Product Idea: Conspicuity Stripe Dry Transfers

[Catt]

Smokebox Graphics and the stripes are 0.005" thick.

http://www.smokeboxgraphics.com/reflective.html

[Denver Road Doug]

Smokebox Graphics and the stripes are 0.005" thick.

http://www.smokeboxgraphics.com/reflective.html

Thank you Johnathan.  I could NOT find anything in my email about where those came from.   I meant to ask on ZCS last night but forgot.

So, to answer the question about thickness..... 1.1 scale inches in Z-scale.    0.8 inches in N.

[peteski]

Yes, I guess I presumed that would be obvious to most.   But yes.

Just clarifying things.  There was also a possibility that someone found a source of super-thin reflective material.

[ljudice]

Well the Smokebox product seems worth a try....

How thin a NON REFLECTIVE adhesive backed film could be made?

[peteski]

Well the Smokebox product seems worth a try....

How thin a NON REFLECTIVE adhesive backed film could be made?

I think that adhesive-backed vinyl (used for commercial signs) can be as thin as 0.002".  But that is still way thicker than waterside decal film.

[jmlaboda]

I have had the most success with dry transfers when I burnished them on Microscale decal film and then used them just as you would a waterslide decal.

This is probably one of the easiest ways to deal with dry transfer lettering, with the lettering being coated once applied with some sort of clear finish so as to lock the lettering in place.  It is more tedious to apply them letter by letter to a car side, though this can be done as well.

Been a couple of decades since I last dealt with dry transfer lettering on models but am looking at it for my freelanced lines since I can at least get the lettering I want and need.  Hopefully I will yet be able to do what I need to to gain the look I am hoping for... have some really fine lettering that will soon be started on a Bachmann Ten Wheeler (and its a long name no less... thank goodness for Clover House alphabet sets in desireable styles)...

Smokebox Graphics

Wow!!!  They look really nice!!!  Thank God I don't have to use them, what with my era being set many years before they started using such...

[ljudice]

Picked up a set of Smokebox Graphics reflectors and pretty pleased:

[crrcoal]

Looking good! Hey any shots of your layout by chance?

Picked up a set of Smokebox Graphics reflectors and pretty pleased:

[Denver Road Doug]

Just clarifying things.  There was also a possibility that someone found a source of super-thin reflective material.

I'm not sure what you are saying.  I suppose you mean "super-thin" as in much thinner than the Smokebox Graphics stuff, correct?

TO clarify further, the Smokebox Graphics stuff *is* reflective, just not "super-thin".

[peteski]

I'm not sure what you are saying.  I suppose you mean "super-thin" as in much thinner than the Smokebox Graphics stuff, correct?

TO clarify further, the Smokebox Graphics stuff *is* reflective, just not "super-thin".

Exactly. Because they are the stickers used on 1:1 vehicles they are reflective and are rather thick for  a 1:160 model (probably around 0.005 actual inches thick).

By super-thin I mean a thickens of a waterslide decal or dry transfer (Much thinner than 0.005").

Sure they are reflective, but is that really so important in our application?  How often will you notice that during the operating session?  Will they save lives?  It is not like we are sitting inside  N scale automobiles and driving them with our headlights on during the night, shining the headlights onto one of the reflective stripes. To me it is simply a gimmick.   That is just how I feel about those - sorry.

[ljudice]

The stick on approach - for me would be best if:

   - much thinner
   - pre-cut to the three shapes like S.G.
   - non-reflective 

 

[Denver Road Doug]

Sure they are reflective, but is that really so important in our application?  How often will you notice that during the operating session?  Will they save lives?  It is not like we are sitting inside  N scale automobiles and driving them with our headlights on during the night, shining the headlights onto one of the reflective stripes. To me it is simply a gimmick.   That is just how I feel about those - sorry.

I tend to agree.   But for what I'm using them for, they're easy.   I don't plan on any major macro-photography in Z (yet, anyway) and if a model gets to that standard then it will be easy to remove them and paint/decal the stripes on if necessary.   You don't notice the thickness from 2ft away.   

I do think they add an--albeit very subtle--extra dimension to the striping versus the stock stripes that are typically a unrealistic dull yellow color in most cases.   So from that standpoint, the o.p. is on the mark.