i'd like to try ab numbers on with stencils. any tips and ideas are most welcome.

reb

Reb;

Hi.

My favored way to apply most markings now-a-days on 1/35 builds - I've done unit insignia (DAK palms, etc.), numbers (outline and solid forms and 2-color), "balkan kreuz" solid, outline, and black on white). I've used stainless steel, vinyl, and custom stencils cut-out from masking tape and paper and styrene sheet.

How small can you go? I've never tried any very tiny stencils - my numbers and stuff have all been over 1/4 inch tall, but smaller should all work if you are careful. A 1/3 inch tall DAK palm w/ swastika came out super sharp in all details, so...

The results can be spectacularly cool - and never any silvering (unless you want to add it! )!

The key thing I found is that I do best with stencils taped in place and carefully fitted, and I spray with low pressure and several thin passes. Treat the stencil as a "small detail patch" and get close to it to avoid over-spray. And most important (I think): spray STRAIGHT at the stencil. If you paint at an angle, it WILL get under your stencil. Blah Multiple thin passes allows your paint to dry very thin and fast and your stencil doesn't adhere or get runs under it.

Paint type is - use your fav AB paints. I've used Tamiya acryls, ModelMaster enamels- both worked super well.

And CLEAN your stencils carefully right after use. Gummed-up and paint-laden stencils cannot be any good!

Hope this helps, and Good Luck! ENJOY!

Bob

Reb;

Here's an example from a recent DAK Horch 1A build where I sprayed on a 1/3 inch DAK palm insignia... sorry that the pic is not better - it's a blow-up from a "snap" I took, and the lighting, etc., was not the best.

Cheers!

Bob

This was one of the questions I had as well. Are you cutting them out yourselves or ordering them online from a vendor? I am good with Photoshop and have made MRE boxes as well as some drink boxes, a stencil would be possible but I am not sure I have steady enough hands to cut it myself!

Justin;

I have cut stencils myself - to do so, you want a NEW Exacto number 11 knife or similar (that tiny sharp edged point is the key for cutting tiny bends and curves, as in stencils), a hard smooth surface (I use a small "Lexan" polycarbonate block - a piece of "bullet-proof "glass"" - have also used a piece of polished "ironwood" - very hard desert wood with very fine grain - and a piece of ordinary window glass, as cutting boards), tape (unless you are using self-adhesive stencil material, in which case you stick that onto your board directly), and GOOD LIGHT.

PRACTICE and you will quickly become near-perfect! If you already have printable patterns or are able to do same on your computer, you can print your stencil-masters. I found that printing my master on plain paper as a draft allowed me to size what I wanted. I then print on to a piece of photo paper for the "real thing" - photopaper has a very smooth surface and is fine-grained paper and stiff, and can be cut with the knife very very cleanly - making for a nice, clean-edged stencil. You can also print onto other media, such as clear plastic film or "overhead sheets", with many printers, so...

But I'm actually pretty lazy, and most of my stencils are commercial AM metal things I got off eBay. There are various AM sets out there, and any metal set will provide lots and lots of panzer - markings! (When you start wearing a steel stencil out by spraying Tamiya acryl thru it, I think you may have painted ENOUGH for awhile...! ). There are also many plastic and metal stencils available in various hobby stores (including HobbyLobby) and artists' supply houses - and I have seen various stencil sets at many model shows, so your options are wide!

There are various nice number and symbol stencils routinely available on the evilbay for BIN, and I think the 10 - 20 $US you'll pay for each is a solid investment - specially if you are doing or expect to do several vehicles.

And yeah, a steady hand and calm, cool head are probably good. Maybe pass on the Starbuck's expresso-double with lots of sugar when you want to do fine cutting!

Bob

thanks bob! great and descriptive answers, will help me immensly!
and keep em coming, that is a great pam pic by the way!
reb

by the way, bob, what do you consider low pressure when you paint stencils?

reb

Reb;

I dabbed that palm at about 8 psi and thin paint. Less volume and slower-moving paint on a smaller target area = less chance of blowing under the stencil.

Cheers!
Go try on out!

Bob

ty isr
that is on tomorrows agenda, spousal unit is calling for honey do completion today!

reb

how do you attach the ss stencils so you can use them properly. also can you cut out stencils you want so it is less bulky to attach.

the stencil set i have is from alliance model works. it is a single sheet with all the stencils i need at the moment.

reb

Reb;

Ah... You got that AM Works stencil set...

NICE! That's the metal sets I have! I think they are super fine.

First thing: CUT OUT the individual stencils (items) as you need them. I store my stencils on cards in a plastic box. You may find it useful to tape them to pieces of card as they come in sets and pairs in many cases - such as in numbers and crosses where you spray one color, then another, as a 2-step marking.

In typical applications (sides of turrets, hulls, other flat surfaces and gently rounded surfaces) I attach / mount them using a little blue tape around the cut-out stencil item. The tape holds the stencil and covers against over-spray as well.

In a few cases, I've held a stencil item in position with a pair of fine tweezers and sprayed it (very carefully and with low pressure and doing a fine line), as I could not tape it in place.

A good alternative for holding a stencil item temporarily in place for painting is to use something like a bamboo skewer (like a large toothpick) or a soda-straw and a small blob of sticky putty or clay and make a "sticky stick" to dab onto the corner of the stencil and hold it.

I do NOT recommend using the clay under a stencil item to hold it, as it will generally hold the stencil away from the surface and allow paint to get around and mess up your lines.

IF your surface is rounded, you can gently bend your stencils a little to give them a curved form. As an application of these AM-W steel stencils and forming of same for curved surfaces, consider the following "Easter egg set" I did yesterday... I posted a pic of these over in the "General" forum ("Happy Easter, All).

Enjoy that stencil set!

Bob

thak you for the information bob, clears me lil mind of some fog, lol. having never used them it will be a learning process for me. i plan on taping and practicing on flat surface first, and as you say, there are two stencil sedt for crosses and numbers. again thank you for the tips and i will post some pics as i get the job done. not to sound too dense, but what is the blue tape you spoke of?

reb

Reb;

"blue tape" is that blue painter's tape you can buy in WalMarts and home-centers. It's a slightly less-tacky type masking tape and seems to not leave any glue or gunk on stuff.

You can use any version of "masking tape", or "Tamiya tape". I prefer the less tacky to avoid damaging my paint jobs.

Cheers!

Bob

PS: You being in TX - going to the Houston model show tomorrow? I may be there w/ the Horch.

i wish i could go, but its a bit to far for me right now, have been down a bit, so i'm not going to far from the old homestead, but i do hope to see some pics from there with more of your ab tips and such, its good knowledge and i'm glad you share.

reb

what mix do you use with the paint bob? i usually use like one ml paint with one ml of thinner.

reb

Reb;

A 1:1 mix works well for most paints in the stencil case. I generally shoot my whites with Tamiya flat white mixed about 1:1 with 70% isopropyl alcohol. For stencils - go thin and shoot closer at lower PSI to keep over-spray minimized.

Bob

thanks again bob, i got it now. 1:1 mix is cool at low pressure. am going to do some experimenting tomorrw if i can, some days i don't plan, just let er happen.

reb