While my interest is in military wargaming, the skills you present here are the exact same that i will want to learn. Thank you for sharing your time and your talent. :)
Was thinking the same thing this week when I found Ron! I did HO scale as a kid, but transitioned into war games decades ago; but the spheres do intersect!
20 years ago I was sneaking into train yards with a backpack full of spray cans and a sketch of what I wanted to paint on a boxcar. This video is awesome Mr Ron.
Thanks for making this guide! This is a seriously good use for home PC equipment :) Times are good for access to high tech equipment. Just 25 years ago, computers were still expensive, and just a "basic" system with computer, monitor, and printer, set you back about 1500 to 2000 bucks for a slow-boat work horse, at minimum a full grand for a chonky old clonker. I used to sell them, so I know! It's been years I spent this much, and my last few are refurbs at less than 300 for a full system, and printers can be had brand new for 25 bucks. The ink refills cost you more than the whole box!
I have had all the components for a few years, just never got round to doing anything with them, now I know what the sequence/use of micro set/sol is for! Thanks, very clear instructional video!
The old "email a screen shot to yourself" trick. I've done that tons of time of different reasons. If you plan to do a lot of decal work like this, you might want to invest in an entry level Wacom pen to do the outlines so you don't drive yourself crazy with the mouse.
Nice video, pastor. I have done this with Testors products and pulled logos and graphics from the internet including holiday clip art sites. As my platform, I just used Microsoft Word as I don't have any specific editing software. I found this worked well, could size and rotate the image with ease. I used this process for making two holiday-themed cars, a gondola filled with bins of pumpkins with Happy Halloween on the sides, with the jack o lanterns and witches for company. I also did a hopper car with Santa image and Reindeer food markings and load. As you said, Ron, there are so many opportunities to use the process, including buildings, and watching the video should get everyone on the right path.....but that is your day job isn't it!
Hi, Daniel. Yes, I'v used a Testors kit before. If doing very many decals, the film is more expensive, but if only doing a few it works well. As for Word, yes, you can certainly use it. I think Publisher is a little easier to manipulate, but if you don't have access to it Word works very well.
Thanks for the video. I'm considering turning model cars into itashas (cars with wraps on them depicting anime and video game characters) and I needed a way to make custom decals.
I had no idea about that app, very cool. Ill have to try it out. I have some of that white decal paper but done use it much. Ill have to try it out and cut close to the edges like you did. Thats always been something that I need to get better at.
Hi Ron! Carmine again... I logged into my RR Channel. No videos yet, haven't been able to do anything since I opened it. Hopefully that's about to change!! 😉 I've made Decals when my Printer used to work... But always had trouble designing them. 😖 My Pacific Belt RR uses WHITE Lettering. Seemed like a good idea when I used Southern Pacific/Cotton Belt decal sets back in the 70's.... It's what I've used since then. Ron Brycz from Australia made me my only custom set from his ALPS Printer, but shipping is ridiculous!! 😳 I'll have to save this Video for whenever I can finally afford a new Printer. Great tips for doing color Decals! Carmine ✈🚂🚙
That is a good question. I would assume a spray gloss coat is your best bet, but you would need to test it before you try it on a model. Unfortunately I have not had a chance to try myself, but when I can I will give it a try and make a follow-up video. If you do test it, let me know how it goes.
Very helpful video Ron. It’s a lot of steps involved for sure. It seems with the advancement of apps, software, high quality printers that there would be a easier way. However that’s just my thoughts but your method may indeed be the best way. I have no idea but in the near future I will be in need of 100’s of custom decals. More of custom text type signs for the different businesses etc on the layout.
how do you get a good quality and not pixeled look to your decals? It sometimes happened that when printing the small pieces I they go so bad quality and don´t get neat when printed
Great video. You should show us how to do consist and speed matching. Im getting my nce power cab soon and im so confused on how to adjust speed tables.
Coming from wargaming and gunpla, Future floor polish through an airbrush makes a good between-layers sealer if you want to save your dullcoat for your final matte seal. Future is just a thin, clear, glossy acrylic. I usually put a layer both under and over the decals, though I'm used to working from a freshly primed model instead of adding on to something pre-painted. If there's anything going over the decals, like a wash, I'll seal with Future again before weathering as well since I sometimes use enamel weathering products.
I'm not sure, but I assume Testors spray gloss coat would work. I would test it first. I will have to try this soon and make a follow-up video. If you do test it, let me know how it goes.
I tried this with Blinggasm clear laser printer decal sheets. The backing film isn't clear. If I'd been putting it on something black, it probably wouldn't have been visible, but I was putting it on a fairly bright color.
