Sailorman Posted May 9 Share Posted May 9 Look what the tide brought in! RNLI Shannon Class Lifeboat Decal Sheet That’s right, you heard it, we’ve been listening to you! Introducing the RNLI Shannon Class Lifeboat decal sheet! Dive into the world of maritime rescue as you construct one of fifty active Shannon Class Lifeboats. Complementing the A55015 RNLI Shannon Class Lifeboat Starter Set, this decal sheet allows you to decide on the location of which your lifeboat serves. What location will you display? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiddity Posted May 9 Share Posted May 9 No chance that each RNLI station could sell kits with just their decals? Seems a waste to include 49 I wouldn't need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen-1331764 Posted May 11 Share Posted May 11 Have to agree - waayyy tooo much money. The Severn has loads of names and numbers included in the price. Airfix have "listened" all right, to the accountants! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davie muddlin Posted May 11 Share Posted May 11 I received my email yesterday from Airfix announcing the new RNLI life boat decal sheet priced at £9.99! I have to say, this has annoyed me somewhat! If your lucky enough to have an RNLI life boat, of this particular type operating locally to you thats listed on Airfix's chart, a decal sheet of the crafts markings can be purchased for your kit. Shouldn't this be a time limited pre-order, nominal fee bespoke service charged at the point of sale? Can you imagine the wastage here in terms of cost and un used decal markings? This is, in my view, Airfix taking full advantage of their loyal customer base! I've already complained about the repeated postal charges on orders that contain pre-orders! It's making me rethink now about renewing my club membership? Naughty Airfix I'm disappointed in you! It's shameful business practice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john redman Posted May 11 Share Posted May 11 Simplest thing is to buy a sheet of transparent decal paper and print off your own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTSR_NSE Posted May 11 Share Posted May 11 Hopefully a large chunk of that almost 10 quid is a licensing fee to the RNLI (if so, worth every penny!) otherwise… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 Some time ago, on one of the Sprue Talk episodes, Dale remarked that decal sheets are a major proportion of the cost price. You only have to look at the prices of after-market decal sheets on the Hannants site to the that this price is about average. The kit is obviously to be issued without decals to keep the price down for the casual modeller who might pick one up on holiday, visiting an RNLI Station. For serious modellers who might wish to model a particular craft, this sheet is available. No-one is forced to buy it. The choice is down to us, the modellers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Stiles Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 12 hours ago, john redman said: Simplest thing is to buy a sheet of transparent decal paper and print off your own I'm sure your printer has white ink, but most don't, you know... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peebeep Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 6 hours ago, Peter Stiles said: I'm sure your printer has white ink, but most don't, you know... Print background colour with transparent text onto white paper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peebeep Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 7 hours ago, Ratch said: The kit is obviously to be issued without decals The Airfix pages say it comes with decals, the supplementary sheet gives you optional individual boats. I'd be happy to build with whatever Airfix supply with the kit. For sure decals are expensive to design and print. Somebody within the industry told me that decals, instructions and packaging are the most expensive parts. Tooling aside the plastic itself is cheap as chips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john redman Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 9 hours ago, Peter Stiles said: I'm sure your printer has white ink, but most don't, you know... Mine doesn't but I assume we're talking about black serial numbers here. If you need a white decal you need to print your decal onto clear decal paper and apply the result to a white painted area. I have done this to replace German crosses that had gone yellow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peebeep Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 For anybody interested in the idea of printing white, Epson do white ink for some of their desktop printers, either cartridge or Eco Tank, so it's not beyond the realm of possibility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Stiles Posted May 13 Share Posted May 13 I have used print-your-own decal papers, and the biggest problem I had was the thickness of the final decal. With sufficient varnish to ensure the ink doesn't bleed in the water they ended up a very visible film. Using on 1/22 scale I got away with it, but on 1/76 the decal was obliterating surface detail I wanted to keep. I could have been using the Wrong Paper, but after this, my experience is that'll I'll happily buy transfers if I need something that doesn't come with the kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peebeep Posted May 13 Share Posted May 13 The thinnest decal paper I have come across is by Bare Metal, comparable to the decal papers used for kits and aftermarket. If you're buying from a crafting supplier it's likely to be heavy duty stuff for ceramics, metal and large plastic objects. The decals shown below were printed on Bare metal decal paper and performed perfectly well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john redman Posted May 13 Share Posted May 13 46 minutes ago, Peter Stiles said: I have used print-your-own decal papers, and the biggest problem I had was the thickness of the final decal. With sufficient varnish to ensure the ink doesn't bleed in the water they ended up a very visible film. Using on 1/22 scale I got away with it, but on 1/76 the decal was obliterating surface detail I wanted to keep. I could have been using the Wrong Paper, but after this, my experience is that'll I'll happily buy transfers if I need something that doesn't come with the kit. That's an interesting experience Peter, I've never had this problem but maybe I just got luckier with what I bought. The main challenge is that you have to be careful using clear as it can dissolve printer ink. When placing German crosses on an aircraft fuselage this was actually OK since I slid the decal into a little pool of Klear which was on the other side of the decal film to the side with the ink. I have an upcoming experiment to make decals for use on 1/76 Napoleonic figures. I've long thought you could do the saddle cloths of the Airfix Waterloo cavalry by painting them white or offwhite and then applying a clear decal over the top. Likewise the emblems on some foot figures' backpacks. These would be teeny decals but in principle it should work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty Mediocre Modeller Posted May 13 Share Posted May 13 If you think it's a rip off then just get the basic kit with the decals supplied, no-ones making anyone by the aftermarket decals, it's just an added extra that Airfix have seen fit to produce. if it's popular, we may see it on other kits, if not, then go back to the mainstream aftermarket decal suppliers who change that and more for their product. If you're worried about wastage, why not get together with other modellers? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peebeep Posted May 13 Share Posted May 13 6 hours ago, Pretty Mediocre Modeller said: If you think it's a rip off then just get the basic kit with the decals supplied Precisely that. For me a rip off is when the goods don't match the description, or the vendor walks away with your money without delivering. Something costing more than you're prepared to pay for is not a rip off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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