Subject SMML03/10/99VOL687 Date: Mon, 04 Oct 1999 01:31:51 +1000 shipmodels@tac.com.au -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS INDEX 1: Re: Alps and Decals 2: Re: Extra $$ for Canadian orders 3: Ships call signs 4: Re: Any plans for.... 5: Re: FSM Article: ALPS printer 6: Saratoga Camouflage Article 7: Alps Ink Cartridges 8: Re: Bilge pump 9: Royal Navy Destroyers 10: Re: Alps and Decals 11: USS Pennsylvania 12: Re Inkjet decals -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD INDEX 1: 1/192 Bronze Props & 1/350 Alaska 2: Warship Pictorial #5 & #6 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MODELLERS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: kenny_II Subject: Re: Alps and Decals Greetings all, I've also been considering this decal thing, because I bought an older 1/400 Aurora Enterprise and the decal sheet that came with it did not age gracefully at all. I bought a blank WHITE (part number 126) decal sheet made by Bare Metal Foil & Hobby Co. It has pretty explicit directions about how to get it through an inkjet printer, including how to help the paper absorb the ink using talcum powder. I bought Microscale liquid decal film to seal the decal sheet when finished, since only the black ink in my Lexmark is waterproof. I have not run this through my printer yet, too many other projects. It does say some printer inks work much better than others, it might merit a phone call (number on the instruction sheet) for a list of know good printers, but the sheet cost less than $3.00, so it would be a cheap experiment. As to software, I used the image management software that came with my $75 scanner to get the test images out to the printer (worked like a charm). The issue with the Enterprise sheet was to scan the decal sheet in, fix all bad spots aging had caused and then print out the fixed sheet on the white B.M Foil decal sheet. I used Paint Shop Pro 4.12 for editing. It is a $40.00 program and lets you easily work all the way down to the pixel level if you need to. Microsoft paint will work as well, it will just be slow going. If you do one or two decals a year, a couple of extra hours is no big deal. If you do as many as Duane, five minutes each is a big deal and worth extra to get special software. I created the white only decals by making an outline of the decal in the color I was painting the kit (light and dark grays mostly). I have not printed the decals yet, but I've done everything else, and the results are quite impressive. The plain white paper versions are correctly scaled and the colors are good. I do not know how they would turn out on a clear decal sheet, but I'll give it a try when the time comes. Tim Maleck -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: SHIPMDLR@aol.com Subject: Re: Extra $$ for Canadian orders >> Why do most companies charge an extra 10% to ship to Canada, its not THAT far?!? << Nick, Gripe to the US Postal service. A .33 cent stamp will get a letter anywhere in the US including Puerto Rico, Alaska and Hawaii. That same letter costs about .42 cents in the US and you have to fill out a customs slip. There's no doubt in my mind it's just an easy way for the PO here to make some easy cash. Rusty White Flagship Models Inc. http://www.okclive.com/flagship/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: DRPREUL@aol.com Subject: Ships call signs Because of the overwelming demand for the list of ships call signs I will be sending a copy to John Sheridan to add to the US Camoflage Website. Also on this site will be a complete list of the flags and their colors. There will also be all of the ships pennants that were used and thier colors. This should make into a complete site for signal flags and pennants.The address for the website is http://home.earthlink.net/~jrsheridan/ . It will on thesite in about a week or so says John. To: Mark Doremus The only USS Johnston on the list was DD 557, the call sign for her was NIKZ. Have fun adding signal flags and color to your models J&D Productions....................Don Preul -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: "John Snyder" Subject: Re: Any plans for.... For those extra parts, like 3"/50 mounts, go to the Classic Warships link on the Warship web page (http://warship.simplenet.com) and then check out the parts that Steve is marketing. John Snyder Snyder & Short Enterprises The Paint Guys -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: Al Superczynski Subject: Re: FSM Article: ALPS printer >> How about refilling an empty ink cartridge from a regular inkjet printer with ALPs ink. << ALPS printers don't use ink -- that's why they'll work for decals. They use a wax impregnated ribbon in a cartridge similar to those used in some electric typewriters (remember those?). Al http://www.up-link.net/~modeleral -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: "James Kloek" Subject: Saratoga Camouflage Article Mark, thanks for the kind words. If you look closely at the article, you will see an example a problem which sometimes occurs in reproducing a photograph shot on color negative film using printing inks in a magazine. Look at the color of the flight deck. In the smaller, "how to" photographs, the color printed is close to what is on the actual model. But in the larger photos of the finished model, the color of the flight deck got printed very differently, it is almost a garish blue, not at all close to what the model actually looks like. I definitely had mixed emotions when the article appeared, I was happy to see it in FSM, but somewhat disconcerted to see that the colors had not matched the model. C'est la vie. