Hi all,
I am looking for letters (the alphabet variety) to apply to formal buildings such as major train stations or civic buildings to make an embossed, or raised effect. I’m not looking for decals. I would imagine that these letters would be 20 or 30 thou styrene, or laser cut thin wood strips or maybe even etched brass.
Does anyone know of a supplier who makes letters like I’ve described?
Cheers and thanks,
Dan
Try here:
http://railwaymodels.tripod.com/
They import a lot of neat stuff from England that you very rarely see in the US.
Jim
If you need something about 5/16" tall, you could use alphabet macaronni. I have used it in the past; just spray paint and/or clearcoat on it front and back so bugs will not find it.
For very large letters, 1" or so, toy magnetic letters could be used. Look for them at Toys R Us or WalMart.
With the advent of electronic signage, the plastic letters that used to be used to announce restruant specials have disappared from the US market. I have asked at a couple of places that still used them, and they say that they could not find replacements; but they may still be used in England.
Art stores wil have packages of vinyl letters in all sizes, fonts and colors which are self sticking. Well, at least they use to. Tom
Thanks Jim! What an excellent resource!
That is exactly what I’m after. Even better still, brick and stone sheets too!
Thanks, just what I was after.
Dan
Thanks everyone for your useful replies. Much appreciated!
Dan
I can’t remember where I bought them now (someplace online) but I bought a set of letters a few years ago that were designed to be used with bulletin boards like you used to often see in schools or churches etc. The bulletin board would have parallel slits going horizontally across, and the letters had tabs on the tops and bottoms that fit into the slots to hold the individual letters in place. I think the ones I have are 5/16". A nice thing about these is that the tabs on the bottom of the letters are helpful in attaching letters to the top of a building.
I found some wood ones at A.C. Moore, the craft shop. They came in multiple sizes. The letters are purchased individually, not as a set. Lately, though, I’ve noticed that a lot of the bins are empty and have not been replenished for a long time. I had to trim down a Q to make an O.
Office supply stores still carry them.
These are what you’re talking about, right?
http://www.staples.com/Quartet-1-2-Characters-for-Plastic-Letter-Boards/product_74191
It sure loooks like them, perhaps Staples had enough requests for this and they added thme to their products.
Personally I couldn’t use alphabet macaronni for signage unless I was modeling a spagetti factory. I think it would be obvious from the start as to what it is. I would like my models to have a suggestion of reality, however faint, instead of resembling a Mother’s Day gift from junior kindergarten.
I mean no offense to the modeler who made the suggestion. As has been said many times, “it is your railroad…”.
Dave
Look in ladies craft stores that carry scrap booking supplies. They have all sorts of cool stuff.
see ya
Bob
Just because you’re the only guy in the building doesn’t mean it’s a “ladies” craft store. Come out to my A.C. Moore or MIchaels, and we can be the only two guys in the building. [swg]
Seriously, they do have all sorts of things that are useful in our hobby, at much better than “hobby” prices, too.
After I looked at the link to those letters, Staples sent me an e-mail indicating that they have the letters in 1", 3/4" and 1/2" from Quartet
If my local “Michael’s” is anything to go by, there are LOTS of very useful stuff in there (but I haven’t seen letters???) as well as many, many very attractive ladies!!! [:D]
Anyway, Thanks everyone, your suggestions have been very useful. I’ve found what I’m looking for and will be happily gluing letters to buildings!
Cheers to all.
Dan
Yeah, I’m with Bob on that one, there’s a Michaels local to both Bob an I! I’ve gone there for that and more, at reasonable prices.