FlooredCOBRA

A few weeksna go a buddy of mine gave me an Extra 300 profile plane. Reason was is because it had the sticky paper covering instead of real iron on. He had the worste luck with it with holes and repairing it.

I got a hold of it and pulled all the cheapo sticky covering off. I then recovered it with Ultracoat in a kind of american flag pattern. I wanted some lettering for the wings and put EXTRA 300 on the right wing. I checked out the hobby shops and founf the lettering they had looked more like a registration code than anything. I was looking for a atalic bold text. Wjat I wanted is to have Yellow lettering with a black border around it.

What I ended up doing was using the sticky trim sheet for this. For my large lettering I used a ruler and a good straight edge and a new Exacto blade to cut it with. The only thing is it took me forever to make the lettering and then drawing it on back of sticky trim sheet backwards. I had to measuer the thickness of the letters and the spacing. It was the most pain to do. I divided up my trim sheet for the size of each letter as if it was wrote out. Then I used a straight edge to cut nice straight lines. In the end it looked very way but sure was a pain to do.

Then I had to add lettering on the sides of the fuse. But by this tike I refused doing it other way regardless on how nice it ended up looking.

So then I decided to use my compter to make the lettering. I found that is the way i should have gone in first place. It was easy to adjust size of text and there were so many different designs I could use to make the lettering.

What I did from there was pick one I liked then print it out to the size I was looking for. Then I used some 3M spray adhesive I got from walmart and sparyed back of trim sheet and layed down the printed out sheet on top of it. After it dried it was like one peice of trim sheet and did not move. I did try using tape but it did not stay put as I had liked.

After it was glued down I used my straight edge and an new exacto blade to cut out the letters. so far they look good.

I was just wondering if there is an easier way of doing this. It works for me but nsame here.

pinball-RCU

What I do is pretty similar to what you're doing, at least for big letters (say over 2"). I just do the cutting from the front, although I think I could get my computer to reverse the letters. I just use tiny little bits of masking tape to hold the computer print out on the trim sheet (or on Monokote). It doesn't actually take that long to cut out the letters, which is why I've never used a vinyl cutting service.

For smaller print, I print on Avery clear full sheet label stock with a laser printer.

FlooredCOBRA

For smaller print, I print on Avery clear full sheet label stock with a laser printer.

Now that is an idea! now if I just had a laser printer I would be in business.

I like using Ultracoat because it has the paper on the covering. It makes it very easy to draw out on instead of the plastic like some others.

pinball-RCU

To be honest, I use the color laser at work. I do have a B&W laser at home, but it's not fuel proof.

Strat2003

My Feedback: (1)

Here's a simple way to do letters.........print them out on your computer using a 'thin outline' option, then tape the pattern over the front side of your sticky back sheet. Use a new sharp blade and light pressure to cut them out.....try not to cut through the backing sheet. When it's all done, 'weed out' the background, leaving the letters in place on the backing sheet. Now, for the good part. .... get some frisket from an art supply store. rub it down over the letters and slowly peel it off. The letters will come off the backing in perfect alignment. Finally, kind of roll the whole works into place and peel the frisket off. The letters will stay stuck to the plane and the whole graphic will be alligned just how you cut it out!

pinball-RCU

Careful with the frisket! It can really stick more than you want. After a disaster where I ended up with stuff stuck everywhere but where I wanted it, I talked to an artist friend who told me the secret. You adjust the "tackiness" of the frisket by pressing the sticky-side to your jeans. It picks up enough lint that it sticks enough to hold the letters in alignment, but allows you to peel it off without removing the Monokote!

Bipe Flyer

I have colour laser printing done on avery sheets by the local print shop for $1 a sheet. It is fuel proof and looks great!

Here's a sample of how it looks.

Bipe Flyer

Another plane with laser decals.

FlooredCOBRA

those look really good.

So how do you go about doing it again? Did you make the design at home and just get the shop tp cut them out? Or will they make up different kinds of lettering?

Bipe Flyer

I just do up the design in Photoshop and they print it on their laser printer.

Another way of doing graphics is to have them cut from vinyl. I just draw them in Corel and have them cut by the local sign shop.

Here's a Pitts I built. The black graphics are vinyl and the logo on the rudder is laser printed.

FlooredCOBRA

those really look good. How does the vinyl do with the covering when you get wrinkles? Does it shrink with it if you use an iron of heat gun?

Reason I was asking is because On some parts on mine there is no wood underneath, such as between the ribs. I know when I applied my letters on pressing out the bubbles the covering kind of stretched a little from me pressing. I wasn't even pressing it hard just the kind I used was a bit soft.

Bipe Flyer

I don't know to be quite honest. I use sheeted foam wings on 90% of my planes and I haven't tried vinyl over an open structure.

FlooredCOBRA

Oh okay was wondering also. I prefer the sheeted wings anyhow over open ribbed wings. Only reason I asked is because the plane I just finished was ribbed.

Then again it was giving to me so I cant complain. I am going to post a pic of it in a second after I size it for this forum.

FlooredCOBRA

okay here is one. The letters I drew out on the back of the sheet and handcut them.

I plan on putting the same thing on eacg side of the fuse and maybe a small logo of some sort on tail with same colors.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

I draw what I want on my computer, and take it to the local Vinyl Graphics place. It doesn't cost much, and I don't get finger cramps from making all those cuts!

FlooredCOBRA

yeah your right about the finger cramps! I now may have a bad case of carpel tunnel syndrome