Post by Fletch on Sept 2, 2009 9:59:14 GMT -8
This is a post I had put up on the SABA forum several months ago and somehow missed posting it here.
I don't know how many of you avoid putting License Plates on models you build because you don't like what's on the decal sheet or you're building a specific car. Well here's the solution, The Acme License Maker.
www.acme.com/licensemaker/
On the web page select the state you wish your plate to be from. In the case of Oregon there are several different plates available as the state has change backgrounds over the years.
Once you have entered the Plate that you want select the style of plate you want based on year. Click the "Make License" radio button. You personalized License Plate will appear at the top middle of the web page.
Here is the plate I created for the '37 Panel Delivery using the 1961 "Pacific Wonderland" background.
Hosted on Fotki
We've created our Personalized License Plate, but it's still on the computer. Not very convenient for putting on a 1/25 scale model.
The next steps will determine if your License Plate will print in 1/25 or 1:1 scale.
While still in the Acme License Maker, mouse over the plate you created. Single left click on the plate. The plate will now open in the Internet Browser by it's self.
In the upper left hand corner of your Internet Browser, go to File. In the drop down menu select Print. Your Printer Application Dialog Box should open.
In the upper Right hand corner of the Dialog Box should be a radio button labeled "Properties". Single click on the Properties Button, a new dialog box should open. Across the top of the dialog box it should give you the brand and model of your printer and Properties.
Most Properties dialog boxes open in the "Main" tab.
On the Main Tab you should find a label for "Print Quality". The print quality we need for printing license plates is going to be the highest your printer can provide.
On my Canon iP2600 the default is "Standard" with "High" being the best color, also the slowest printing.
From the tabs toward the top of your Printer Dialog Box, select the Tab labeled "Page Setup". On the "Page Setup" tab you should find an section labeled "Page Layout". In the Page Layout portion you should find a drop down menu. In this menu select "Scaled Printing". Once you have selected Scaled Printing a new menu labeled "Scaling" should appear. This menu should be at 100% by default. Most printers will let you scale the print from 20 - 400%. For our purposes of printing License Plates for 1/25 scale we want 20% (you may need to adjust the print size as different printers vary in the size of printout).
Having selected that we want the printout to be 20% of the original, click "OK". This will close the Properties dialog box, you're now ready to print your personalized License Plate. Click "OK" to send the print job to your printer.
Retrieve the printed page from your printer, cut the plate to size and apply to your model.
The settings on your printer my vary from those on my Canon iP2600, but they should be close on most printers.
An other option is to save the plate into a program that allows you to manipulate the image and retain the ratio of height to width (plates are twice as wide as they are tall). Programs such as MS Word, Adobe Photoshop etc.
I ended up using a different plate on the '37 panel, but no matter what you choose to make your plate read it will set your build apart from those with no plates or the kit supplied plate.
Hosted on Fotki
I don't know how many of you avoid putting License Plates on models you build because you don't like what's on the decal sheet or you're building a specific car. Well here's the solution, The Acme License Maker.
www.acme.com/licensemaker/
On the web page select the state you wish your plate to be from. In the case of Oregon there are several different plates available as the state has change backgrounds over the years.
Once you have entered the Plate that you want select the style of plate you want based on year. Click the "Make License" radio button. You personalized License Plate will appear at the top middle of the web page.
Here is the plate I created for the '37 Panel Delivery using the 1961 "Pacific Wonderland" background.
Hosted on FotkiWe've created our Personalized License Plate, but it's still on the computer. Not very convenient for putting on a 1/25 scale model.
The next steps will determine if your License Plate will print in 1/25 or 1:1 scale.
While still in the Acme License Maker, mouse over the plate you created. Single left click on the plate. The plate will now open in the Internet Browser by it's self.
In the upper left hand corner of your Internet Browser, go to File. In the drop down menu select Print. Your Printer Application Dialog Box should open.
In the upper Right hand corner of the Dialog Box should be a radio button labeled "Properties". Single click on the Properties Button, a new dialog box should open. Across the top of the dialog box it should give you the brand and model of your printer and Properties.
Most Properties dialog boxes open in the "Main" tab.
On the Main Tab you should find a label for "Print Quality". The print quality we need for printing license plates is going to be the highest your printer can provide.
On my Canon iP2600 the default is "Standard" with "High" being the best color, also the slowest printing.
From the tabs toward the top of your Printer Dialog Box, select the Tab labeled "Page Setup". On the "Page Setup" tab you should find an section labeled "Page Layout". In the Page Layout portion you should find a drop down menu. In this menu select "Scaled Printing". Once you have selected Scaled Printing a new menu labeled "Scaling" should appear. This menu should be at 100% by default. Most printers will let you scale the print from 20 - 400%. For our purposes of printing License Plates for 1/25 scale we want 20% (you may need to adjust the print size as different printers vary in the size of printout).
Having selected that we want the printout to be 20% of the original, click "OK". This will close the Properties dialog box, you're now ready to print your personalized License Plate. Click "OK" to send the print job to your printer.
Retrieve the printed page from your printer, cut the plate to size and apply to your model.
The settings on your printer my vary from those on my Canon iP2600, but they should be close on most printers.
An other option is to save the plate into a program that allows you to manipulate the image and retain the ratio of height to width (plates are twice as wide as they are tall). Programs such as MS Word, Adobe Photoshop etc.
I ended up using a different plate on the '37 panel, but no matter what you choose to make your plate read it will set your build apart from those with no plates or the kit supplied plate.
Hosted on Fotki