Large Print for airplane kit, trying to get a clear copy

SamR

Joined Mar 19, 2019
5,031
If not Staples, look for a blueprint services company. Not that anyone actually makes blueprints anymore but they are now using CAD Files to print and are able to also copy large prints.
 

bassbindevil

Joined Jan 23, 2014
824
I used the "page info" option of Firefox to find the image url, pasted that into a new tab, then changed the "w" parameter from 800 pixels to 3200 and this happened (click for full size):
thumb 3200.png
 
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Thread Starter

beatsal

Joined Jan 21, 2018
391
If not Staples, look for a blueprint services company. Not that anyone actually makes blueprints anymore but they are now using CAD Files to print and are able to also copy large prints.
Thanks. A print company said they can print it. Since the plane kit is made of balsa wood, wonder if better to print directly on the balsa itself
 

MrSalts

Joined Apr 2, 2020
2,767
Thanks. A print company said they can print it. Since the plane kit is made of balsa wood, wonder if better to print directly on the balsa itself
If you want to do convert the shapes to DFX or similar 2D format, you can have the balsa wood laser cut.
 

MrChips

Joined Oct 2, 2009
30,706
You can try printing it on a laser printer and then heat transfer it to the balsa wood. That's how you can make PCB at home.
 

MrChips

Joined Oct 2, 2009
30,706
Do some experimenting.
Print something on a laser printer. Now take the output and put it face down on a scrap piece of wood.
Use a hot clothes iron and run it over the paper. This should transfer the print in reverse to the wood.
You will have to experiment with different types of paper. You can buy special heat transfer paper from art shops such as Michaels.
Google heat transfer paper.
 

djsfantasi

Joined Apr 11, 2010
9,156
Copies made with the xerographic process can be transferred to wood, metal, possibly other surfaces by flipping the image before printing and placing the image face down on the material to be transferred to. You can use a clothes iron and heating the back of the paper. This melts the toner and transfers it. This technique has been used to etch PCBs.

The copy needs to be taped down so it doesn’t move and the iron moved slowly with even pressure.
 

MrChips

Joined Oct 2, 2009
30,706
You can reverse the image before printing but it is not essential since the pattern is reversible.
I built an RC airplane and the construction plan was printed in German. It didn't really matter too much.
 

SamR

Joined Mar 19, 2019
5,031
Laser cut is the way to go. I've built a few balsa planes and even using paper cutouts of the full-sized pieces as a guide it is difficult to cut curves smoothly. Straight parts you can use a metal rule as a cutting guide. Always had to trim and sand after. Even more so than the die cut balsa sheets of parts. I'd copy the full-sized plans using tracing paper and cut the paper pieces out and pin it to the balsa to cut. Pain in the... It's very time consuming and I'm naturally impatient. I could always find time to do something when the glue was drying and then the near instant crazy glue came along.
 
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