Old Sacramento Box Car

John_Wilda · January 28, 2025, 12:28pm

In Old Sac, the oldest district in Sacramento, California, lives the California State Railroad Museum. At the California State Railroad Museum, lives a boxcar. This boxcar…

Since my fiancee is from Sacramento, I am recreating this boxcar.
I bought a USA Trains 40’ Steel boxcar from @manimal at the show. (I just now realized that it’s the wrong size door, but oh well!)

I’ve created a decal for it and I’m wondering 1) if it’s a good replication (suggestions and feedback encouraged!) and 2) what type of decal do others think I should use. My biggest concern is whether or not the decal will actually be able to replicate the detail I have here. I’m expecting not. Dan, if you have any suggestions, I’d love to hear them!
One thing I do need to clarify: I know the font for “WATERFRONT” isn’t quite right. If someone can suggest a better one, I’m open to it. But, this was the closest I could find in Google Fonts as I use a Chromebook.

Screenshot 2025-01-28 07.01.27.png

For those on both, I also posted this on GSC. Sorry for the repost!

JRad · January 28, 2025, 1:51pm

The font is very close, just needs to be fattened up a bit - maybe a Bold attribute?

To get that weathered effect from a decal, you will probably have to add it on top after application. It could be printed on vinyl as-is, but that would not lay down in the car detail like a decal.

How about a vinyl paint mask stencil? Then you could paint and weather it as you like.

David_Marconi_FOGCH · January 28, 2025, 1:56pm

Why not do a mask and spray it on. Prime with silver.

John_Wilda · January 28, 2025, 2:02pm

Will a mask work on all the details (specifically the door)?

JRad · January 28, 2025, 2:05pm

It could, but it won’t be easy. Standard paint mask vinyl is very thick and would not conform well. Auto wrap vinyl is very thin and can be made to conform nicely with application of heat. Problem with the thin vinyl and heat for masks is that it can stretch and deform your letter.

David_Marconi_FOGCH · January 28, 2025, 6:15pm

Thanks for chiming in Jon, you certainly have more experience with mask than I do.

smcgill · January 28, 2025, 7:14pm

Are you planning to be able to open the door?

John_Wilda · January 28, 2025, 8:37pm

I hadnt given it much though, Sean. Its probably not important.

Devon_Sinsley · January 28, 2025, 10:00pm

I’d go the route Jon is talking about. I think it will be easier in the long run. I trick I learned from Steve F was when masking and painting lay your mask down and then make your first coat or two with a flat clear paint. This will run into cracks and around details like paints like to do. But its clear so it won’t be seen. Then it acts as a sealer. When you go to spray the actual color then it will run a lot less into the details. Not a perfect solution as runs still happen but it is an improvement over going to a straight color first.

JRad · January 28, 2025, 10:47pm

No problem. We both suggested the same thing at the same time.

JRad · January 28, 2025, 10:52pm

Excellent suggestion. When painting carved signs with a mask we would do that. Made for much less clean up after taking off the mask.

manimal · January 29, 2025, 1:14am

I prefer to cut masks from 3m blue painters tape vs vinyl. Cut with a Cricut.

I think it would be easier to remove the door and do it separately. Is the graphic on both sides?

manimal · January 29, 2025, 2:28am

I see it is!

Hines · January 29, 2025, 4:25am

Dan could you walk us through your process? I suspect your way may be more straight forward than mine.

Did you actually make your stencil out of masking tape? How do you apply it to the ridges without deforming the tape?

manimal · January 29, 2025, 5:29am

I just put a piece of the blue tape right on the Cricut mat. Cut the graphic, weed out what needs to be painted, Carefully peel and apply to the model starting on one edge and working over the details with the included spudging tool or some smaller ones I have. I’ve done this many times with great success. The tape is pretty strong but if it does happen to tear on a sharp edge, it can be patched with a bit of scrap tape. The weeding tool is great for placing things like the inside of an O.

As with waterslide decals, sometimes the graphics need to be widened. The Pan Am circle logo is an example of this. I had to make it a wide oval so that when applied over the outside braces it became a circle.

Of course I always wash the model with mild dish soap and air dry beforehand. I use a spudger or the top of my fingernails to press down on the tape and apply paint in multiple light coats.

It’s pretty much the same procedure as using a vinyl mask and I have done that but I find the thickness of the vinyl makes it harder to coax into valleys and when removing the mask I find you must go very slow or wait for the paint to be completely dry to ensure a clean edge.

JRad · January 29, 2025, 12:52pm

That looks really cool. A Cricut is on my someday list. How small are you able to successfully cut and weed?

When working at the sign shop with very small letters or graphics, we would sometimes weed after application. Please show your weeding tool. We were taught to weed with a sharp pointed #11 blade.

I hear ya on the circles. Had that same issue doing a large window graphic for my son’s business that had a mullion in the center. We chose to not put vinyl on the mullion and cut the graphic vertically, applying to either side. The result was a less than perfect circle, but it passed the 10 ft. rule.

Devon_Sinsley · January 29, 2025, 4:28pm

what a great idea. Never even considered trying this. Thanks for the tip.