Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Hi dakka,

Im looking for a Carbon Fiber Optik stencil.
Problem with most stencils i find in the net is that they are to Big for my Crisis suits/ riptides.
Anyone got a Suggestion?

Anarchy models do a bendy sticky stencil set. They recently expanded this to a more solid, more reusable kit too via kickstarter (not sure if the hard stencils are available through their store yet).

wow exactly what i was looking for thank you very much, saved my day

Are you looking for a stencil that looks like carbon fiber...or a stencil made out of carbon fiber. I can only assume the former...but I am a bit confused as to what a "Carbon Fiber Optik" stencil might be.

If you are actually looking for a stencil to make a carbon fiber look...stop. Decals are a much better solution. You can buy full sheet carbon fiber decals that you just cut to the size/shape you need from companies like Crazy Modeler (they do 4 or 5 different pattern sizes - the one I use for most my stuff has a weave pattern of about 1/4-1/3 mm per line). You can also print them at home easily enough in the same manner (full sheets and then cut to fit). Decals can be laid easily enough over most shapes - even compound curves using the right tools (decal solvent and the like).

You can even get things like the "clear" composite fiber decals from Scale Motorsports - which allow you to paint whatever color on the bottom you want and overlay it with a weave pattern decal to create FRP looks other than carbon.

If you are just looking for a patterned flexible stencil...Anarchy sells some - though to be perfectly honest if you have a modicum of computer skills you can create a pattern for having custom sheets cut out of very flexible and very reusable silicone rubber sheets. Laser engraving services can slice through it like butter - and the cost per sheet is very reasonable. Plus, you end up with exactly the size, shape and pattern you want as opposed to having to settle for the closest thing you can find.

Thank you for your reply.
im looking for a way to give a "carbon" look to my tau.
i looked at the crazy modeler things and i think it could be very tricky to apply those decals to tiny crisis suits?
when i looked at the effort that has to be made for a good carbon look it seems that most people use watertransfer solutions.
could come in handy but i think the costs for those are incredible.
seems my project is not as easy as i thought.

Water transfers/decals are the way to go. Depending on how many, how much - the costs can add up a bit when doing a whole army...though not as bad as you first might think.

The trick when wrapping is to work out the shapes you need on the flat and then cut the decals to those shapes before you start the application process (wetting and what not).

If you look at some of the commercially available wrap decals for something like a race car - you will see that they are generally in different parts. You might have one for the hood, one for the trunk and then another one which goes on one side - up over the roof and down the other side.

If take a bit of time creating a cutting template for your Tau - you can do the same thing. For example, you might have an "H" shaped decal for the chest and up over the shoulders, some rectangles with relief notches for the legs... Once you get that sorted out - you copy those to the back of the decal sheet, cut it to size/shape, and carefully apply (lots of fluid needed with larger decals that will be folding both to keep them from tearing and to prevent them from drying prematurely and sticking to each other.

It costs a bit more than paint - but the application time from start to finish is very fast. I has to be...take too long and the decal will be shot.

One final option would be to get a bit of micro mesh. Stainless steel etched screen with tiny, tiny, tiny holes. Because it is so thin and perforated, you can bend it over most surfaces. Hold it to your figure and spray with an airbrush. Gives a "hint" of a weave pattern. When doing things smaller than 1/48 scale or so - I will often use that.

Can get it from industrial and lab supply companies.

I too agree that decals may be the route to go. There are stencils for RC cars that have a nice carbon fibre pattern but they are sprayed onto the inside of a clear plastic shell rather than on the top surface.

I have seen a process called Hydrodipping used for a variety of patterns/textures. There are kits you can buy and I have been curious about trying something like this.

Google - hydro dip carbon fiber