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Offline Robert Davies  
#1 Posted : 10 January 2015 19:47:05(UTC)
Robert Davies

United Kingdom   
Joined: 20/11/2010(UTC)
Posts: 426
Location: Worcestershire, UK
I recently acquired my second 37880 Br 44, because I love them and because at some point in the future I will be able to recreate my own Lange Heinrich with 2 x BR 44 and 30+ OOtz 4624's. However, two locos with the same number is not very realistic so I have renumbered the second one as 044 385-3 (just an arbitrary number I have picked after seeing a photo of it).

I have attached some photos but because I had to use flash to take the pictures, they show some marks that you can't really see under normal lighting, but I am still quite pleased with the results. However, it took a lot of trial and error to get there so I will share what I have learned.

First the lettering font is Alte-din-1451-mittelschrift.regular available free of charge at http://www.1001fonts.com/alte-d...-mittelschrift-font.html and the correct size for a loco is 6 point. I have a regular inkjet printer and it scaled down to 6 point size perfectly.

The method I used was to make my own decals and stick them over the original number, so it should be possible to get back to the original with a little sponging if necessary. I tried both clear decal paper (which is very thin) and white-backed decal paper which is a little thicker. Water-slide decal paper of both types is widely available on Ebay for a modest cost. I created a strip of numbers in Microsoft Word with white letters on a black background and printed this on to the paper and then sprayed it with three coats of matt aerosol varnish to make the surface water-resistant.

My first attempts used clear decal paper and this would probably have looked less noticeable when stuck on, but I discovered (I should have known really) that even if you select white font in Word, the printer prints nothing where there is white and relies on the white of the paper producing white characters. This is no good if you are using clear film because the original number shows through so I turned to white-backed decal paper, which produces clear white characters. This is a little thicker than the clear so it is slightly more noticeable but more problematically it is very difficult to prevent some of the white backing appearing round the edge of the decal when you apply it. I therefore had to do some touching up with matt black paint round the edge of the decal when everything had completely dried, but as this looks a little like weathering I don't think it matters.

My advice is to make the decal as wide and long as you can get away with because the smaller it gets, the harder it is to manipulate and the less surface area there is to stick when it is wet. There were many times when I finished up with the decal stuck to my finger not to loco ! This was OK for the cabside and tender numbers but the front decal has to be cut really tight to the numbers as it has to fit the 'plate' on the smokebox door.

Please let me have your comments and any suggestions on how I might have done it differently or better.



Robert Davies attached the following image(s):
044 385-3 (1a).jpg
044 385-3 (2a).jpg
044 385-3 (3a).jpg
Robert
Era III - IV
2 x Central Station 2 v.2 (60214 + 60215)
Hardware versions 3.6 / 4.33
Software version 4.2.1 (0)
thanks 13 users liked this useful post by Robert Davies
Online kimballthurlow  
#2 Posted : 10 January 2015 21:56:17(UTC)
kimballthurlow

Australia   
Joined: 18/03/2007(UTC)
Posts: 6,654
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Hi Robert,

Thanks for going into detail about that.
Having done a huge amount of decaling, I can identify with the problems encountered.
But you have done it really well.

Did you do the whole number, or only part? I guess it was better doing the whole, - less matching hassle.

regards
Kimball
HO Scale - Märklin (ep II-III and VI, C Track, digital) - 2 rail HO (Queensland Australia, UK, USA) - 3 rail OO (English Hornby Dublo) - old clockwork O gauge - Live Steam 90mm (3.1/2 inch) gauge.
thanks 1 user liked this useful post by kimballthurlow
Offline Webmaster  
#3 Posted : 10 January 2015 22:32:11(UTC)
Webmaster


Joined: 25/07/2001(UTC)
Posts: 11,161
Could please give me some advice of where to the white backed decal paper?

What type of printer are you using, laser or inkjet?

Edit - Sorry, read your post a bit sloppy... You use an inkjet... Blushing
Juhan - "Webmaster", at your service...
He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes. He who does not ask a question remains a fool forever. [Old Chinese Proverb]
Offline Robert Davies  
#4 Posted : 10 January 2015 22:51:34(UTC)
Robert Davies

United Kingdom   
Joined: 20/11/2010(UTC)
Posts: 426
Location: Worcestershire, UK
kimballthurlow wrote:
Did you do the whole number, or only part? I guess it was better doing the whole, - less matching hassle.

Kimball

Yes, I did the whole number because it seemed easier. However, I have about 50 wagons and a few coaches to deal with in due course and whether I will do the whole of the number panel or just a bit, I haven't yet decided.

Webmaster wrote:
Could please give me some advice of where to the white backed decal paper?

Juhan

I got mine on Ebay UK from a guy called mrdecalpaper, who seemed to work over Christmas and I got it almost by return of post. However, there must be someone nearer to you - just put "White Inkjet Water Slide Decal Paper" into Ebay and someone close-by will come up, I am sure.

The spray varnish was harder to choose because there seem to be lots of different sorts around. However, I finished up getting Testors Spray Lacquer (also through Ebay but from a different seller), which worked fine. Received wisdom appears to be to use matt finish (Testors call it Dullcote) for this sort of application.
Robert
Era III - IV
2 x Central Station 2 v.2 (60214 + 60215)
Hardware versions 3.6 / 4.33
Software version 4.2.1 (0)
Offline Shamu  
#5 Posted : 11 January 2015 04:25:46(UTC)
Shamu

Australia   
Joined: 12/07/2011(UTC)
Posts: 1,068
Location: In a building site in Yeppoon
Cheers Robert,

Handy to know and I have never even thought to look for decal transfer/paper before, well I did when Juhan was doing the wagons but never did anything about it as I got the impression that it was dear as poison.

Just has a squiz on ebay au and both can be had for under $2 a A4 sheet.

Off the top of my head I only have 3 x BR81 with the same road number so that's 2 items to have a go on.

Thanks again and a excellent job you have done. ThumpUp
Sad when its cheaper to buy a new 29640 starter set from Germany than a CS2 on its own in Oz, welcome to the joys of Marklin down under .
thanks 1 user liked this useful post by Shamu
Offline cookee_nz  
#6 Posted : 12 January 2015 11:29:17(UTC)
cookee_nz

New Zealand   
Joined: 31/12/2010(UTC)
Posts: 3,949
Location: Paremata, Wellington
Ooooh, renumbering a Loco - isn't that like renaming a ship? - big no no.

Now I don't want to be paranoid, but you know, where there's smoke, well... there's smoke!

I'm sure it will be fine, and those unexplained derailments and burnt-out decoders must have a perfectly logical explanation.

Just sayin'........

OhMyGod
Cookee
Wellington
NZ image
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Offline kiwiAlan  
#7 Posted : 12 January 2015 13:53:05(UTC)
kiwiAlan

United Kingdom   
Joined: 23/07/2014(UTC)
Posts: 8,082
Location: ENGLAND, Didcot
Originally Posted by: cookee_nz Go to Quoted Post
Ooooh, renumbering a Loco - isn't that like renaming a ship? - big no no.

Now I don't want to be paranoid, but you know, where there's smoke, well... there's smoke!

I'm sure it will be fine, and those unexplained derailments and burnt-out decoders must have a perfectly logical explanation.

Just sayin'........

OhMyGod


Yeah, look at that one that caught fire between Italy and Greece recently, I lost track of how many renames that one had ... Blink
thanks 2 users liked this useful post by kiwiAlan
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