Do you know of a way to make decals with white lettering? A printer prints white by not printing anything since the paper itself is white, but I'd love to produce custom white lettering on box cars or other models. So far, I think you have to go with purchasing sheets of individual pre-printed white letters and numbers. I haven't been able to find a way to create white lettering on a printer.
The only white lettering option I know is to print the letters on a colorer printed background. For while lettering printed on a clear background you need a special printer that prints white. Your best bet there is to buy commercial decals.
Modular Curiosity, you can print on white decal film by creating a text box the color of whatever you are applying the decal to. Just like creating white text in a colored box in Microsoft Word. The hard part is matching the color of the printed part to the the color of the the object you are going to apply the decal to, that will be a trial and error process. Keep adjusting the color and printing on matt photo paper for matt surfaces, or gloss photo paper for gloss surfaces until you get a match then print on the decal paper and make sure it still matches. If you get a close enough match your weathering should hide any color differences and the white decal film will block any background color from showing through the white lettering. Barry Broyles.
Would clear enamel work??? from a spray can that would work/protect the water slit decals. After the ink has dryed ??? Because I used that spray can for 📷 paper for yugioh cards.
I am doing this along with custom painting an undecorated sd40-2 to my fictional Garry's Mod and Minecraft Immersive Railroading railroad "Elfnet Rail-Link"
I don't know who else you are watching, but that is completely backward. Micro Set slightly softens the decal and allows it to begin to conform to the surface of the model.. Micro Sol completely softens the decal to conform to complex surfaces and details. Micro Sol may not always be needed, but applying it first then trying to position a decal runs a very high risk of tearing and destroying the decal. Here is a brief article from a military modeler explaining the difference. www.themightybrush.com/article/how-to-apply-decals-with-microset-and-microsol/
If you are interested in weathering and detailing effects, you should check out this video: th-cam.com/video/TIGusScAI9g/w-d-xo.html
While my interest is in military wargaming, the skills you present here are the exact same that i will want to learn. Thank you for sharing your time and your talent. :)
Always good to hear from my wargaming and military modeling friends.
Was thinking the same thing this week when I found Ron! I did HO scale as a kid, but transitioned into war games decades ago; but the spheres do intersect!
Waaaaaaaow I’ve been searching for something like this like forever but never found anything this smooth. Thank you for sharing your wizardry 👌
20 years ago I was sneaking into train yards with a backpack full of spray cans and a sketch of what I wanted to paint on a boxcar. This video is awesome Mr Ron.
Thanks for making this guide! This is a seriously good use for home PC equipment :) Times are good for access to high tech equipment. Just 25 years ago, computers were still expensive, and just a "basic" system with computer, monitor, and printer, set you back about 1500 to 2000 bucks for a slow-boat work horse, at minimum a full grand for a chonky old clonker. I used to sell them, so I know!
It's been years I spent this much, and my last few are refurbs at less than 300 for a full system, and printers can be had brand new for 25 bucks. The ink refills cost you more than the whole box!
I have had all the components for a few years, just never got round to doing anything with them, now I know what the sequence/use of micro set/sol is for! Thanks, very clear instructional video!
Thanks, and I'm glad it was helpful. Good luck on your own decals.
This looks great. I just wish there was a way to do white lettering
The old "email a screen shot to yourself" trick. I've done that tons of time of different reasons.
If you plan to do a lot of decal work like this, you might want to invest in an entry level Wacom pen to do the outlines so you don't drive yourself crazy with the mouse.
Great advice. Thanks.
Very informative. I think this video will useful for most model kit builds and not just rail road models!
THANK YOU FOR GREAT DETAIL VIDEO
FROM AUSTRALIA
Great video Ron just the type of info I was looking for.
Excellent video Ron, full of a lot of great info and tips. Thanks for sharing. Ken
Nice video, pastor. I have done this with Testors products and pulled logos and graphics from the internet including holiday clip art sites. As my platform, I just used Microsoft Word as I don't have any specific editing software. I found this worked well, could size and rotate the image with ease. I used this process for making two holiday-themed cars, a gondola filled with bins of pumpkins with Happy Halloween on the sides, with the jack o lanterns and witches for company. I also did a hopper car with Santa image and Reindeer food markings and load. As you said, Ron, there are so many opportunities to use the process, including buildings, and watching the video should get everyone on the right path.....but that is your day job isn't it!
Hi, Daniel. Yes, I'v used a Testors kit before. If doing very many decals, the film is more expensive, but if only doing a few it works well. As for Word, yes, you can certainly use it. I think Publisher is a little easier to manipulate, but if you don't have access to it Word works very well.
