I'm trying to compile as complete a list as possible of names and contact information of businesses or individuals making waterslide decals for slot cars of any scale. I'm aware of Patto's which appears to have the largest selection, but I also want to find out about all the "cottage industry" decal makers out there as well as sources outside the US. Makers of decals for static models, too since, after all, what's a static model but a potential slot car body? I'm even interested in companies in the waterslide decal business who do not make them for any kind of model car-related hobby.
Perhaps another thread has addressed this some time in the past and somebody can point me to the right place in the forum's dusty archives.
Any help from readers of this board will be appreciated.
Something that would be really helpful would be to have information that links sheets to specific cars. I've bought several sheets that were for a certain car only to discover that they were not for what I had bought.
For instance, a decal listed for a Porsche 962 actually being for a tall tail 956. One for a 911GT3R actually being for the body style on the Ninco car and not the Scalextric version for which I wanted the sheet. I discovered these after I'd paid for the sheets as the web site had no image of the car for which the sheet fit. I now have five expensive after-market sheets and no cars on which to put them.
I haven't been posting on this forum for very long, though I have been reading it for quite some time, and it has always seemed to me to be a good source of information. However, I must admit that I am disappointed in the response to my request for information on sources for slot car decals. I only received one response that actually gave me a name of someone to contact (and my thanks to that individual). I understand that there are are a number of people making decals, and I have to believe that at least some of the followers of this forum are familiar with them, so why the lack of response? Did I ask the wrong question, or is information on decal manufacturers some kind of secret? I'm just looking for places to get decals made to my specifications in small to moderate sized production runs at reasonable prices and with dependable service. So, who do I go to? I'd like to have as many options as possible.
As I said before, any information will be appreciated.
i live in australia and use Patto`s Place, he has a wide selection of decals and does custom decals for customers.
google Pattos Place for site.
cheers
Jordan
Pattos is pretty much the only decal maker I've purchased from in terms of whole liveries. Also, it is against SCI's policies to post links to non-sponsor sites which may be why you've had so few responses. I was able to purchase some great 1/32 contingency sponsor decals from a Japanese manufacturer called Sakatsu. Another manufacturer is DMC.
Try googling "1/32 decals" for some other sources. There just aren't a lot of companies making or selling what we need for our toy cars. That's why a lot of guys roll there own.
Thanks for the latest replies. I'll see what I can find. Is there anybody who reads this board who has developed some real skill at making their own decals and would like to try doing it on a small-scale commercial basis?
You will need an Alps printer to do whites/light colors or have some pretty sophisticated silk screen equipment that will hold detail on extremely small prints.
I can do the art, just don't have the Alps printer at the present time. I have been making my own with the Testors' system to go on white/light cars.
For the past seven years I have been making my own decals with a HP inkjet printer. I have been using decal paper from the same supplier over the same period of time.
Recently the decals I made are unusable because the ink is bleeding.
I have tried everything I know to stop this problem, I even reverted to all my original processes for making decals with no success. I am not sure if the problem is the ink, paper, clear coat, or the method I use to apply the decals.
If you have had a similar problem, and found a fix, could you please share it with us.
This is a photo of a printed decal compared to an applied decal.
Ouch! That sucks. What do you clear coat your decals with?
Looks like what ever you are coating the decals with is dissolving the ink and making it run.
After I print a sheet I spray them with a couple coats (in quick succession) of Krylon Crystal Clear, which is available at art supply stores. They are usually dry within 20 minutes and can be cut up and applied.
MPH,
I have published a tutorial here on making your own decals. Maybe that will help. I usually put a few hours into a set of decals in terms of the design and matching colours. The problem is that for solid coloured cars, I need the car in front of me to match the base colour accurately. There's also no way I could charge what my time is worth and I barely have the time to do my own projects so I'll be sticking with one-offs for myself.
The decals in the photo have been clear coated, the problem appears a day later, after they have been applied and are completely dry.
The first thing I did when I noticed this problem was to stop putting a couple of drops of soap in the water, this didn’t seem to have any effect.
The second thing I did was to apply the decals as soon as they would release from the backing and squeegee out all of the water immediately, this helped a little.
At this point I switched back to clear lacquer instead of Krylon Crystal Clear. The decal in the photo on the right that is blurry is coated with lacquer and is the best result since this problem appeared.
I am starting to think that the problem is the clear coat that comes on the decal paper, the moisture is leaking through the back of the decal during the drying time and making the ink bleed.
I am going to print some decals on the white decal paper and see if the results are the same.
Two years ago I had a different problem with this brand of decal paper, the supplier replace the paper, but told me the manufacturer had changed some of the manufacturing processes because of EPA problems.
Decal makers
Looks to me...
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