Getting a String of Individual Letters and Numbers Level and Correctly Spaced

[Ray_W]

Decalling a string of individual characters has mostly relied on my eyeball. I sometimes use a line of tape as a guide. I position it and roll it up and just roll it down for each new character. I can lift it and ensure no pooling of decal solution along the tape edge. Lay it down again and do the next one being very careful to not tape over carrier film, which I usually trim back, as a minimum, along the alignment edge. This will probably be the technique I will use on the next decal job. However, within the string there is a tricky character that has to be altered meaning also alignment of its component parts. This does not give much time to play around getting both the alignment and position correct. 

 

This got me thinking, what techniques do others use? Happy to hear your ideas for getting a string of individual characters right - perpendicular, spacing, level.

 

Ray 

 

[Dave Swindell]

Set up guidelines in corel draw, use snap to guidelines for each character, and print as one decal.....

[Mark Harmsworth]

I've struggled with this as well. Several of my recent builds have been of specific planes which have involved cutting out individual code letters and serial numbers/letters for WW2 planes in 1:72. Code letters aren't too bad but the teeny serial numbers are a challenge - I think it's the surface tension of the water that causes them to have a life of their own. Sometimes I'm just grateful that I can get them on to the airframe.

 

The only answer I've come up with is, like you, to use a thin strip of masking tape plus mark one eyeball. Not hugely satisfactory but, as I don't have a method of printing my own, its' all I've come up with so far.

Not at all helpful I know.

Mark

[Ray_W]

15 hours ago, Dave Swindell said:

Set up guidelines in corel draw, use snap to guidelines for each character, and print as one decal

 

I keep promising to print my own decals, in the mean time I keep playing with individual characters.

 

1 hour ago, Mark Harmsworth said:

I've struggled with this as well.

 

Yes, we tend to get by. I finished the current job by eye and ruler. Still interested in other ideas.

 

Ray

[dnl42]

I'm mortified about the thought of tape near a decal, so I rely on looking at various angles. Looking directly at the decals shows spacing. Looking along the length at an oblique angle shows vertical alignment.