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Getting back into the decal business (Ol'Days Decals)

 
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Tom M.
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Joined: 01 Feb 2018
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 20, 2019 10:35 pm    Post subject: Getting back into the decal business (Ol'Days Decals) Reply with quote

This is more of an announcement than a "For Sale" but I will sell direct to forum members who prefer to not to the eBay thing.

I bought MPR Mark's old white laser printer late last Fall when he upgraded to the newer version. I spent a couple of months updating my old ALPS artwork, creating new artwork, and getting the printer figured out so that I'm comfortable with it. I struggled for a bit with decal paper, apparently there are no domestic producers or distributors of clear decal film for laser printers with a blue backing paper so that the white printing is visible as a guide for cutting out the individual decals. I tried the offshore paper supplier that MPR uses but when I placed my order for a few hundred sheets the "clear" paper they sent was just slightly matte finish, just enough to make the decals look "milky" when stacked with color on top of the white underlay. I found that I could salvage the paper by coating it with Testors #1261 after printing but that added a LOT of extra time to the process as well as the expense of paint and the risk of spoiling a sheet if dust lands in the wet paint. Plus, it's miserable to paint in winter in New Hampshire! I received a sample of a different clear laser film on blue paper from Australia this week and while it's still not quite as high gloss as the Bel Decal film I used to buy (I'm a perfectionist when it comes to decals) it's satisfactory and I've ordered a few hundred sheets of THAT decal paper now so hopefully I can ramp up production.

I've been printing and selling on eBay for a couple of weeks now and I set up a Facebook page for announcements but I recognize that many people who visit this forum don't do Facebook or eBay so I thought I would post my offerings on here.

I want to make it clear that I can't do custom decals at the moment. I still have a day job that takes up 55-60 hours a week and now that I'm spending my weekday evenings fulfilling orders plus printing and bagging more stock it's a struggle to find time to finish the artwork I intend to offer in my decal line. This is something I had planned to do in retirement but the opportunity to buy MPR's printer and take advantage of his offer to show me how to use the printer and get up to speed was something I couldn't pass up.

I also need to address some of the limitations of the laser printing process. While the laser does a nice job with whites and prints colors in decent resolution (in my judgment this laser prints slightly better resolution than SLIXX quality but maybe not quite Cartograf resolution) the presence of the white toner means there's no dedicated black toner in the printer and so black is printed as a composite of the cyan, magenta, and yellow toners. Fortunately that's a common process in printing and with a good printer it's not a problem The laser also can't print true gold, silver, or fluorescents. I can simulate those with colors that I CAN print but they're not as bright as true metallics or fluorescents and so I am avoiding most graphics where either metallic gold, metallic aluminum, or fluorescent colors are a major part of the graphics.

Now for the decals, because most people probably don't really care about the nuts and bolts of printing. As I said, I prefer to sell through my eBay store (my eBay user name is ol_days) and I post updates and previews on the Facebook page Ol'Days Decals for Scale Model Cars. I have only limited access to the internet via smartphone during the day so it's difficult for me to respond to messages promptly but I'll do my best to keep up with them in the evenings.

Decal images are presented in low resolution and with a watermark to make it more difficult for decal pirates.

Late Model Sportsman decals:

The Bobby Isaac Nova that he drove at Hickory until his untimely death




Friday Hassler '58 Plymouth as raced in '65:




Freddy Smith/Stick Elliot/Carl Smart Camaro:





Sonny Hutchins Chevelle (this sheet has a bonus option to build the GN Monte Carlo that Hutchins put on the front row and led a lot of laps with at Martinsville in '74):






Grand National cars:

A.J. Foyt Valvoline Olds from the '79 Daytona 500:




Bobby Johns 1966 Chevelle (sized to fit the Lindberg Chevelle)






"Big" John Sears '72 Charger as raced in '73. One of John's Panther Pink cars:





Benny Parsons Talladega as raced in 1970:



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spooker



Joined: 11 Feb 2018
Posts: 437

PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2019 6:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Awesome news, Tom!
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DaveVan



Joined: 27 Jan 2018
Posts: 1571

PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2019 9:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good deal TOM!!!!
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BVAUGHN



Joined: 29 Jan 2018
Posts: 503

PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2019 12:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tom
you did not list your prices Lol. So glad we got another quality decal producer on board!!!
Bill
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Tom M.
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2019 12:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Like I said, it's more of an informational post. If prices change I don't want to have to track down this post in a year. For now I'm keeping prices at $10 or less per sheet but I'm still getting a feel for how much it costs per sheet for toners etc.
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octopusmotor



Joined: 19 Mar 2018
Posts: 111

PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2019 12:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh, this is wonderful, Tom. I know the quality of your work and this really is a big deal to have you in the game. (And you've also given me a gentle reminder that I need to get back to work on my own decal project! But I face the same problem you have - too many tasks, not enough hours or brain cells left when it's done.)

Good luck with this - and thanks!

