Hello all ahh another week gone nearly time to fly....

A question for the group

"I want to brighten my plane up do you know of a good place to get/buy mail order... stencils and decals for my plane??"

Regards
Sherpa

Or Any ideas on how to create them???

You can always create them using covering. Your next best bet would be to visit your LHS

Depending on what you're looking for, and how much you're willing to spend, there are a few choices.

The major one, are decal sheets you can buy. These are typical military markings, and should be avaliable through most good LHS. I can't remeber the brand name off hand.. Parma (?) make a whole line for cars, and I know they have one or two that are suitable for planes.. You can also contact the various manufactureres to sell a sheet, from one of their planes...

You can buy sheets of 'water slide' decal paper to put through your printer. so you can make your own with your computer (jsut need to fuel proof them afterwards..)

You can always cut 'Monokote' and assemble the shapes / insignia as you want, then just iron it on.

You can approach a sign maker, and have them make you a set of vinyl lables, like what the signs are made of. Speak to them, and most of them can take Corel, Illustrator, or DXF files. Also ask them for their 'cutt off's as you can use them as trim sheets! or cut out your own.

You can also go to a sign shop and just ask for scrap sign vinyl. If you tell them what you want with it (ie, you're not making signs), you can usually get a rainbow of colors free or cheap. You can also order rolls of the vinyl from places like www.harborsales.com

A little "secret" for you. This vinyl is the same stuff you get on a monokote trim sheet, but many times cheaper because it doesn't have the "hobby tax" added on.

As far as insignia and such, I've been happy with Major Decals brand for a lot of stuff. I've also made some of my own on an inkjet printer on some clear plastic I picked up at Office Depot that is meant for inkjet printers.

Check on the tower web site for Major Decals. They have a lot of military markings but some other stuff to. Or go to the Coverite section if you just want letters, numbers or stars.

Thanks for all your help guys i have got some / made some now!!

Although I have never done it myself (yet) I understand you can print your own decals on glossy white self adhesive film (Apollo Inkjet Film # 17320 at Office Depot) (and NO, I don't work at Office Depot). I found this on a forum once and took the info. You have to fuel-proof the decal after applying it; I guess I would try balsarite (any ideas about fuel proofing without making a smudge?)
Luis

Sherpa,
Check around here, do a search. There are people that have vinyl cutting machines that will do it for you. They seem reasonably priced and are often hobbyists themselves. Some you just e-mail them a Word file and they go from there.
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