Thought I'd share this quick pic showing the application of a custom Miracle Mask, by Mal Mayfield on one of my builds. The mask worked like a dream. The small letters are .050 tall.
If anyone is interested;
Here is his FB page: http://www.facebook.com/marc.reusser.1?ref=name#!/miraclemasks (http://www.facebook.com/marc.reusser.1?ref=name#!/miraclemasks)
Here is Mal's e-mail: miraclemasks@hotmail.co.uk
Marc...........
Looks impressive ............. and quite relevant for me, being primarily an Auto' modeller. Trouble is I'm not on Facebook, and although I got the link to open it just showed a series of [quite impressive] builds that had been completed using this "Miracle Mask".
Any further details or info' available? It's the ability to produce accurate and decorative lettering that appeals the most.
PS ............ Interesting looking cab you have there.
Perhaps a preferable alternative to decals or dry transfers. -- Russ
Oooh ... really cool ... thanks, Marc.
Andi -- His FB page and email address both indicate that he's in the UK (Cornwall) ... seeing as a number of smaller UK vendors often operate without web pages, I imagine that he'd be receptive to an email seeking further details. ;)
Cheers,
Dallas
Thanks guys. They really were great for this. Far better than decals, because I could control the color, fading, etc., and they don't require the whole rigamarole of gloss coats and then matt cover coat.
Andi, Dallas is correct. I do not believe he has a website. Best way is to contact him is via email. He's a really nice and helpful fellow. He really put a lot of work into getting these to match the reference photo I sent him.
M
The FB page does not seem to have ANY real info. Marc can you tell us a bit about it? How do you "stick" it down? How big(or little) can it be? Costs?
You mention you gave him a photo, how does it get from a photo to the mask? I assume you can give him line art as well?
This looks perfect for a couple of things I have in mind..
Thanks,
Paul
Looks great Marc! Here´s some more info.
http://www.freewebs.com/miraclemasks/
Anders
Marc --
Now that I've had a little coffee and I can process this better ...
WHAT is it? I'm imagining some sort of laser cut frisket ... but it's clearly not a stencil, as the little middle bits of letters are there ... so maybe a laser cut frisket with some sort of carrier that allows you to lay down all the masking bits at once and then paint/peel?
BTW, good job to Anders for searching out the web page ;) ... and the verbage there clearly indicates that he's happy to discuss projects.
Cheers,
Dallas
Anders that's a great link, I did not kow he had that.
Paul, my need was for a simple one color masking job, so it was very basic to mask. Simply use his cover film over the cut mask (to hold the mask and cut-outs together when peeling from backing), peel mask from backing, place on model, burnish, remove cover film, remove letters with xacto and tweezers, apply paint, remove masking film.....and in my case lightly sand with 2000 for some weathering and to remove a couple of edges where due to my application method, there was a bit of a ridge.
I can't really give you the pricing, as it has no bearing on what it would actually be, this was a special project through a mutual aquaintance, and it was a rush order. And on his page, where he says you will get enought test/make mistakes, he's not kidding...there were 8 complete masks in my order.
Yes, he actually did this for me from a photo...no artwork. I sent him the photo of an old truck with this lettering/signage on it, and he did the artwork for me...no more than a week after our first correspondence, till the masks were in my mailbox. (again, this was a unique situation...don't know how others would fare....but like he says....if you don't ask, you'll never know.)
M
Dallas,...sorry..cross post on that lt one.
It is like a fisket...but much thinner and with better adhesion. These type of msks have been around for a while in armor circles, for insignias letters and numbers..even tiny unit markings.
The masks are knife cut...vey accurately, and only through the film not touching the backing...so no connectors are needed like on a stencil. The transfer film holds it all together when removing the mask from the backing.....then whenthe letters are peeled, the insides of letters, like o's and b's remain...though when pulling up the surrounding letters on the real tiny type a few shifted just slightly...but pushed right back into place with a tothpick.
Looks great. Looks like the way to get custom lettering.
Thanks for the tip, Marc. I have a couple of projects that need this sort of thing.
Bill Martinsen
Thanks Marc, this looks like a neat method.
Paul
Very cool stuff, I'm sure I will find some uses for it! For instance, I bet it would be great for putting lettering on scale windows.
Looks good Marc, the process holds a lot of promise. However (slipping into my pain-in-the-ass nitpicker mode), the font appears to be Century Gothic Bold which was designed in 1990, perhaps a little too modern for the truck, though I suspect no one but another type nerd would spot it (giveaway is the "C"). Futura, designed in 1927 would have been a more appropriate choice... :(
Paul ->returning to the corner->
Paul, I'm going to send you big box of tiny rivets. :P ;D ;D
I went back for a look-see regards the font style, and mainly because nothing scratched my eye when I looked at it previously.
You may be right Paul, and I would certainly bow to your obvious knowledge.
But, honestly, it reads as a piece of simple utilitarian sign-writing to me. In fact the "C" reminds me of many of the less than perfectly formed "C's" that I used to see [...way to many sees{Cs} in that sentence] around and about, in fact it struck me as a piece of rural signwriting that might pass as the signature work of a well known and oft used local character - it all adds to the back story to my mind.
Not trying to be contrary you understand - just how another man sees the same image.
And not trying to prove a point but perhaps an amusing aside for Marc! - whom it appears likes his bikes? - Here's a pic' of mine [which I thought might interest you - The Pashley Parabike] but more pertinently some old signs in the background that show some quite esoteric and individual styles.
(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi180.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx248%2FAndismodelpages%2FPashley-yard2.jpg&hash=1bdbe048b4c5e2d0c1c59a18abb73b65e6ad1523)
Again, not trying to be a clever dick! ........... just adding to the conversation. :-\
Well, attached is a composite pic, showing the photo I sent him (and my painted cab)...with the discussion that he would do the best he could in the time frame, with the fonts he had (without modifying them), and given the machine's and material's limitations (note that the original address was "56", and we changed it to "21" as the 56 at that size was creating some slight issues, and not every mask of the 8 he was cutting was coming out the same on it.
...given all the above.....there is really nothing I could even begin to take issue with. :)....and like Andi notes, the sign on the truck does seem to have been painted by the Journeyman type sign painters of the period (remember Woodie Guthrie ;D )
Andi...interesting bike..I like it...well maintained. Dont recall ever before seeing that type of frame and bottom bracket set-up. The signs in the background though...they scare me...too "cutesy" and small-town-tourist-trapish ;D
Quote from: marc_reusser on July 11, 2012, 01:00:35 AM
Andi...interesting bike..I like it...well maintained. Dont recall ever before seeing that type of frame and bottom bracket set-up. The signs in the background though...they scare me...too "cutesy" and small-town-tourist-trapish ;D
Not wishing to hi-jack the thread - but rather just to tie the loose ends.
I know what you mean about the Cutsey-Folksey" brigade, they've kind of devalued the "art & craft" involved in the original and traditional style of signwriting. Not so much now but I used to practise as a sign-writer when times became tough and crusts were hard to come by. Enjoyed it too - if not only for the work environment ... I used to be involved with vintage machinery and the Narrow boat traditions. I'm still a sucker for a good bit of hand lettering.
The bike - [whilst I realise not your cup of tea per se] - is in fact a copy of the 'folding' BSA bicycle that was parachuted into France during the D-Day landings ... hence Parabike. A very old, simple, elegant and clever design with a lot of provenance - that in itself is what I suspected might pique your interest.
Now back to normal viewing.