"Great Graffiti Styles" something that I thought I would never hear someone say. Great Information and good video
Hey,Bill. Lol, well, I was talking about great models, not justifying vandalism.
What's wrong with graffiti? It's obviously a big enough influence on people that they recreate in all scales of modeling
Believe it or not, there is good graffiti and bad graffiti, just like any art form
What a great way to add my own custom name to my RR. Thanks for putting all the components needed for success together in this video! Hans ...
I'm glad you found it helpful. Good luck.
Thanks for the video. I'm considering turning model cars into itashas (cars with wraps on them depicting anime and video game characters) and I needed a way to make custom decals.
Ty, that was the video I was waiting for. They look great and they are not Fuzzy
Sorry it tool so long. January has been...well, it's like the Monday of months.
Thanks for the tutorial. Very informative. Thumbs up.
I had no idea about that app, very cool. Ill have to try it out. I have some of that white decal paper but done use it much. Ill have to try it out and cut close to the edges like you did. Thats always been something that I need to get better at.
Thanks Ron I'm going to try this for my clubs layout. I built some custom cattle trucks and trailers. I want to personalize them. Thanks yet again
Sounds like a cool project. Would love to see your results when you are dome.
Great job, this will come in handy thanks for sharing,
Ron, thank you! Very informative video and making the decals is not as hard as I thought. Great tips throughout the video. Thanks for sharing
Muse
Yes, this is a fairly easy process and it makes common models unique. Well worth the effort.
Graffiti is amazing art in my opinion 😍
Thanks for video. I'm looking into doing some decals for my locomotives and this was just what I needed.
I'm glad you found it helpful.
Very informative, thank you!
Love videos and the store I visit there twice.
Looks great thank you. Going to apply this to Hotwheels and Wargaming.
Ron its always great to see your videos .Thanks for sharing. Love the look of graffiti on box cars
Thanks.
Great Video Ron!
Very cool and looks like fun with great results! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Ron! Carmine again... I logged into my RR Channel. No videos yet, haven't been able to do anything since I opened it.
Hopefully that's about to change!! 😉
I've made Decals when my Printer used to work... But always had trouble designing them. 😖
My Pacific Belt RR uses WHITE Lettering. Seemed like a good idea when I used Southern Pacific/Cotton Belt decal sets back in the 70's....
It's what I've used since then. Ron Brycz from Australia made me my only custom set from his ALPS Printer, but shipping is ridiculous!! 😳
I'll have to save this Video for whenever I can finally afford a new Printer. Great tips for doing color Decals!
Carmine ✈🚂🚙
Thanks for the video Ron!
Hey Ron, excellent video. Can You tell me how you measured the scale?
Helpful for sure. Thanks.
Is there a substitute for decal bonder? Looks impossible to find online.
That is a good question. I would assume a spray gloss coat is your best bet, but you would need to test it before you try it on a model. Unfortunately I have not had a chance to try myself, but when I can I will give it a try and make a follow-up video. If you do test it, let me know how it goes.
Very helpful video Ron. It’s a lot of steps involved for sure. It seems with the advancement of apps, software, high quality printers that there would be a easier way. However that’s just my thoughts but your method may indeed be the best way. I have no idea but in the near future I will be in need of 100’s of custom decals. More of custom text type signs for the different businesses etc on the layout.
This might come in handy for custom gunpla builds
how do you get a good quality and not pixeled look to your decals? It sometimes happened that when printing the small pieces I they go so bad quality and don´t get neat when printed
i found some of the items you give links on the U.K. amazon website and over country website.
Great video. You should show us how to do consist and speed matching. Im getting my nce power cab soon and im so confused on how to adjust speed tables.
Coming from wargaming and gunpla, Future floor polish through an airbrush makes a good between-layers sealer if you want to save your dullcoat for your final matte seal. Future is just a thin, clear, glossy acrylic. I usually put a layer both under and over the decals, though I'm used to working from a freshly primed model instead of adding on to something pre-painted. If there's anything going over the decals, like a wash, I'll seal with Future again before weathering as well since I sometimes use enamel weathering products.
I am familiar with the use of Future, I just haven't tried it myself. I may have to do that.
I’m using this to make a custom short line railroad.
outstanding look brother
Thanks. Much appreciated.
Would this work on wood structures? Like store fronts?
It certainly would.
great idea
I have to see if I can do it with my hands
greeting
😀
Is there a way to get photo scissors on the laptop because I don't want to remove apps on my cellphone to make room is their a another way ???
