New decals and placards

[Swede1962]

Restoring this 1980 B6100D has become a larger project than first designed. But thats the fun of it. Mechanically I'm lucky to have no real issues other than a rusted out front wheel and some rusty 3 point hitch parts as well. Taken care of hat straight away.

I'm interested in getting all new decals and placards. The decals don't seem to be an issue. Hood decals etc seem easy to find. I haven't seen much for the placards like ones on the fenders and the transmission/engine for the different shifters and other things for functional items. The placard for the shift pattern is in great shape but the rest of them and the decals on the dash are really faded away. I'd appreciate any leads anyone has on this.

I intend on maybe even looking at replacement of the clutch and pressure plate while I have the tractor down and partially apart. New orange paint on hood and fenders. Replacement seat has arrived as well as new tires. I'm going to replace the head lights with LED like I have seen others do. I was also lucky enough to find a B219 FEL in great shape and intend to go thru it the same way with new paint, plumbing, filter, pressure gauge and spool valve. I'm going to add a quick change plate on the front and also front hydraulics for attachments such as a stump grinder, tiller, clam shell bucket and brush fork w/clamp. I seen a hole auger and a trencher the other day that got my head full of ideas for other fence and plumbing projects by my out building.

This is a great group and I feel fortunate to be part of it. One last thing the fenders, hood and FEL frame will be Kubota Orange (or something close) but I'm considering black for the engine, transmission, axles, wheels and front implements. I'd like to hear from anyone with an opinion up or down. Thanks in advance!

 

[Hugo Habicht]

I have to replace mine too and since I could not find all of them in a set I decided to make the patterns on a computer. Not 100% identical, I cannot find the fonts that Kubota used, but good enough. Once I have them all made I pull them together on a large sheet and get them professionally printed as vinyl stickers. Below you see my drawing and the scanned original below.

A lot of decals are actually still available from Kubota, you may want to check there.

 

[Swede1962]

I have to replace mine too and since I could not find all of them in a set I decided to make the patterns on a computer. Not 100% identical, I cannot find the fonts that Kubota used, but good enough. Once I have them all made I pull them together on a large sheet and get them professionally printed as vinyl stickers. Below you see my drawing and the scanned original below.

A lot of decals are actually still available from Kubota, you may want to check there.

I had the thought to try and take as good a photo as possible and visit with a good sign shop that does graphics etc and see what could be done. But I haven’t check with Kubota. Guess I kinda assumed it was too old for them. Thank for the response.

 

[Hugo Habicht]

My tractor is from 1991 (I think), so a bit younger than yours, but I was surprised how many decals were still available. But since the main cost is a setup fee and not the printing I will do them all myself. Printing an A4 sheet is only about $1.40. See instrument panel sticker below.

A scan may be better than a photo for a graphics shop but if you cannot get them off take a photo from a distance as far as possible to reduce lens distortion.

When restoring a vehicle all the decals have to be done as well I think. Does not look complete otherwise.

 

[Russell King]

I had the thought to try and take as good a photo as possible and visit with a good sign shop that does graphics etc and see what could be done. But I haven’t check with Kubota. Guess I kinda assumed it was too old for them. Thank for the response.

Looking at Messicks, there is a section for label part numbers for your tractor and some (If not most) are in stock, so it looks like you can order them from your local dealer or online.

When I got the ones for my L185 there were some interesting translations on some of them but the general idea was clear.

 

[Swede1962]

Yeah I noticed mine seem to be in a couple languages. English and maybe French if I had to guess. Thank you for the information.

 

[Swede1962]

Looking at Messicks, there is a section for label part numbers for your tractor and some (If not most) are in stock, so it looks like you can order them from your local dealer or online.

When I got the ones for my L185 there were some interesting translations on some of them but the general idea was clear.

I made an order directly from Messicks. 16 individual pieces with 2 items being left and right side. My local dealer didn't really have much nor did they exhibit them well enough to know what decal/placard was being sold. Messicks did a great job of illustrating them and even offer an alert if ones they don't currently have become available or are found somewhere. Very helpful!

 

[Swede1962]

I made an order directly from Messicks. 16 individual pieces with 2 items being left and right side. My local dealer didn't really have much nor did they exhibit them well enough to know what decal/placard was being sold. Messicks did a great job of illustrating them and even offer an alert if ones they don't currently have become available or are found somewhere. Very helpful!

Looking at Messicks, there is a section for label part numbers for your tractor and some (If not most) are in stock, so it looks like you can order them from your local dealer or online.

When I got the ones for my L185 there were some interesting translations on some of them but the general idea was clear.

I'm in great shape for decals all over the tractor except the dash board. I can read everything but I haven't much for the dash panel itself. Getting that refreshed would be a really nice addition to the restoration. Any thoughts on someone that does this kind of thing?

 

[Russell King]

Some of those appear to be available.
Look at #66706-47240 DECAL for the glow plugs label.
Look at. #66706-47270 DECAL. For the decompression knob label.

The one that covers the top portion (black with several labels) does appear to be obsolete. Just about any graphics or print shop could make a vinyl version or you could have it engraved into a laminate (black with white core) like they make office nameplates from. Messicks showed what that did look like

 

[Swede1962]

I have the decal for the glow plugs and the decompression knob. I’ll check with some graphic places and see if it can be done.