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: Duane Fowler Subject: Alps Ink Cartridges >> How about refilling an empty ink cartridge from a regular inkjet printer with ALPs ink. << The Alps printers use a thermal transfer tape, not a liquid ink. It's more like a typewriter ribbon. Regards, Duane Fowler -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8) From: "Bill & Kaja Michaels" Subject: Re: Bilge pump Just to jump in on the bilge pump thing: There's two reasons you might want a pump: 1. To prevent a sinking 2. To provide scale-like simulation of overboard discharges. Personally, I think that reason number 1 is not needed, (except, of course, for the combat guys). A properly constructed RC model shouldn't leak, and therefore doesn't need the added weight and complexity of a pump. To simulate overboard discharges, you want the water to sort of pour out, not blast out. I'd go with some sort of holding tank that is filled by a pump, that is then piped to a number of discharges to help reduce the pressure though the lines. I haven't tried this myslef, 'cause it seems like a complication that would also require the installation of pump #1, to prevent a plumbing failure from filling the model with water..... Bill Acton, Mass, USA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9) From: Tim Stoneman Subject: Royal Navy Destroyers Does anyone have answers to some questions about RN destroyers in 1940: When did the 'V/W's and the 'I' class pennant numbers change from 'D' superior to 'I'? What funnel bands did the 20th (Minelaying) Destroyer Flotilla carry? Records make mention of ICARUS leading the formation at the Second Battle of Narvik because she was fitted to stream paravanes (see earlier postings on SMML) from her forefoot (point where the stem meets the keel). Where were they stowed when not in use (in place of 'A' 4.7" mount, removed on conversion to minelayer?) and what arrangement of derrick/davit etc was used to stream/recover the paravanes? Any comments welcomed! Tim Stoneman -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) From: Lim Chan Hiok Subject: Re: Alps and Decals >> A friend of mine told me that he has been making decals using an inkjet printer and blank decal paper with success. The only preparations he has made to the blank decal sheet is to spray a light coat of "dull coat" on the blank decal paper before it is run through the printer and again after the ink has dried to set it in place. Not having witnessed the creation of these decals, I can not say for sure if this solves the problem, but I have seen the finished product and it looked presentable. << Here is a website that claims you can make yr own decals using inkjet printers using their paper. http://www.paper-paper.com/water-slip-decals1.html Hope this helps. Hiok Sarawak - "Land of Hornbills" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11) From: "Jean-Paul Binot" Subject: USS Pennsylvania Hi all, I have just received my latest order from WEM, which includes Lorren Perry's Arizona Detail Set for the Revell kit. I would like to use those very nice extra parts that Lorren has included on the fret (the radars and the 5"/25 gun shields) to model USS Pennsylvania instead. My undestanding is that the Revell kit and the GMM set can be used to portray Pennsylvania from late 1940? (when the gun shields were installed) to October 1942 (reconstruction at Mare Island). My references are sketchy when it comes to pre-WWII US battleships (I have focused rather on Kriegsmarine and Marine Nationale) and I would like to draw on the assembled wisdom of SMML. Here are my questions: * Did Pennsylvania carry both radars (XCAM-1 and Mk3) on Dec. 7, 1941 or were they added in Mare Island in March 1942? * Were the 5"/25 guns located as on Arizona? * Should I use the gun tubs provided in the GMM set in addition to the gun shields? * What paint scheme is appropriate? It seems to me that Pennsylvania was in Ms1 at Pearl Harbor, but what about later? * Should I change any other part of the Revell kit besides those Lorren suggests? Many thanks in advance for the assistance. Jean-Paul Binot -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12) From: "Tim Perry" Subject: Re Inkjet decals Hi All, No-one seems to have raised the issue of lightfastness of some of the inkjet inks. Certainly the ALPS materials are extremely fade resistant, but all the other coloured printing solutions fade very quickly. Don't beleive me? Make a print with your own printer. cover one half with a book, leave out on a table for a couple of weeks, then check it out. Leave it for a few months, you will cry! And as for Kelvin Moks suggestion about refilling an HP or Canon cartridge with ALPS inks..... No, Impossible. ALPS printers don't work that way. They don't use liquid ink, but a heated wax material. One final point, you US modellers think yourselves lucky you can actually get hold of ALPS machines. Here in Europe the distributor closed out the line last year, and we cannot buy them locally at all! Back to my SLA machine, (yes, my first LCI hull is building as I write! I will let you all know how it turns out very soon!) Tim Perry, Bristol, UK -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRADERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & NOTICEBOARD -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: SteveWiper@aol.com Subject: 1/192 Bronze Props & 1/350 Alaska For Nick Wellington and any others interested- I have a limited quantity of 1/192 scale actual bronze propellers, three bladed, for $6.00 ea. plus shipping. As for the 1/350 Alaska kit I manufacture, I used the correct drawings to design the pattern for casting, it is much more detailed, much more accurate, contains 83 resin, 296 metal, almost 500 photo-etch parts, isometric instructions, decals, and a 1/350 plan & profile drawing with camo pattern. This kit is definitely for experienced modelers. The SK radar alone contains 14 parts! For mare info go to the Classic Warships Web Site: http://www.classicwarships.simplenet.com Thanks, Steve Wiper -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: SteveWiper@aol.com Subject: Warship Pictorial #5 & #6 Warship Pictorial #5 & #6 will be available by the end of October. W.P. #5 - USS San Francisco CA-38 W.P. #6 - Omaha Class Cruisers-Photo Album Both books will have 56 pages in the same format as before, color cover, b&w interior pages, 40 to 66 photos, and only $9.95. You cannot find a better deal! We have found some never before printed photos for the "Frisco" book, and there has not been a book on the Omaha Class, let alone, one with 66 photos, and wait till you see some of the "Dazzle Patterns". Pacific Front Hobbies, The Floating Drydock, etc. will have them first. Check the CW web site! Thanks, Steve Wiper -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for having SMML at your home, why not stop by our home at: http://www.smml.org.uk -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of Volume