Since Testors seems to have stopped making the Decal Bonder product, are you aware of any good alternatives? Thanks!
I'm not sure, but I assume Testors spray gloss coat would work. I would test it first. I will have to try this soon and make a follow-up video. If you do test it, let me know how it goes.
@@RonsTrainsNThings I am using Mod Podge Matte Mate clear acrylic sealer which seems to be working fine so far. Tom
Interesting. Thanks for the info.
What kind of printer did you use?
I tried this with Blinggasm clear laser printer decal sheets. The backing film isn't clear. If I'd been putting it on something black, it probably wouldn't have been visible, but I was putting it on a fairly bright color.
I have used Blinggasm film as well. It works pretty well.
Hey Ron, I downloaded this app based on your video and it looks like the creator updated it to where you can save the images .😁
How do you do a screen shot???
GREAT video-thanks very much. I assume you can do the same with railroad names and other such items. Bob
Sure, you can do this with most any graphic or text.
In it to win it! That was not me :)
😅😂🤣
I'm finding it difficult to find a way to make a simple plain Dewalt yellow background with black text for my DeWalt power tool. Help please.
I don't know that I can help much. Printing yellow is extremely challenging.
Rather than use a dedicated decal bonder spray just use hairspray. I’ve had good results. Your mileage may vary.
Do you know of a way to make decals with white lettering? A printer prints white by not printing anything since the paper itself is white, but I'd love to produce custom white lettering on box cars or other models. So far, I think you have to go with purchasing sheets of individual pre-printed white letters and numbers. I haven't been able to find a way to create white lettering on a printer.
The only white lettering option I know is to print the letters on a colorer printed background. For while lettering printed on a clear background you need a special printer that prints white. Your best bet there is to buy commercial decals.
Modular Curiosity, you can print on white decal film by creating a text box the color of whatever you are applying the decal to. Just like creating white text in a colored box in Microsoft Word. The hard part is matching the color of the printed part to the the color of the the object you are going to apply the decal to, that will be a trial and error process. Keep adjusting the color and printing on matt photo paper for matt surfaces, or gloss photo paper for gloss surfaces until you get a match then print on the decal paper and make sure it still matches. If you get a close enough match your weathering should hide any color differences and the white decal film will block any background color from showing through the white lettering.
Barry Broyles.
Would clear enamel work??? from a spray can that would work/protect the water slit decals. After the ink has dryed ??? Because I used that spray can for 📷 paper for yugioh cards.
It should butbI can't say for sure. Test it.
That is almost the identical way I made my decals.
All I need to know for future projects
Like • Cheers from The Detroit & Mackinac Railway 🚂
What kind of printer should i use
You can use either a laser or an ink jet, but use the decal paper for the type of printer you are using (they are different).
Ron's Trains N Things thanks 👍🏻😄
How could you make a white decal?
Printers don't print white, so you have to use white decal film and leave the white parts clear or transparent in the printed art.
I am doing this along with custom painting an undecorated sd40-2 to my fictional Garry's Mod and Minecraft Immersive Railroading railroad "Elfnet Rail-Link"
I had no idea that Ron was living the Thug Life!
Watching this to custom my Gunpla
I use it for model planes
Testors decal bonder no longer available.
Use spray lacquer, 2 or 3 VERY LIGHT coats.
You state in the video that some HP LaserJet printers are inkjet printers. I am quite certain that that is not correct.
This gentleman sounds like Kyle Herbert. You sure you don't voice at on the side sir?
Huh :)) Nicely done
SO what can I do without a smart phone? Not everyone in the retired community has one
www.google.com/search?q=graffiti+name+generator&rlz=1C1CHZL_enUS740US740&oq=grafiti+name+&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l7.4952j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
great tutorial, bad graffiti though!
Every one else I watched used the micro sol first and micro set second must not make a difference
I don't know who else you are watching, but that is completely backward. Micro Set slightly softens the decal and allows it to begin to conform to the surface of the model.. Micro Sol completely softens the decal to conform to complex surfaces and details. Micro Sol may not always be needed, but applying it first then trying to position a decal runs a very high risk of tearing and destroying the decal. Here is a brief article from a military modeler explaining the difference. www.themightybrush.com/article/how-to-apply-decals-with-microset-and-microsol/
@@RonsTrainsNThings thanks for the info
are you Phil swifts brother
“ONE ITS DRY LET IT DRY”
“LET IT DRY”
Better to hire a professional that has high end equipment that can print fine details.
The cost comparison is unmatchable. Ill deal with some imperfections to save $40-$50.