🚀 go-pugleaf

Paul E. Sincaglia posts:

PS>  All this talk about using a laser printer to make a decal brought
PS>  up an interesting point for me.  I do not have a text or GIF file
PS>  that I want to make into a decal.  I have a photograph.

PS>  One of my modeling interests is fire apparatus and every town,
PS>  village, burough, city etc. has there own "insignia" (symbols,
PS>  lettering and artwork on the doors).  I would like to replicate
PS>  these for some of my projects and was wondering if it can be done?

PS>  I am assuming that I would need a pretty good photo and a color 
PS>  copier at the least.

PS>  How can I do this?

A color copier can be used.  I posted something concerning this recently.  
What you need is the clear decal film available from superscale, or ATP or 
another decal company.  This is the same material that their decals are 
printed on.  Find a copy place that is willing to run the decal film through 
their copier (many are reluctant to try it, scared that it will melt in the 
copier.  Rest assured, it won't, I have done it before).  I would suggest 
instead of a photo, that you would want to draw the insignia, and reduce it to 
the proper size for your model.  It will look sharper reducing it anyways.  
Note, copiers don't copy white, or print white.  They assume white paper.  
Take the drawing that you have and first just copy it on paper to get the 
position that it will be printed  by the copier.  Take that piece of paper, 
cut out around the copy, and tape the decal film to the back of the paper.  
The image will probably smudge on the film if you don't do this.  then run 
this through the copier.  You will have a custom decal.  
Note:  The ink used by most copier is not real opaque, but kind of 
transluscent.  It won't show up well if applied to a dark surface

Good luck.

Happy Modelling, 
Darrel Monroe@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu