railtec-models Posted August 14, 2016 Author Share Posted August 14, 2016 Going a step further, a complete vehicle side/end as a transfer, that could be floated onto a plain piece of plastikard, and then the carrier film cut through the window apertures. Sort of the ultimate scratch building aid (although possibly not really scratch building any more...) Depending on how the design was made, you wouldn't even have to cut through any carrier film as - in theory - we could just not print anything (including no carrier) where the windows would go, at least if that's if I've correctly understood the direction you're thinking. Just an extension of us printing window frame surrounds, i.e. there would be nothing in the middle but the print would be thick enough (to replicate the frames) that it should hopefully have enough thickness in order to be ok to apply. It sounds like what's being contemplated here is essentially overlays, but done as a one-piece transfer and with the added benefit of raised detail such as frames and handle grabs. It's potentially do-able but would need a fair amount of testing of course! Perhaps one to explore a little further down the line. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rovex Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 Not mentioned yet, but presumably an obvious addition would be street names. No different to loco plates and could be done in batches. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartingram Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 Not mentioned yet, but presumably an obvious addition would be street names. No different to loco plates and could be done in batches. also the old square 2-line BUS STOP signs. Stewart Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Zero Gravitas Posted August 14, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 14, 2016 Depending on how the design was made, you wouldn't even have to cut through any carrier film as - in theory - we could just not print anything (including no carrier) where the windows would go, at least if that's if I've correctly understood the direction you're thinking. Just an extension of us printing window frame surrounds, i.e. there would be nothing in the middle but the print would be thick enough (to replicate the frames) that it should hopefully have enough thickness in order to be ok to apply. It sounds like what's being contemplated here is essentially overlays, but done as a one-piece transfer and with the added benefit of raised detail such as frames and handle grabs. It's potentially do-able but would need a fair amount of testing of course! Perhaps one to explore a little further down the line. Point taken about it being something for the future. I was thinking about leaving the carrier film over the windows as a way of strengthening the transfer and making it easier to manoeuvre - it seemed to me that trying to coax a window frame surround into position without having something in the aperture to strengthen the transfer would be quite a challenge... Oh, and wagon corner plates with the rivets included, or the capping strips for wagon sides, with the brackets and fixing bolts, or sole bar rivet detail with plates and clips, etc that would be applied to an evergreen channel section to make complete solebars... Gosh, the list really could go on and on... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Budgie Posted August 14, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 14, 2016 Oh, and wagon corner plates with the rivets included, or the capping strips for wagon sides, with the brackets and fixing bolts, or sole bar rivet detail with plates and clips, etc that would be applied to an evergreen channel section to make complete solebars... Gosh, the list really could go on and on... Is this something you can patent? Just think of the money you can make licensing the technology for others to use! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Branwell Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 Pre-grouping station signs would be very much of interest as would builders plates for locos and rolling stock, especially in 2mm scale. Think you could be onto a real winner here! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
railtec-models Posted August 15, 2016 Author Share Posted August 15, 2016 Pre-grouping station signs would be very much of interest as would builders plates for locos and rolling stock, especially in 2mm scale. Think you could be onto a real winner here! We could certainly try builders' plates in 2mm scale, though they'd be absolutely tiny of course. It makes me wonder how faithfully they could be reproduced at 1:148 as well as the ease (or not) of application. There's no harm in us trying when the time comes as we've got the designs anyway. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted August 15, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 15, 2016 Is this something you can patent? Just think of the money you can make licensing the technology for others to use!No, the printer probably is already though You can patent a process but that's what the printer does here so all you can do is copyright the artwork Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted August 15, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 15, 2016 Photograph courtesy of Paul Bartlett. (Crop of a larger picture). I can't do a close up any other way. If I'm transgressing copyright , apologies, I'll remove immediately. Strips of these would be good, currently need about 20 wagons worth. Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
railtec-models Posted August 15, 2016 Author Share Posted August 15, 2016 1-BCC10818_PCA_Freightliner_@_York_South_Yard_2008-06-28_�_Paul_Bartlett_4w-(ZF-0704-52083-1-006.jpg Photograph courtesy of Paul Bartlett. (Crop of a larger picture). I can't do a close up any other way. If I'm transgressing copyright , apologies, I'll remove immediately. Strips of these would be good, currently need about 20 wagons worth. Mike. It would need some testing to see how faithful a print could be achieved even at 7mm, though it's not something we'd know until we made time to make the design and test prints. Thinking out loud - in 4mm and 2mm scales it may just transpire to be a raised "blob" with little/any detail. Any info such as sizes of the nuts and distance between would be helpful as rivetting isn't really our area of expertise. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
railtec-models Posted September 24, 2016 Author Share Posted September 24, 2016 Just to give everyone an update on this new concept: we've been playing around with the fine tuning of the 3D transfer technology and have found that we're able to get quite creative in terms of the nameplates. It's still early days but we've made successful tests of the sub-sector British Coal nameplates, the ex-CEGB(?) plates and have even just recently managed the Harry Patch plate: For those who model tea-making machines, we've been working with Pete Waterman and Just Like The Real Thing to develop replica cast plates for GWR steam locos: We showed them first-hand to Pete last Sunday, and the following day his FB page read: "The real plates are in my collection. I have to say [the 3D transfers] are so good I'm still speechless. This is the end of etched for cast plates." These will be made available as a stock item shortly at least in 4mm and 7mm, where folks simply let us know what number is required, what lining (if any) within the beading, and what shed code (not shown above). It's likely that the smokebox number will also be on a raised black plate, and the smokebox number itself also raised of course. They need no trimming, no filing, no painting, no rubbing - simply slide off after a few seconds in water directly onto the model. Hopefully this flexibility will make life a lot easier and more economical for people. Meanwhile there is still a ton of new releases of normal transfer packs but I'll keep this thread purely to update on developments in the 3D transfer arena. We've already started testing with the sub-sector plaques with some good results and there will be more updates and photos of those in due course. Usual disclaimer: If you're waiting on a response / new pack release / existing pack re-stock then we'll respond as soon as we're able. Please be very patient though because we get absolutely beyond hammered with requests so unless someone's life is in danger please let us focus our time on development and try to refrain from prompting us on social media / chats etc. Exciting times ahead! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium newbryford Posted September 24, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 24, 2016 Hi Steve, Just catching up with the 3D transfers. Superb. How about loco headboards? Admittedly, they'll probably have to go on a thin rigid backing sheet. Such as this one? and this? Cheers, Mick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombatofludham Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 A second vote for AC Electric "E" numbers. Having made a pig's ear of trying to use individual etched numbers to renumber Class 86s to AL6s I'd welcome a sheet of complete number sets for Classes 81, 85 and 86.A brilliant idea all round. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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