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How do you make OO gauge smokebox number and shed plates?


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A quick question, when building kits/scratch build BR steam locos in 4mm, how do you create smoke box number/shed plates? Is there a supplier that's recognised as a good place to go to, or are there other methods that people use?

 

Thanks

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If renumbering exLMS locos in BR days beware, both gill sans, and sans seriff type were used, most manufacturers reproduce gill sans. To reproduce sans seriff I use Pressfix sheet 15 ( BR Diesels) approx. 1.25mm high whitenumbers on 10 thou brass plate, cut to size, and painted gloss black before adding the numbers. Shed plates are available in transfers from Fox transfers, or in brass from Comet.

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For the smokebox door numbers, I would have suggested 247 Developments as they do etched plates. However, on checking their web site I noted that they don't do the numbers for S&DJR 7Fs, so it would be a case of having a look and seeing if they have what you want.

 

http://www.247developments.co.uk

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I made up some smoke box numbers using MS Word. Make a text box the size of the plate you want - or bigger. Set the background colour to black and set the text colour to white.  You can play around with the font until you get what you want.  If you print on white paper with a laser printer you can colour the cut edge black with a felt tip.  Paint with matt or satin varnish which can also be used as the adhesive.  I am thinking that you could use the same approach to make shed plates.

 

Regards

 

Ray

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Nowadays I make up my own smokebox number plates using Photoshop Elements. I've found the best results come from drawing them larger than the correct size and scaling them at the print stage. If using an inkjet printer use glossy photo paper to get a sharp print and matt varnish them. After cutting out any white edges are touched up with a black felt tip. I managed to get a Gill Sans font from a link posted a few years ago on RM web; it's not the correct 'version' for rail use but in 4mm scale is close enough.

 

For shed plates I buy Modelmasters transfers.

 

Jeremy

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Just wondering, does anyone have any experience with Phoenix Precision for smokebox number-plates?

 

http://www.phoenix-paints.co.uk/nameplates.html

 

If so, what's their service like?

 

Regards,

Matt

 

I haven't used them, but looking on their website I see they do S&DJR 7Fs, so I might be using them to get a smokebox plate for my challenge build. If so, I'll report back here with indication of QoS and QoP.

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Smokebox number plates are a minefield. Very much a case of no two alike (and not just coz they carry different numbers!). Plus if your RTR loco (if you have one of course) has a moulded plate already there there is no guarantee that the etched one will be the same size, and neither may actually be correct! 

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