[R-390] Dry Transfer Decals Better News

[barry williams]

Lester,

Yes, someone does but I forget who. There were some details about a 
silkscreen that was shot just for the front panel a few years back. Rick 
Mish??? It probably was him. I remember that it was a well done screen 
that looked good when printed according to a few people on the list.


> Does anyone have a high quality scan or typeset image of an R-390 and 390A
> front panel
>
>
> Lester B Veenstra 
> Lester,
>
Sorry Bob, but unless you are really REALLY good, it will look really 
REALLY bad. These are the pressure sensitive types that you are talking 
about. The biggest makers used to be Chartpak and Letraset. They are 
also called dry transfer letters. I used to work as a commercial artist 
in Atlanta back in the 70's, and we had hundreds of fonts and sizes on 
hand in file boxes. This was before home computers so everything was 
done by hand. We had all kinds of primitive methods back then for 
getting type on to whatever we were selling.

Laying down that small of letter, one by one, aligned just right, etc 
will be impossible. Alignment and spacing will drive you nuts. Then, 
things begin to look different after you stand back and look at it from 
different points. I used to work hunched over art tables all day long 
doing that and I wouldn't try it on a panel myself. However, if you want 
to prove me wrong, do a search and you will find ample supply of sheets 
that you will need.

By the way, these aren't fragile. They last a long time just sitting 
around. I have a small booklet of electrical symbols and electronic 
words already laid out on small sheets. I've had it for about 25 years 
and it has been tossed in boxes for the attics or basements along the 
years. Still looks fine. No need for the worry beads.


the other other Barry

p.s. if it were me, I would make a rubbing of a front panel. That's 
laying a sheet of paper over the panel and rubbing with graphite to get 
the outlines of the letter spacing, alignment, placement, etc. Maybe a 
good computer guy could scan that sheet and send a cleaned up file out 
to a vinyl cutter that would do a whole sheet for you. That would look 
second best to a silkscreened job. Just transfer the whole sheet in one 
piece.



> I found them in my searches earlier.
>
> Since I don't have a laser printer or copier, I just wrote that off my list.
>
> I've decided that one thing I *WILL* do, is to take an original R-390A
> silkscreened panel that has extensive wear, strip it down, prime it, bake
> it, the hit it with the closest gray to what the panel was, and apply the
> markings with one of the sets of the letters/words I have.
> Then shoot it with clear satin enamel, bake it again.
>
> Then I will always have a spare!
>
> Bob - N0DGN
>
>