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Other Stuff => Workbench => Topic started by: Luigi on 16 September 2023, 03:16:32 AM

Title: Stencils - tiny fonts and where to find them.
Post by: Luigi on 16 September 2023, 03:16:32 AM
Hello everyone,

I'm looking for some permanent (?) or reusable stencils.

I just need letters, really (but could always use additional symbols).
The issue is that I need really tiny letters , we're talking 5mm and smaller.
I'd like something on plastic or silicon of possible and that maybe works well with a brush. I'm doing a lot of free Jane banners, but the lettering has been an absolute pain
Title: Re: Stencils - tiny fonts and where to find them.
Post by: Cacique Caribe on 16 September 2023, 03:26:45 AM
“Free Jane banners”?

Who is Jane, and why is she captive?

Dan
Title: Re: Stencils - tiny fonts and where to find them.
Post by: Luigi on 16 September 2023, 03:52:10 AM
Apparently she's yet another victim of my phone autocorrect and my lack of proof reading.

Poor Jane, from freehand to captive prisoner.
Title: Re: Stencils - tiny fonts and where to find them.
Post by: gweirda on 16 September 2023, 10:12:50 AM
Quote
...the lettering has been an absolute pain

An option for if the stencil search comes up dry: Use press-type letters as masks, perhaps?
Title: Re: Stencils - tiny fonts and where to find them.
Post by: Ming on 16 September 2023, 12:39:42 PM
Hi there, have you tried looking at Nail Art suppliers  for stencils?
Title: Re: Stencils - tiny fonts and where to find them.
Post by: Luigi on 17 September 2023, 01:40:56 PM
An option for if the stencil search comes up dry: Use press-type letters as masks, perhaps?

That's interesting and might have to look into it more.
It might be a good excuse to practice for le
Quote from: Minlink=topic=142733.msg1821221#msg1821221 date=1694864382
Hi there, have you tried looking at Nail Art suppliers  for stencils?

That I have nor done yet, great suggestion. Will check it out right away
Title: Re: Stencils - tiny fonts and where to find them.
Post by: Fitz on 17 September 2023, 11:08:53 PM
This sort of thing is something I want to try out a friend's laser engraver to make. So I hope he gets the bloody thing working properly sometime soon :)
Title: Re: Stencils - tiny fonts and where to find them.
Post by: Burgundavia on 18 September 2023, 03:11:57 AM
If you have a Cricut or Silhouette, you can cut the Oracal stencil mask on it. Ask your partner/wife/gf if they have a friend with one if you don't already have one (I recommend this option)
Title: Re: Stencils - tiny fonts and where to find them.
Post by: Luigi on 18 September 2023, 02:09:10 PM
If you have a Cricut or Silhouette, you can cut the Oracal stencil mask on it. Ask your partner/wife/gf if they have a friend with one if you don't already have one (I recommend this option)

I actually ended up thinking the same. I contacted a friend of mine about it and she says it's possible. Once she's back we're going to give it a try, my worry is that the machine's minimum range of sensitivity. I need letters that are 2-4 mm in height and I wonder if the machine(s) she has can handle that.

If it does  work though, it'd make my project much, much easier
Title: Re: Stencils - tiny fonts and where to find them.
Post by: Flinty on 21 September 2023, 04:22:52 PM
There's always the option of laser or inkjet decal paper, assuming you have access to a printer of course. I make a lot of decals for all sorts in word and with images stolen from the net.

I did find that small text or images didn't really work with an inkjet, they tend to bleed into a single blob, plus you have to varnish before use. No issues with the laser decal paper and 5mm letters wouldn't be a problem at all. You can download a *lot* of free fonts  (DaFont for example https://www.dafont.com/ (https://www.dafont.com/) which avoid the 'small Times New Roman' look.