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Conversion of Czech Models 1/32 T-33 toTwin-tailed T-33 (TV-2)


amurray

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I am making the decals for my T-33 Twin-tail.  I used an USAF stencil sheet and matched the markings perfectly.  But when I tried to run the Micro-Mark inkjet decal paper through my HP inkjet printer I had problems.  The Micro-Mark decal paper has thousands of tiny dimples in the paper.  The ink doesn't flow into the dimples.  I tried four different paper settings - HP Photo glossy, Other Photo Paper, Plain Paper and Thick Plain Paper.  The thick paper setting gave the best results but still the dimples are unfilled and show as tiny white spots on the black markings.

 

I tried to fill the dimples by touching up with an ink pen but the ink just beaded up making a bad situation worse.

 

Is there a better setting that will work with the Micro-Mark decal paper or do I need a different brand decal paper?

 

Thanks!

 

Art

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Uh,...,no.  I assumed the glossy side of the paper was the side to print on.  Is that not the correct side?

 

I'll be tickled to death if that is the cure.  Of course, I won't come out from hiding and show my face for a good three months.  That would be hard to live down.  :doh:

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Based upon a suggestion from Jennings Heilig today I tried my work desktop inkjet printer.  While also a HP it did much better maybe because it is styled as a "photo" printer.  I used the "Matt Photo Paper" and "Transparent Film" settings.  The Transparent Film setting did best.  It is probably not a coincidence that the instructions with the Micro-Mark paper recommend this same setting.  My home HP is not a photo printer and does not have Transparent Film as a setting on the print setup menu.  There are still small vertical streaks on some decals possibly due to the rollers that advance the paper.  I experimented with widening the print margins and saturating a few lines with multiple stencils.  Enough came through the process unblemished to provide me with what I need.  

 

I now have to take them home, coat them, let them dry and then see how they do on a piece of scrap plastic.

 

Thanks to Jennings for the suggestion that the fault might lay with the printer instead of the paper.  Saved me much time and even more heartache.

 

Thanks,

 

Art

 

P.S. For those not familiar with Jennings, he is one of the best decal designers ever to grace our hobby.  His Expert's Choice F-94B decals for the HC kit are still some of the best I've ever used and make a mediocre kit into a show stopper.  He designed those decals by hand before the advent of the advanced desktop computer.

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My decals printed on an HP Photo Printer.  These are the only decals I needed.  The rest will come from the kit decals.

 

I printed a lot of them because there are still some almost imperceptible streaks in some of them but not in others.  I printed multiples to be sure I'd have enough acceptable samples.

 

35466701203_d1f118c282_c.jpg

 

 

Edited by amurray
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  • 4 months later...

Able to work on this a bit. Making progress.

 

Did preliminary paint job and realized I forgot to scratchbuild the drogue chute release cable housing.

 

Scratchbuilt the chute out of Milliput. Will detail the chute next.

 

35876891760_bd448d3bcb_c.jpg

 

50542850946_0c0d5960e0.jpg

 

50542980297_c59fce92d2_z.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by amurray
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  • 5 weeks later...

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