Where is the best place to get good quality ships flags?

[Lucius Molchany]

I was looking at my Admiral Vernon and decided I want to add a large Union Jack to the rather large flag pole in the stern,it needs a splash of color.Any ideas who makes nice flags?

[Lin Feng]

http://www.schiffsmodellflaggen.de/english/english.html

[Dowmer]

The best flags are those you make on your own.  Chuck had a great demo how to make your own flags on his Cheerful build.  LINKY

The problem with most made flags is the material is too thick or they just dont look realistic.  Making them out of Tissue paper makes them llok much more realistic and they drape nice.

 

Here's an except from his explanation,

 

I basically use a jpg. image of the flag which has been sized in Microsoft word.  You could skew your flag ahead of time in the program to make it easier to shape but I didnt do that.  I just printed out the standard rectangle.  

 

First you print out the flag on normal paper so you can see where on the paper the flag will print.  Then you carefully tape the tissue paper over that image on all four sides...the tissue paper being slightly larger than the flag.  Then print the flag again after placing the paper in your printer again.

 

Cut the flag free from the tissue paper after it dries.  Cut it right along the edges with no white space showing.   This next step is important.  The tissue paper is so thin that the ink will soak through to the other side but NOT entirely.  So the first thing you need to do is flip the flag over and spray the REVERSE side with some Krylon Matt fixative.  Dont be afraid to spray too much.   This will facilitate the ink soaking through to the back side further and it will look like it is literally printed on both sides.   Then after it dries flip it over and spray the front side.

 

Shape it to suit with various size dowels.  You can also spray the fixative more to really soak it because this makes it easier to shape...you can do this several times if need be.  Once dry it holds its shape.

 

Then I poke a hole with a sharp awl in the two corners so I can lash it to the flag halliard.  Done!!!

 

 

 

Here's a pic of the flag I just made for my boat.  1/48 scale.

 

 

 

Give it a try 

 

 

 

[Chuck Seiler]

I have tried to use tissue paper in the past and have had issue with it tearing while printing.  You have to take care when attaching it to a piece of paper.  Subsequently, based on a friend who does miniatures, have gone to cigarette paper. 

 

    Downside 1:  You are limited in size.

 

    Downside 2:  When you go into the tobacco store to buy the cigarette papers you get the knowing "I know what you are going to use that for" look.   ...but, hey, it's legal in California now so.....

[Dowmer]

Chuck,

When I put the tissue paper (The packing type for gifts, not the backside kind 😁) on a blank sheet of 8x11" paper in the printer, I tape all teh edges down so they dont catch.  obviously the paper is bigger than I need for the image.  Once the printer is finished, I cut it out with an exacto or scissors.  Works a treat and I havent had one fail yet.  The fixative really sets the ink so you can see it on both sides and allows the flag to be positioned how you like it.

 

Hope that helps and perhaps you won't have to go buying "weed" paper...although there's nothing wrong with that. 😀

 

 

[CDW]

1 hour ago, Chuck Seiler said:

I have tried to use tissue paper in the past and have had issue with it tearing while printing.  You have to take care when attaching it to a piece of paper.  Subsequently, based on a friend who does miniatures, have gone to cigarette paper. 

 

    Downside 1:  You are limited in size.

 

    Downside 2:  When you go into the tobacco store to buy the cigarette papers you get the knowing "I know what you are going to use that for" look.   ...but, hey, it's legal in California now so.....

If you buy Price Albert rolling papers, you don't get those same strange looks as you do with Zig Zag papers. 🙂🤐

[Lucius Molchany]

Thanks guys  but I want a ready made red ensign for the UK.Not real tech savvy ,so I do not know his to use those computer tools.

Edited September 28, 2018 by Lucius Molchany

[Chuck Seiler]

1 hour ago, Dowmer said:

Chuck,

When I put the tissue paper (The packing type for gifts, not the backside kind 😁) on a blank sheet of 8x11" paper in the printer, I tape all teh edges down so they dont catch.  obviously the paper is bigger than I need for the image.  Once the printer is finished, I cut it out with an exacto or scissors.  Works a treat and I havent had one fail yet.  The fixative really sets the ink so you can see it on both sides and allows the flag to be positioned how you like it.

 

Hope that helps and perhaps you won't have to go buying "weed" paper...although there's nothing wrong with that. 😀

 

 

No, really, I am using it to make flags for a model.

 

SURE you are.  Whatever you say (wink wink)

[Feathermerchant]

BECC at www.becc.co.uk

 

Have used them for flags used on Dutch built "Half Moon", Colonial ship and steamer house flags. Have found the images on the web and sent them to BECC and they reproduced them to scale required and also bought directly from their catalogue.

[Lucius Molchany]

-Okay thanks for the replies!I will check them out!

[druxey]

I hand-paint mine on SilkSpan - it has wet strength, unlike tissue paper.

[Lucius Molchany]

can you post pics of the flags you made with silkspan?What type of paint is best?