I am biulding a DKM Bismark and I would like to add details on to it. What material do you captains use for the decals? Thanks, -Dexter
For items like portholes, hatches, etc. I use black sharpie and a 12in ruler. Dots for the holes, rectangles for doors and hatches, and the ruler ensures they're all evenly spaced. For rigging, I use a thick black elastic, stretched slightly to stay taut. I haven't found a good material for flags, but I make large battle flags for team ID using blue and red landscaping flags cut down to 2"x3" and decorated with sharpie. I try to limit my detailing to stuff that is visible from 5 feet away, so this list covers just about everything. Can you be more specific about which details you want to add?
I use laser printable water slide decals (e.g. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/10-Clear-White-LASER-Water-Slide-Decal-PAPER-Transfer-/260693827664?pt=AU_Wholesale_Lots_Crafts&hash=item3cb2902050 -- that's an Australian seller) They are thicker than the decals you get with plastic models. Rather than print a whole sheet, I print on plain paper, then cut out a piece of the film and tape it to the paper, covering the section where the image is, then run the paper through the printer again. You need to be careful water proofing them -- I find that I need to paint some clear Acrylic over them, but Acrylic spray tends to make them wrinkle. I still haven't found the ideal solution. Here's an example (end of page -- how do I link to a particular post?) http://www.rcnavalcombat.com/Forum/tabid/58/aff/566/aft/442881/afv/topic/afpgj/2/Default.aspx Tom
I use paint instead of markers, but it varies from captain to captain. I have not seen any decals used myself. Mostly paint or marker. Decals tend to come off because of the water.
Thank you for the help. I now have an idea of what decals I should add on to my ship. But, just one more question. What wood should I use to deck my DKM Bismark? -Dexter
The generally accepted wood for decks is 1/8" plywood. Birch works best, but anything should work. Just remember that it will need to be waterproofed, just a few thin layers of a waterproof epoxy will work. Beaver
