Decal method idea. (Feasibility query)

[willimo]

Ok guys.

So, I'm about half country boy and about half city boy, and that country half is from Louisiana. So in my time I've seen all manner of camo'd gear - from trucks to guns to coolers to... well, some things that have the camouflage treatment I find appalling. However, it got me thinking.

A lot of things are camo'd aftermarket. Example, not all gun stocks come printed. But you can take them to Boudreaux's gun supply bait/tackle/icecream/beer shop and he can do it in his back room. Same with things like the plastic trim on your F150. This is how Boudreaux does it.

Boudreaux fills a tank with water.
Boudreaux floats a film across the top of the water - a lot like a waterslide decal.
Boudreaux takes your gun stock (or truck trim), and gingerly lays it into the water over the floating film.
Boudreaux takes it out. The film has miraculously adhered to the gun stock (or front bumper)!
Boudreaux has a beer. Or three. And watches some football.
Boudreaux charges you $134 because it was so much painstaking work.

WAIT ONE GOSH DERN MINUTE HERE!

I know this wouldn't work for decals like on a car's livery for example.... but how about something like, carbon fiber? I'd really love to CF some Craft Square mirrors, but the shape is complex and the size is small. It's going to a real pain. Boy would it be fantastic if someone made those magical, floaty decals so I could float them on water, and just dip the mirror into them. And spoilers. And airboxes and plenums and duct work and my face.

Has anyone experience with Boudreaux's magic decal system? How feasible would it be for things like model decals? I would assume the decals would be a lot like the S27 (?) high-tech decals that don't use carrier film, and the printing and adhesive somehow just floats on the surface, and it would work well for things where decal orientation wasn't 100% critical (like CF).

Just a crazy idea that popped into my head. Thoughts?

[MPWR]

Dun-no! Maybe if ya ofr'd him a beer, an aksd him reeel nice, Boudreaux'd tell you?

Interesting idea, though.

[carbonface]

Good thing you find out us

yes we could do that:


also for mirrors, bumpers and more body pasts, except... yes somewhere work better viagra

[gionc]

[MPWR]

Nice! For just $134, and three beers? Sign me up!

[gionc]

Originally Posted by MPWR

Nice! For just $134, and three beers? Sign me up!

three giant beers're enough,

[klutz_100]

Originally Posted by carbonface

Good thing you find out us

yes we could do that:
also for mirrors, bumpers and more body pasts, except... yes somewhere work better viagra

I recognise that sense of humour

@ Willimo:
Is this actually a film that goes on the water or is it dye/ink. The process as you describe it sounds rather similar to the technique used to make that fancy colored paper on the inside covers of expensive first editions

In that process, dye is poured into a vat of water in which it floats (oil and vinegar principle), twirled around toi get a funky pattern and then a sheet of heavy quality paper is placed onto the water to pick up the pattern of the floating dye and then removed, dried, cut and sold for 100$ per square inch.

Mybe this is what Boudreaux is doing? Don't know, it just sounds familiar that's all but if that is teh technique used, then 1/24 CF pattern seems ...difficult to me.

EDIT: Hola!! This is the first time the TT team have been in the same thread for ages!!

[gionc]

I guess bordeaux is ok for brick patterns ecc.
but for a carbon pattern you need a Pinot Nero or Chardonnet

Originally Posted by klutz_100

I recognise that sense of humour

@ Willimo:
Is this actually a film that goes on the water or is it dye/ink. The process as you describe it sounds rather similar to the technique used to make that fancy colored paper on the inside covers of expensive first editions

In that process, dye is poured into a vat of water in which it floats (oil and vinegar principle), twirled around toi get a funky pattern and then a sheet of heavy quality paper is placed onto the water to pick up the pattern of the floating dye and then removed, dried, cut and sold for 100$ per square inch.

Mybe this is what Boudreaux is doing? Don't know, it just sounds familiar that's all but if that is teh technique used, then 1/24 CF pattern seems ...difficult to me.

[willimo]

This has turned into a wicked funny thread.

But ya'll, I'm serious!

Here is an example of what I mean: Click on the red blinky bit.

I couldn't find Boudreaux's site but that's just the same. Someone around here has to be more familiar with this process than I am, I would reckon.

[2.2 Straight six]

aren't our decals too heavy? don't they just sink?

my method, which i learned off a site was to add a tiny amount of washing-up liquid to the decal water, and use warm water. being warm they mould to shapes better and the washing-up liquid makes them slide better for longer, used with micro sol/set i dont have any problems.

[mike@af]

I want decals like heat shrink. Just set it over a model or part and ta da...

Better yet, airbrushable decals.

Will, I think the idea could be feasible. If we can make the decal the way they do the camo pattern, it sounds like it might be feasible. But my question is how distorted is the decal on the final piece from the beginning? The only way to test is right your name on the camo "transfer" before its applied, and see if it shrunk or became distorted after application. With camo distorition is a lot less noteable, and less important. Where as a carbon fiber weave that varies in width or letters that change size is unrealistic.

[willimo]

The thing is the camouflage I've seen applied isn't just the blocks of greens and browns, it's an actual pattern that looks like grass and twigs and forest and whatnot, and is pretty realistic looking like this. I can't remember how distorted it was, but I didn't notice any distortion when I saw it. Again, I'd reckon someone here really knows.

It seems like I may have to investigate this more myself, see what can be done. I think it's worth looking into (ahem, Crazy Modeler ).

[white97ex]

thats pretty awesome....think about it.....a system like that and....viola CF bodies in MUCH less time with MUCH less work

[D_LaMz]

I carboned my ganador mirrors and they turned out all right, but was a PITA to do. Maybe you should try and put the decals on yourself?

But yeah that dipping shat is pretty cool.

[gionc]

Originally Posted by GTmike400

But my question is how distorted is the decal on the final piece from the beginning?

Well, as a start, sorry for the funny start but we couldn't rexist

On the topic: I done this experience in the pro life with the warmcasting process: they're used sometimes to cast a PS or ABS board after been screenprinted, the kind of deformation could be valuated direcly on the nurbs software that have been generated the surface (the mold) by a dedicated rendering pattern or also trought an empyrical manner: they draw a black grid over the board and than they cast it: so they're able to modify the pattern (well a pattern like what showed from willimo not need that) or the image in accordance with the real deformations (for example a lettering like cocacola on a refrigerator panel: I'm sure they don't like theyr brand warped!)