 

[Russell King]

It may be too expensive but there are nameplate companies that can print onto aluminum and SSt sheets. Heck in today’s world they can probably laser cut the shape needed!

Look at the nameplate on a electric motor if you have one around

 

[Swede1962]

It may be too expensive but there are nameplate companies that can print onto aluminum and SSt sheets. Heck in today’s world they can probably laser cut the shape needed!

Look at the nameplate on a electric motor if you have one around

I have a couple of speciality engravers in the area and I know they both use both old school engraving techniques and lasers. You just gave me an idea to call them about this as well.

 

[Hugo Habicht]

Laser engraving or making a Lexan overlay ist no problem, plenty of companies offering that. Or you can get self adhesive single use screens made for spray painting. Not sure how the original dash board was done, but looks like screen printed to me.

But the time consuming, expensive part is creating the artwork in a computer. You can do that easily yourself and it ensures you get what you want.

If you have access to a scanner take out the dash board and scan it in. Then use that picture as a background when creating your own artwork. Cameras have too much distortion but I used camera pictures too and then use Gimp (Gnu Image Manipulation Program) to straighten the picture and reduce distortion.

To identify the font used I find whatfontis.com very good. Cut out a well readable part of your scan for that. Company logos you find on the internet. Use picture results with high resolution for selecting suitable files.

 

[Swede1962]

So scan it in what format, PDF? And then print that somehow and apply it to the existing dash panel?

 

[Hugo Habicht]

The scan is typically a pixel bitmap, compressed. JPEG would be typically used, sometimes embedded in a PDF file. This is only to get a low distortion picture that you can use as a background for your art work created in the computer (like the radiator cap above, left is scan, right is artwork created with Visio).

I use Visio version 5 for that, I find it a very well designed software and very efficient to use. Libre Office Draw would be an open source equivalent.

You should check first what file formats the print shop requires, typically pixel formats are fine (300 dpi resolution is more than sufficient) but for certain techniques, like engraving, they may require vector formats.

Printing on vinyl stickers is very common and not expensive but digital printing with paint onto the dash board panel with base coat applied beforehand may also be an option. Or get single use self adhesive screens made for spray painting the lettering. The picture attached is an aluminium extrusion with digital print paint applied.

The choice is really yours, depending how original you want the tractor to be later. Also vinyl stickers may have a shorther life expectancy if the tractor lives outdoors but then again get a few extra and replace them every few years. My tractor is kept in a garage and the dash board is under a clear plastic cover and I expect the vinyl sticker to outlive me (UV from sunlight makes the pigments fade over time). If not I got a few more printed. At $1.40 per A4 sheet (210x297mm, 8.4x11.7") not a major expense.

 

[Swede1962]

It seems like this is something you could be doing for Kubota owners all over the world with vintage machines like mine. And believe me I would have to think it would be well received by those of us who love Kubota's. In either case, thank you for the technical advise. I will try to put it to good use.

 

[Hugo Habicht]

Oh, and another thing: the colour scheme used by print shops is normally CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black, colours used for printing) whereas pretty much all computer software is based on RGB (red, green, blue, colours used by screen) which may create a problem converting it. Not all colours that can be created in RGB colour space can be converted into CMYK colour space. But most colours can and otherwise it would be close. Just a subtle detail of the printing process that I was not aware of when I embarked on this adventure. But there is plenty RGB to CMYK conversion software out there, and maybe your print shop does the conversion for you. Mine does not, that's why I had to learn those things.

 

[Hugo Habicht]

It seems like this is something you could be doing for Kubota owners all over the world with vintage machines like mine. And believe me I would have to think it would be well received by those of us who love Kubota's. In either case, thank you for the technical advise. I will try to put it to good use.

If you give me the main dimensions of your front panel (orange) I can make a vinyl sticker for you (will be ordering some for my tractor in the next few days). I think Russels picture above may be good enough for creating the artwork. If you can give me the dimensions of all the cutouts (blue) too that would be much better because the picture is taken at an angle and a certain amount of distortion would remain.

I use a print shop in Germany, so it will be at least two weeks before I get them to Ireland and then shipping time to the USA. Or I send you a PDF file and you can get it printed locally or on the internet from a US supplier.

p.s.: this of course is based on the assumption that you restore this tractor to pristine condition and post pictures here on Orange Tractor Talks

 

[Swede1962]

Will photo's with a tape measure strategically placed measuring between certain points be helpful? I'll take a few photo's this way and post them in a few minutes. You let me know if it's helpful. I don't know how I can reward or pay you appropriately for the time you're going to invest except to say I would be grateful for the help unless of course you have a way to accept payment.

 

[Hugo Habicht]

If you could take good resolution pictures (send them via email, email address per PM, forum software reduces resolution to save storage space) and then measure the hole positions with verniers/calipers that would be great. But a good ruler next to it would work too. Make sure the camera is held parallel to the dash board and use optical zoom and higher distance (if you can) to take the picture to reduce distortion.

In any case measure the main dimensions, the ones in orange in my picture.

The artwork / vinyl would be bigger than the dash board anyway, if you look at my picture above (post #4) I have little white notches as alignment markers for applying the vinyl onto the metal front plate. Then the contour is cut off with a sharp knife using the metal as a guide. Also the holes are cut out afterwards, much easier this way.

I think your dash board is rounded at the edges, this may be a problem, but I think try it out and see how it looks.

No need for pay, happy to help.