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InQuarters brand decals, are the finest quality water slide decals that can be found. InQuarters decals are printed by the nations leading decal printer, Microscale. You can be assured of the highest quality, and all decals are guaranteed. Our decals are printed for many different police agencies in 1/43 and 1/24 scale. Our line of fire decals is designed for 1/64 scale, with extra emblems and graphics in 1/50 or 1/87 scale on many of our sheets as well as for the 1/25th scale model builder.

I spend a lot of time researching accurate historical data on the agency I am going to produce, and use artist's that specialize in "Vector" based artwork. Vector based artwork takes the squares or pixels, and rounds them off. Vector based art also allows for layering, so that each color is on its own layer of artwork. This is required for screen printing. Vector based art is time consuming and expensive. However, every minute detail is captured. The art for most made at home decals is done with Photoshop or one of the retail type drawing programs and are not Vector based. Once my artwork is complete, it is sent to Microscale for printing.

There are many steps taken before the decals are printed. First, colors are matched against actual emergency vehicle lettering, using paint chips and 3M Scotchlite color samples. Then registration is matched against the actual colors being printed. The art has to be "trapped" or it will not print correctly. The clear carrier has to be done correctly, and in the case of InQuarters decals, all of my decals that go on a dark background are undercoated in white, so bright colors will show when placed on a dark background. Home printers are not capable of undercoating as they print. When commercially screen printed, each color is printed separately, from light to dark. This insures there is no bleed through. Because each color is printed separately, you wont see colors that run together, or a decal that appears to be the wrong color.

As for a top coat or a sealer, many opinions are offered on top coating decals. I have sold hundreds of custom made models without clear coating. I have never had a model returned for defective decals. If the item will not be handled, and the decals were applied correctly, there is no need to clear coat. To this day, I still don't clear coat, but I don't handle my models after I finish them.

I get many requests for custom or one of a kind decals. I can not offer one of a kind decals. The minimum for printing is 500 sheets. Many times a customer will tell me that they have found someone else that is willing to do a small run at much cheaper prices. Usually, these are made at home on a computer with a home printer. Often times you will hear that the decals were printed on an ALPs printer. An ALPs printer allows printing to be done in white. Other than white, its about the same as your home printer. You can not get commercially screen printed quality with "made at home" decals. No company currently makes a home printer that is capable of high quality printing like that found in commercial screen printing. Additionally, ALP's brand printers are no longer made and after January of 2007 parts will no longer be available for them.

I got started in the decal business by making custom police vehicles. I still build custom police models for customers but no longer advertise. Before it was popular, I was putting spotlights on cars, making my own custom wheels, and adding all sorts of interior details to 1/43 scale cars, mostly Road Champs. I produced seven styles of light bars in 1/43 scale, many of which were copied and still offered today from various after market dealers as resin cast pieces. I had police style wheels manufactured to my specifications and cast in metal, long before Road Champs did. I would add the small details which set my custom cars apart from any other builder. I included items such as shotguns and radar units in the interior. No one has ever been able to match the details I offered. I held the same standards when it came to graphics. I have never used a "made at home" decal and I never will. You can see the difference. I don't settle for cheap, especially on a model I have just taken many hours to build. Here at InQuarters, you can always be sure that the graphics are of the highest quality there is. Custom model building is not cheap. It takes a long time to create a custom piece. There are many hours of work that go in to custom built models. I also offer models that have new graphics added from already available products as an alternative to a custom built model. Email me for a quote. There are minimums and using my commercially printed decals, there is a lengthy wait. Remember, there are no "made at home" decals at InQuarters. Only the finest screen printed decals are used. Well worth the cost and the wait.