Jodie Peeler
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Pat Redmond
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2019 1:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Received a few Tuesday. They look great!
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Bill J



Joined: 28 Jan 2018
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2019 1:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looking great Tom, really happy to see these. I will be keeping an eye out for what's next. I will contact you for some of the Benny Parson's Talledega decals, nice!!
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halfbreed999



Joined: 31 Jan 2018
Posts: 181
Location: Just west of Chicago

PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2019 2:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is great Tom. They look terrific. Now I have to go rob a bank.
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pulln4dejr



Joined: 27 Jan 2018
Posts: 294

PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2019 3:24 pm    Post subject: Decals Reply with quote

Tom, GREAT looking stuff!! I'm down for a few of the hometown boy.....Sonny Hutchins sets!!!!!!!!!!! Used to watch him and Rapid Ray Hendrick, Lennie Pond out at Southside Speedway on Friday nights back in the early '70's!!
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AdamtheWayne



Joined: 09 Jul 2018
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 21, 2019 4:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Concise description! You answered all my faq's and your stuff looks pretty good. I'll keep an eye out for future offerings.
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Bill J



Joined: 28 Jan 2018
Posts: 392

PostPosted: Mon Feb 25, 2019 11:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tom gets them to you in a hurry! I ordered the Benny Parson's Talladega sheet on Friday and it arrived today, all the way from New Hampshire to Arizona.

The decals look great, very, very nicely done. I have a body primed and ready for the red and black. I can't wait to see the decals on the car, a rare subject of a nice guy driver. Thanks for making them available Tom. I look forward to more decals to come.
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Toys4Don



Joined: 31 Jan 2018
Posts: 226

PostPosted: Sun Mar 03, 2019 10:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I liked my first set of Sonny Hutchins decals so much I ordered two more sets and a Bobby Issac. Now bugging him to do more Sonny decals to cover the 77-82 Novas and Grand Ams!!
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spooker



Joined: 11 Feb 2018
Posts: 437

PostPosted: Mon Mar 04, 2019 10:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I rec'd my Foyt and Hutchins sheets today, amazing stuff! Any chance of an L. D. Ottinger Black Diamond Coal sheet?

Brian
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Tom M.
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2019 8:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

spooker wrote:
I rec'd my Foyt and Hutchins sheets today, amazing stuff! Any chance of an L. D. Ottinger Black Diamond Coal sheet?

Brian


Funny you should mention that. I've been looking at reference photos for the Nova, the earlier Chevelle appears to use a lot of foil that I can't replicate.
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Lionpride



Joined: 28 Jan 2018
Posts: 245

PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2019 10:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tom, are you still doing the Rusty Wallace Monte Carlo decals?
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Tom M.
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 07, 2019 7:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, I did what I hope is my final test fit print and verified the hood stripes. I still need to verify the side stripes, do a placement sheet, and then print and bag some. I've had a cold for the past week and it's been all I can do to keep up with orders.
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timdw17



Joined: 07 May 2018
Posts: 3

PostPosted: Wed Mar 20, 2019 2:40 pm    Post subject: #51 Valvoline Reply with quote

I'll take a #51 Valvoline please!! I looked on ebay and couldn't find you Tom. How do I get a sheet? Thanks
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Tom M.
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 20, 2019 6:25 pm    Post subject: Re: #51 Valvoline Reply with quote

timdw17 wrote:
I'll take a #51 Valvoline please!! I looked on ebay and couldn't find you Tom. How do I get a sheet? Thanks


This should link you to the Foyt Valvoline decals. Search for seller ol_days for the complete list. I currently have ten different decals and I hope to add a couple more tonight if I get the placement sheets done.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/A-J-Foyt-model-car-decal-1979-Olds-Daytona-500-3rd-place-finish-/132978725016
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timdw17



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PostPosted: Thu Mar 21, 2019 8:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you sir...ordered
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DarylH



Joined: 19 May 2018
Posts: 77
Location: Xenia OH

PostPosted: Tue Apr 02, 2019 8:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Put you into my saved sellers list. Good stuff Tom!
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bangor boy



Joined: 29 Jan 2018
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 11:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Any possibility of doing a decal sheet for Ned Jarrett's 1961 title-winning Chev?

I've seen - and admire - the version of the car you did a few years back. The decal sheet you used seems to be made of Unobtainium.

The door numbers on that car began shifting before mid-season toward the style of #11 we saw on his '62 Chev and '63 Ford. I have some useful images that could be forwarded.

It was a great looking car that Ned drove to an unlikely title over the high-powered Pontiac Pack that year. There are plenty of '61 Chev Impala kits out there to make the combo work.


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Bill J



Joined: 28 Jan 2018
Posts: 392

PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 12:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would definitely buy some Ned Jarrett 1961 Chevy decals!
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Tom M.
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 5:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

bangor boy wrote:
Any possibility of doing a decal sheet for Ned Jarrett's 1961 title-winning Chev?

I've seen - and admire - the version of the car you did a few years back. The decal sheet you used seems to be made of Unobtainium.

The door numbers on that car began shifting before mid-season toward the style of #11 we saw on his '62 Chev and '63 Ford. I have some useful images that could be forwarded.

It was a great looking car that Ned drove to an unlikely title over the high-powered Pontiac Pack that year. There are plenty of '61 Chev Impala kits out there to make the combo work.




I actually have artwork that's about halfway done for that car but to be honest the '60s GN stuff hasn't been as popular as the '70s Late Model Sportsman and Modified stuff so far, that's why I haven't finished it yet.
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