Is this possible? (2 questions)

[jettrainfan]

Can you put a smoke generator in diesels? I have been looking at my 2 main projects(3 0-4-0s and the full roster and rolling stock of the C.V.S.R. http://www.cvsr.com/roster.aspx ) And i like to have them realistic.

Also, can you make your own decals? I need to make C.V.S.R. decals for this project.

[simkon]

You could put a smoke generator in diesel locomotives, but you'd probably have to do quite a bit of work to get everything situated inside there correctly.
And yes you can make your own decals. There are various companies to go with, but I got my stuff from Hobby Lobby.
I suggest Custom Decal System from Testors. It includes software, Item #9200 Testors Decal Bonder (3oz spray can) that you apply after you print them, 2 sheets each of #9201 Clear & #9202 White.
I made my own Ohio Central, Akron Canton & Youngstown, and Wheeling & Lake Erie. They all came out well. All you need is a good color inkjet printer and remember not to touch them until they dry and follow the directions.

***Also Hobby Lobby has a 40% any one non-sale item coupon, and then it would cost only $5.00 for the whole kit, which is what I paid for mine.***

[CNE Runner]

I have seen decal making sheets in white and cannot figure out how they would work. I say this because ink jet printers cannot print white (when white is called for they don't print anything; but let the paper color show through. If you don't believe me try printing white letters on yellow paper...they come out yellow).

On the otherhand you could have one of the custom decal printers make decals for you...unfortunately a somewhat costly alternative.

Ray

[jettrainfan]

I'll probably go with simkon's idea. I only have 20 dollars at the moment and 15 is to go to my 0-6-0 that needs repaired(why i have not sent it yet?!), also my dad owes me $13 so it's hard to keep track. limited to what i could do at the moment.

[simkon]

But be sure that if you need white letters to use the white decal paper because most people's printers can't print white. What you can do is make the background the same color as the loco and use that color to outline the letters then after the decals are applied, you can weather the loco to make it blend in better.
**It is 10.18** And if you don't need or want the software, you can buy the decal bonder and white or clear pages separately at Hobby Lobby (Other places have them too, check your LHS). $10 for 6 pages of decal paper and $4.59 for a can of decal bonder.

[jbsmith]

Can you make your own decals?    YES!!    Testors has stuff that you can
make your own with,,do you have a printer?


http://www.testors.com/search?q=decal&x=29&y=8


I suggest test shots with just regular printer paper before useing the
more expensive decal paper to see if you got the size you want it to be.

[jettrainfan]

yes i got a printer, the engines and decals i want are these http://www.cvsr.com/roster.aspx #14 & #15 are #6771 and #6777 today.(I've been doing my homework for this project, but it's summer.....) the decals, http://www.ohiocanal.org/pictures/logos/cvsr.gif radio equipped, and todays advertisements. the lettering and radio equipped i think i can get already made. Thank you!

[simkon]

Just in case you didn't know, Atlas made a limited run of a CVSR loco a year or two ago. They have one at my LHS (Youngstown).

[Jim Banner]

Ray,
Decal sheets with white backgrounds allow you to have white in your finished product.  Just like you can include white when you print on plain white paper.  Like you say, for white areas the printer prints nothing.

I have been experimenting, putting white lettering on black and mineral red coal hoppers for ANTON MINES on my H0 layout.  The black ones are easy.  I just print a black background around white letters, then trim the decals about 1/16 to 1/8 inch away from the letters.  Once applied, the black of the decal blends right in with the black paint on the car, making it look like white letters were painted onto the black car.

The mineral red cars are a little harder because I have to match the background colour of the decal to the colour of the car, which varies somewhat.  The match doesn't have to be perfect.  There is such a contrast between the white letters and the mineral red that the eyes see that and ignore the minor difference between mineral red paint on the car and mineral red ink on the decal.  To put it another way, the colour match has to be good but not necessarily perfect.  If the match is not up to par, you still have the option of weathering the car.  Even a fine, dusting spray of black (coal dust) makes a lot of difference.

Next step (for me) will be adding car data and reporting marks.  I may use commercial decals/dry transfers for the data but the car numbers I plan to print out many on a sheet and cut them off as needed.

Incidentally, decal paper is more expensive than old computer paper.  So what I usually do is print out a test of the decal on the back of a misprinted sheet from the recycle bin.  Next I cut a small piece of decal paper, just a little bigger than the finished decal.  Then I tape the decal paper over the test print, putting tape just at the edge that goes through the printer first.  Finally, I print the decal which now fits perfectly on the cut piece of decal paper.  The decal paper can be left taped to the scrap sheet for spraying, which will protect the work table from over spray.

I have been experimenting with Testers products because that is what my local hobby shops stocks and recommends.  I started with a starter kit, a few sheets each of clear back ground and white back ground decal paper, a small can of spray, and a CD.  The papers seem to work well enough but I had trouble getting thin coats of the spray (I have the same trouble with Testers Dull Coat, so maybe my reaction times are a bit slow.)  The CD is oriented toward larger decals for model cars so I have been using Picture Publisher, PhotoShop, TurboCad and Windows Paint for my experiments.  My other favorite, Corel Draw, is out of action while I search for the key card to reload it, but I am sure it would do the job as well.

There are two other products in the Testers decal system.  These are both forms of decal setting fluids.  One you can apply repeatedly.  The other you can apply only once - after that, it is hands off until the decal is completely dry.  The second type works the best - if you can keeps your hands off it as the decal wrinkles up and only slowly flows out over rivets, etc.  If you are like me and have to keep poking at it, the first type is a better choice, even though the final product may not nestle into corners quite as well.  The setting fluids were not included in the kit I bought.

Jim

[jettrainfan]

Just in case you didn't know, Atlas made a limited run of a CVSR loco a year or two ago. They have one at my LHS (Youngstown).

same here, that will be on my Christmas list!

1.CVSR #4241
2.Bachmann Dcc B&O f7a
3. DCC steamer(still thinking)
4....etc.

[CNE Runner]

Jim - Thanks for clearing up my confusion regarding the white decal production on a standard ink jet printer. You explained yourself very well; but this looks like a labor intensive procedure. On the otherhand, custom decals can be quite costly and probably out of the reach of most of our beginning modelers.

Cheers,
Ray

[Rickenbacker 325]

I live a mile away from the Breaksville station. So can you post pictures?

[jettrainfan]

I will, remember, this is a 2010+ project. Hopefully i will get a #800+ M-3+4241 done plus coaches by 2010 and did i mention Thomas?! 2011 will do more work and by 2013 or somthing it will be finished. So i will and stay tuned.

[Rickenbacker 325]

I'm sorry but I mean The model from Atlas

[simkon]

from the atlas website: http://www.atlasrr.com/Images/HOLocomotives/hoc4245/1107/10000225_TQ.jpg
on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?VISuperSize&item=230260660880