Making waterslide decals on inkjet paper

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plastiksurgeon
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Making waterslide decals on inkjet paper

Post by plastiksurgeon »

Gentlemen,

I am at a standstill on my 1/12 scale model Factory Hiro f2008 Ferrari, trying to come up with decals for raikkonen's helmet. I am at a standstill because I can't proceed until I decide whether to use a driver figure or not , which I would like to do, but cannot find decals for the helmet and have exhausted all possibilities getting them made with my sources. At this point it is either leave out the driver figure or put the driver figure in, before I can proceed. The cockpit is tight enough that the driver figure will not be removable once it is installed. I can indeed move on, if I go ahead and put the figure in and leave the helmet off until later, but I don't want to make this decision until I know I can put a helmet together.

I have coming to me, a 1/8 scale set of decals for Raikkonen's helmet, which I am hoping I can rescale in Photoshop and print on my epson inkjet photo printer to at least get something usable for helmet decals.... I am sure they won't be as good as a properly made decal, but it's my only option left, and I want to finish this model.

Has anyone had any experience or can suggest the best waterslide inkjet decal paper ?

Thank you for your advice, help and consideration,

Steve Mohlenkamp
when I was young, all the boys made model cars, ...some of us just never stopped !

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Re: Making waterslide decals on inkjet paper

Post by jaykay »

Hi Steve

For a start i wouldn't go down the inkjet route. From my experience the results are not really nice and very difficult to get applied safely because of: inkjet>water>decal softener> :-((
The last time i tried, the print quality on decal film wasn't right because of the film not behaving like inkjet paper.
Looking at pictures of Kimi's 2008 helmet i would "go laser". Probably airbrush the fluo red parts and overlay the black graphics with decals. That doesn't get you all the way but pretty far. Some decals like AMD, the red stripe with Ferrari logos on the visor and Schuberth at the back could be sourced from Schumacher decal sheets. I might even be able to help.
An even better solution would be to get them printed on ALPS-type printers from vector data.
I don't jnow about the US but there's at least one place here in Germany that has done this for other modelers.
The vector data could be done from your 1/8 scale sheet and it's some work but should yield better results than a photoshop scan.
It's a lot of work no doubt. I'm about 90% done with Schumachers 2002 helmet in 1:12. I had decals from MSM and Museum Collection and the MSM were of visibly lesser print quality but still better than a custom inkjet print. I didn't use them. The Museum Collection ones were better resolution/print quality but didn't fit 100% to my scratch built helmet. I'd like to do better but know how much work it would be to do my own properly sized decals.
One thing i'm pretty sure of is, that you won't be happy if the helmet isn't up to the same standard you will surely build the car. It will be an eyesore for you if the decals are bad, so i'd rather go with no driver than one that you couldn't quite build to the standard you wanted because of the decal printing issue. My 2C :-)

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Re: Making waterslide decals on inkjet paper

Post by Jimmy »

Sometimes you just have to wait. I would wait for the decals to arrive and then do as you mentioned. You might be glad that you did.
Not to say this is the best, but, I have been using Micro-Scale decal paper and Testor's Decal Bonder Spray to seal them. However, working on such complex compound curves as a helmet might put it to the test.
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Re: Making waterslide decals on inkjet paper

Post by plastiksurgeon »

Thank you gentlemen, so much!

All of your advice is well taken. I'm going to give it all a try, as it's my only option left. A drowning man will grab even the tip of a sword. I just can't get anyone to make these decals... even offering to pay whatever is necessary. So, I will not give up, I have the Persistence of a puppy with two dicks when I want something.... and I will make it work !

Thank you so much again gentleman for taking the time to give me some advice ! I very much appreciate it...

Best,
Steve
when I was young, all the boys made model cars, ...some of us just never stopped !
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Re: Making waterslide decals on inkjet paper

Post by indygp2001 »

"a puppy with two...." GOOD ONE! - Colorado sells some good smokes, eh!
Querque...
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Re: Making waterslide decals on inkjet paper

Post by plastiksurgeon »

That's random, .....and a little off topic.

I thought we were talking about dogs.....

Best,
Steve
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Re: Making waterslide decals on inkjet paper

Post by ModelTime »

Check with Michael at Indycals. I saw he offers decal printing of subjects he is not planning to offer himself. I've had moderate success with printing on inkjet media by running the sheet through the printer twice to get more ink on the sheet and then 2-3 coats of clear on them to keep them from getting smudged. They don't need a lot of setting solution. Trial and error. Start simple and work your way into more complex jobs.
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Re: Making waterslide decals on inkjet paper

Post by JamesB »

Yes, yes... surely someone like Michael or as second best someone with access to an ALPS 8)
I think we talked about it, but this as soooo many things has been left behind for health and family issues.
If anything, before going for the decals design, you (or me) should chose a helmet. Kimi's design is made of independent patches and they need to fit between them (in contrast to, fr instance, Senna's, on which adaptability would be more flexible.
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