Why Are Tamiyas Decal Sheets Not Die Cut?!

[dwayne]

After all these years I am still wondering why Tamiya decals are not die cut. I love the detail they produce but it takes me weeks just to cut out decals one at a time using a hobby knife. Being that I am a collector like everyone else here this is very inconvenient and time consuming. This alone is the only complaint I have ever had when it comes to Tamiya kits. Anyone else???

[kaiser]

i wondered the same when i built my dt02 (all my other cars are vintage). i figured that they would have been die cut by now, but nope they were just like all my oldies. lol

[skinned]

buggy champ decals are die-cut

[slam_it_sideways]

I guess there is a mixed view on this, I know I read before that some people prefer to do a cut themselves because machines can never get it quite as good as the human eye, when my current shell turned up from ABC with no cut decals I was kinda happy as im going to give it a go at getting the perfect cut. but I would have been just as happy to find it pre cut too.

[tpsolid]

I use tamiya scissors to cut my. I can cut them out in about 1 hour ish.

[kaiser]

I use tamiya scissors to cut my. I can cut them out in about 1 hour ish.

i use kyosho scissors....do you mr tamiya would hate me for that?

[dwayne]

I use tamiya scissors to cut my. I can cut them out in about 1 hour ish.

Oh yeah?? Well try this one in one hour lol. This is one of the examples of why I complain about the decals,unfortunately these JTCC's are my favorite kits to build. This one has over 100 decals and took me 1 week working on it every day.

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/pictureframe.asp...009032502_2.jpg

[Origineelreclamebord]

Oh yeah?? Well try this one in one hour lol. This is one of the examples of why I complain about the decals,unfortunately these JTCC's are my favorite kits to build. This one has over 100 decals and took me 1 week working on it every day.

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/pictureframe.asp...009032502_2.jpg

Hehe Yeah that is a lot of work, I have to admit. Aren't some of those red pieces also decals?

[twisty]

A lot of modern Tamiya decals are die cut.Certainly the Tamtech gear ones are

But it`s all part of adding to your modeling skills and can be very theraputic cutting decals.

There is something very special about chopping up expensive decals,i quite like it

[dwayne]

Hehe Yeah that is a lot of work, I have to admit. Aren't some of those red pieces also decals?

Not some,all of them lol. The base color is white paint,everything else is decals

[stu22]

buggy champ decals are die-cut

So are the vintage and re-release Grasshopper.

[Tamiya1/10]

I think HPI has all their decals die cut and I believe the die cut decals are a bit thicker than those un cut from Tamiya.

So thicker decals plus the cutting process mean extra cost for Tamiya, which eats into their bottom line.

But thinner decal material makes a nicer finishing appearance.

It cuts both ways.

[stu22]

I think HPI has all their decals die cut and I believe the die cut decals are a bit thicker than those un cut from Tamiya.

So thicker decals plus the cutting process mean extra cost for Tamiya, which eats into their bottom line.

But thinner decal material makes a nicer finishing appearance.

It cuts both ways.

Not all HPI decals are cut. I just got their 2nd generation (NB for those of you who own Miatas) MX-5 Miata body to use as a runner on my M-04 and it's not cut.

On the upside, even though it's the wrong generation Miata, the HPI body is a perfect fit on the M-04 and works as a replacement for the out of production Tamiya part.

[Victorious Secret]

As a collector and builder of bodyshells, IMHO I prefer my decal not be die cut for several reasons. First and most would be cost reasons. Another one would be die cut decal border are quite ugly. I alsways cut as close as I can so when it is time for photography the "glossy border" will virtually none detactable, thus give a better detail over all on appearance (its a subtle thing but it will show up subconsciouly in viewer's eyes). I also feel like placing die cut decal will make the car much more "toy like". So I would bite the bullet and do them just to have a better quality finish.

VS

[tamiyoman]

This is quite a good post for me to jump on here as im in the process of producing some repro decals at the monent (see http://www.tamiyaclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=55319 for info if you like) and i have the option of getting them die-cut, some members seem to say yes, some no, so im in a quandry about what to do lol.

I personally think non die cut as this is part of the fun (tediousness lol) of stickering your new model and having them die cut makes it a little easy lol.

let me know what you guys think?

Cheers

[oldie]

for me if it keeps costs down don't die cut

[Gamester]

I think due to the nature of the "do it yourself" mind set of most people in this hobby is why Tamiya and most other companies do not die cut their decal sheets. It is kind of a good thing that they don't, in my opinion, just due to the fact that different shapes of different decals may call for cutting them one particular way for one part of the body and another particular way for the next. This hobby is all about customization

[TamiyaDan]

.

[tamiyoman]

Suppose that depends on how you do it, as the guy that is doing my repros (from our own artwork) said its just a simple click of a mouse on his huge machine (as long as we have them outlined for cuttingwhich is easy to do during the artwork stage), then it selects to cut each decal after printing, thats what he told me anyway, im going to see him on wednesday with the files we have already completed, so we will wait and see.

cheers

[Champ85]

Suppose that depends on how you do it, as the guy that is doing my repros (from our own artwork) said its just a simple click of a mouse on his huge machine (as long as we have them outlined for cuttingwhich is easy to do during the artwork stage), then it selects to cut each decal after printing, thats what he told me anyway, im going to see him on wednesday with the files we have already completed, so we will wait and see.

cheers

So, offer both for sale?

[jocktheglide]

I think janderson once said that if they pre cut them they are going to make them a XB version, but if not pre cut then no XB version.

[stu22]

Suppose that depends on how you do it, as the guy that is doing my repros (from our own artwork) said its just a simple click of a mouse on his huge machine (as long as we have them outlined for cuttingwhich is easy to do during the artwork stage), then it selects to cut each decal after printing, thats what he told me anyway, im going to see him on wednesday with the files we have already completed, so we will wait and see.

cheers

Just so we know, can you ask the owner of the machine how much less the version of the thing that doesn't do the cutting with a click of the mouse costs.

[tamiyoman]

Just so we know, can you ask the owner of the machine how much less the version of the thing that doesn't do the cutting with a click of the mouse costs.

Its not the owner of the machine that sets this up, its the owner of the artwork and software doing it (Corel Draw, Adobe Illustrator etc) which happens to be my father, the actual cost at printing stage is not much more onloy time to print take longer as it has to cut as well and takes more time up.

I have had quite a few PM's about this and the general consensus seems to be non die/kiss cut so thats what we are going with to start with, we can always "Click" this later on if required.

Cheers

[Kenny G]

Oh man, I would pay extra to have them pre-cut! The stickers on the CR01 and CC01 Landcruiser are a nightmare! Especially since you have to cut out all the black trim. My CC01 went pretty bad...look close and you'll see what I mean:

I just need more patience I guess.

[Ronnyhotdog]

On 2/24/2010 at 1:44 AM, Kenny G said:

Oh man, I would pay extra to have them pre-cut! The stickers on the CR01 and CC01 Landcruiser are a nightmare! Especially since you have to cut out all the black trim.

I'm just now discovering the joys of decals you have to cut yourself. Tiny, tiny, intricate little decals that make me cry with frustration. Still, I guess practice makes perfect.