Letraset sheets.

These look to be the perfect solution for anyone who doesn't have an obliging pal with a vinyl cutter

.......and if you just Google : "Virage Decals" you can choose pictures and get a large wiev of what is available. There is more than shown , but no catalogue. You may also be able to find some old supply or sponsornames if needed.

Edited by Bjorn Kjer, 26 January 2013 - 15:18.

Thank you - I did not know those were available. At least one gets rather more numerals than buying, the thowing away mostly unused, Letraset sheets.

These look to be the perfect solution for anyone who doesn't have an obliging pal with a vinyl cutter ;)


Good luck Mal,next you will have to get more models to go with the decal sheet................................

Depending to some extent on the scale of the models involved, possible problems with cut-vinyl are that most of the readily in-stock films might be noticeably thick, especially if applied over a panel line or whatever.

I can see the attraction of doing it at home, but I don't think I've seen a regular laser printer using an opaque white toner.

There are suppliers who will make waterside transfers from your artwork, although I can't say I've looked for one recently.

Another way is to use what was generally referred to in the graphic arts trade as a "rub-down" (a rub-down transfer or dry transfer). This is, in effect, custom-made Letraset from your own artwork (digital these days). They're still used sometimes for jobs such as packaging mock-ups and exhibition work or applying to awkward surfaces or existing material. The process has some similarity with silk-screen printing and is quite 'customisable'. If we needed to apply white to a dark colour we could use tricks like getting a double-print of opaque white pigment.
Whether it's economically viable for one model, I couldn't say… I've not used such a service for quite a while, but one that caters for modellers (architectural or museums, maybe?) rather than strictly the design or advertising trades might be more keenly priced.

Edited by 2F-001, 26 January 2013 - 18:16.