ChernayaAkula Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 Recently wondered what to do about out-of-register decals? Have got some sheets where some decals are so out of register they simply can't be used. They'd stand out like a sore thumb on the model. And that applies not only to decal sheets from kits, but also to some aftermarket decals. There are some aftermarket sheets that I bought for some specific markings. When these markings are so out of whack they're beyond use, the sheet is basically worthless to me, regardless of how many other options there are on it. Money chucked out the window. What should I do about it? Contact the seller? The manufacturer? Are out-of-register decals something you just can't avoid? You pays yer money and ya takes yer chances? Or would this mean that an unusable sheet (by my definition) is something that would entitle me to get my money back or at least a replacement? I mean, with other appliances, if they don't work (or don't work according to specs) I take 'em back to the shop. How do you guys feel about this? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PNW_Modeler Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 I picked up an Aeromaster A-4 sheet a while back at my LHS that was badly out of register. I gave them a call and told them about it and they told me to come on in with the sheet. They just exchanged it on the spot. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 Moritz, I would contact the Manufacturer/Retailer you purchased them from ... You shouldn't have to accept a product that not only doesn't meet your requirements, they probably don't meet they'res either ... I would proceed in a polite manner as well ... Best of Luck ... Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Julien (UK) Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 Depends on what your local laws are etc. Here in the UK its the responsibility of the retailier to sell you something "fit for purpose" if they dont you get the money back from them. Its then u to them whether they chase a supplier/distributor. Julien Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChernayaAkula Posted February 22, 2011 Author Share Posted February 22, 2011 (edited) Yeah, that's what I thought as well. Think the dates I bought them are too far away to try and go after them. Or I plain forgot where I got them from. I just wonder how these get into distribution at all? Some are so bad it jumps out at you. No need for a second glance. I suppose the manufacturers can't quality check every single sheet, so here's another question (goes out to those in the know regarding the decal printing business): Are these just bad eggs with a handful out of a complete run of a couple hundred sheets or are these continuously misprinted (the whole run with defects)? And there are some case were I don't get why they bother to make them as a single decal at all. Case in point, the Syrian or Egyptian (UARAF) roundels (or their kill marks on IDF planes). I don't think I've seen a single decal sheet that had all of the little stars in register. In most cases, not even the majority of these are in register. I don't like two-part decals that much, but in this case, they're probably the only way out. Edited February 22, 2011 by ChernayaAkula Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 The thing is, if one sheet is that far out of register, a good portion of that print run is also out of register ... Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Grant in West Oz Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 Our LHS will happily exchange any out of register (or other defect) decals after the sale. The counter assistant once pointed out a defect in a set I was purchasing, explaining the agent would only exchange on customer complaint, not the shop's say-so. I paid, then returned them as defective. They were replaced with the next shipment. G Quote Link to post Share on other sites
leatherneck224 Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 Yeah, that's what I thought as well. Think the dates I bought them are too far away to try and go after them. Or I plain forgot where I got them from.I just wonder how these get into distribution at all? Some are so bad it jumps out at you. No need for a second glance. I suppose the manufacturers can't quality check every single sheet, so here's another question (goes out to those in the know regarding the decal printing business): Are these just bad eggs with a handful out of a complete run of a couple hundred sheets or are these continuously misprinted (the whole run with defects)? And there are some case were I don't get why they bother to make them as a single decal at all. Case in point, the Syrian or Egyptian (UARAF) roundels (or their kill marks on IDF planes). I don't think I've seen a single decal sheet that had all of the little stars in register. In most cases, not even the majority of these are in register. I don't like two-part decals that much, but in this case, they're probably the only way out. As someone in the buisness side of it i can shed some light on this one. MAW-Decals has used 2 printers since we began. we started using Microscale and routinely would get out of register sheets and not just a few. infact the 1st sheet we put out about half were unusable and had to be sent back for a refund. being a one man show i had to look at every sheet and closely inspect it for registration. after awhile you start to start seeing less and less errors on a sheet, try looking at 500+ of the same sheet and see how it goes. i know somee bad sheets slipped though to the market. i now use cartograf and i don't have to look at every sheet. if you order 500 sheets you get 500 sheets in perfect register. granted they are a little more expensive but i end up able to use more sheets. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MattC Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 FWIW, I bought a stash of old Airfix kits a couple of years back, all of which had virtually unusable decals. So I wrote to Airfix and asked how much they would charge for replacement decal sheets from the newer printings (given that the kits were all 5 or 10 years old) What I got was new decal sheets for every single kit which I had, and they didn't charge me a penny. I think the deal is that if you have paid out for something and it isn't up to snuff, you're entitled to a replacement or refund, and I can't see why decals (or indeed any of the stuff we buy) should be any different. That said, when was the last time you sent a kit back because it was a POS? We moan, then we just work round the flaws. Not many other things you buy go like that, if you spent £1 on a mug and found a crack in it, you'd be straight back to the shop, why not do the same with £20 worth of model? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jennings Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 (edited) Ah yes, Microscale. If I ordered 500 copies, I'd get anywhere from 300 to 600, with ZERO QC on their end. THere were sheets where I got in the neighborhood of 500 shipped to me, of which I'd send back 300 or more as unusable because they were so out of register. I suffered with that for a number of years before I smarted up and went with Cartograf. I can honestly say that in all the years I've worked with Cartograf (now over 11), and we're talking many tens of thousands of individual decals, I can probably count on the fingers of less than both my hands together the number of unsellable out of register decals I've seen come from them. And when you order 500, you *get* 500. You don't get 499 or 501, you get 500. Each 100 is individually shrink wrapped, with onion skin paper between each sheet and a piece of card stock on the bottom. Then the stack of 500 is hermetically sealed in a heavy duty black plastic bag, and the whole lot is sealed in a wax-impregnated, double walled box, with the other bag inside yet another black bag in the box. The box is then sealed copiously with tape, and strapped for shipping. It's like a decal fortress. People want to know why Cartograf decals are so much more expensive than "other" printers. That's why. That, and they use technology simply not available to other decal silkscreen printers - technology that is unique to them. Their facility is *very* impressive. Another HUGE factor in their quality is that some of their pressmen (including the current owner's father) have been operating their presses for decades. I never saw the same people twice when I was at Microscale. They came and went like the wind. Cartograf's are true craftsmen, and they're extremely proud of their work (as they should be). That's my personal, first hand experience with decal printers. So... if you get a decal that's out of register, see if the retailer will trade it for you. If not, contact the manufacturer. If they're worth a hill of beans, they'll happily replace it for you. They should never have sold it in the first place. I know that was always my policy anyway... J Edited February 23, 2011 by Jennings Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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