Voisin III

[ALBATROS1234]

wow. whats next? 1/32 scratched taube?

[Whiteknuckles]

wow. whats next? 1/32 scratched taube?

We're hoping

Andrew

[IanB]

Des, I can see I've missed a lot by taking so long to find your site! I really can't add anything to what's already been said - this makes my little  Bleriot look like a child's toy! Having said that, I was thinking of making my next project the Flashback Voisin III - I think I'll step back and catch my breath first...rigging that in 1:72 will be a big challenge, but this build will certainly be a fantastic reference!

Ian

[Chris Johnson]

wow. whats next? 1/32 scratched taube?

That would be my guess.

Cheers,

Chris

[Des]

Scratch building the Taube in 1:32 scale has been on my mind for quite a while, I will think about it a bit longer. 

I have taken a few small steps with the Voisin, I completed the tail boom rigging and applied the wing decals. I drew the decals with my drawing program and printed them out with my ink jet printer onto white water slide decal paper, they were then sprayed with clear lacquer. I serarated the part of the decal which goes on the ailerons, this made applying the decals very easy, they still need to be clear coated.

Des.

[modelmaker]

Beautiful result Des the Decals look like they went down really nicely.

Sean

[Des]

Yes Sean, the decals did go down well. I coated the surface with Mr Mark Softer first, then after patting the decals down I applied heat from a hair dryer, this really makes the decals hug the surface, I will give them a spray of clear tomorrow.

Des.

[IanB]

Des, what settings/paper do you use to print your decals? I have great trouble getting them even, with no streaks or blotches when I print.

Ian

[pepperman42]

Excellent results.

Steve

[Chris Johnson]

Your decals look very good Des. What did you cut them out with?

Cheers,

Chris

[Des]

IanB - The only thing I change on my printer when printing decals is to select the highest quality print setting and print at 600dpi. The paper is a white water slide decal paper I purchased from a copier company here in Australia, I tried to contact the company yesterday to get some more paper but they appear to be out of business, someone once told me that the Testors decal paper is excellent. Once I have printed the decals I leave them for at least four hours before spraying them with a coat of clear lacquer.

Chris - Here are some pictures of how I modified my compass to cut the decals, it is quite simple, there is a full description on my website in the Voisin build.

http://www.ww1aircraftmodels.com/page33.html

Des.

[phs Paddy]

Great Des. Thanks very much for that. I've been wondering what to do
with my old K&E set of drafting tools. Now, if I can just find them........

Paddy 

[Ian from Doncaster]

I have a circle cutter which does the same as your compasses Des.  It looks like a miniature adjustable wrench, with a blade fixed at one end and the pointer adjustable along the length of the tool, along a scale to produce circles of specific radius.  You have yet again come up with a homegrown method that works perfectly Des

[IanB]

Thanks Des,
Do you set your printer for normal or glossy paper? The first time I printed decals they came out fine, but I haven't been able to reproduce roundels since then without them  being blotchy.

Ian

[Des]

Hi Ian,

My printer is a HP Photosmart C4385. For printing the decals the only changes I made was to select highest quality and 600dpi, I have gone as high as 1200dpi but I couldn't notice any difference. I also did a few diagnostic checks by first;

Align print cartridges
Clean print cartridges
Calibrate colour
Print quality Calibration

This makes sure that everything is running correctly with my printer and that colour calibration is where it should be.  Every printer operates at different settings so to compare one brand to another is a little difficult.

As far as normal or gloss paper, my printer is set for plain paper, I did at one stage select photo paper but it didn't make any diference to the quality of print, just used heaps more ink. It is important to check your own printer manual and go through the settings available, experimentation might the the key role here. It took me a little while to get my setting right but now that it prints okay I don't touch it. I have a continuous inking system on my printer so I never have to change or refill the cartridges, printing costs are cut by 90%.

Des.