JBOT MPC/ERTL Falcon Decals - any else feel ripped off?

BigSmudge09

New Member
Hey all,
After checking out this site for the past couple of years, and marvelling at some of the things that I've seen on here, I decided to take the plunge and join the crew of the good ship 'RPF'.

Has anyone else had problems with JBOT? I apologise beforehand if this subject has already been mentioned......

My wife bought a MPC/ERTL Falcon for me a couple of years ago, I had one as a kid but always longed for another crack at it. Along with the 'Bluemoon' side wall kit and following some excellent threads on here about mods for the cockpit, hull shape, etc (I had never scratchbuilt anything before) I plunged in head first and got her about as good as I can without adding photoetch stuff (maybe one day lol)...

All I had left was to put a few decals on her - and after reading a few threads on here I contacted JBOT through his site last April (2014).
A couple of emails passed between us including a set of decal instructions from him . I paid my money (PayPal) and waited...., and waited....., and waited.
I gave him a fair amount of time as he did say the Canadian Post was awful, and tried contacting him about 6-8weeks after purchase to find out about the whereabouts of my decals, but with no luck. Several emails to him were ignored, and many to him since have been ignored too. PayPal could do nothing as it was outside their time scale, so I'm out of pocket.

Has anyone else come across this kind of thing? Lost in post is one thing, ignoring emails is another. If he's done this to a few people then he's got himself a nice little scam going.

image5.jpegimage11.jpegimage7.jpegimage9.jpeg
 
Big, you may have run into a problem I've seen several times over the years when an essentially one-man operation is going along gangbusters but then takes a hit from a medical or other personal problem (sometimes even the big "D") and the business is left hanging since there is often no 'backup'. As far as I can tell, the JBOT website hasn't been updated since the April time frame when Jim put a hold on new orders. (Well, the website shows it was modified, but that is due to the 'active' content like the visitor counters...) I know that doesn't solve your problem, but at least perhaps it provides some understanding? I suspect that *someone* within the Canadian modeling community may have some idea of what has happened to Jim... real life can be tricky. eh?

On the solution side, I was thinking that there is a need for an alternative source for the MF markings, other than Ken Rice's (do I have that right?) work. If someone has the information, I would gladly gen up the vector artwork needed to get some decals printed. Being vector data, the artwork can be scaled to any needed size, once a printer is found. I can think of several outfits that might want to jump in on such a 'specialist' band-wagon (Starfighter Decals, Belcher Bits, Archer even...) especially if the graphics work is already accomplished. All I need is the data for the markings...

Regards,
Robert
 
One of the bits of advice I've heard is that you should always buy that stuff from a distributor, never from the actual manufacturer. That way, you can guarantee they have in stock and can deliver the product.
 
I sent him a few emails last year but no replies at all. Not out of pocket or anything but it really gets to me when you never even get a simple reply from them even if they were to say they couldn't do it because they were back logged and needed to finish others stuff off.
 
Well... it depends on how much stock the distro-man is going to carry of any one release, and how much overhead they'll impose. Furball is a prime example; he sells direct & through eBay while one of his 'D'tors' Scott's Model Shop sells Greg's sheets for just a wee bit *less* but with more shipping, which evens out to just about exactly the same cost. Guess it is best if you don't undersell your distributors! Some makers don't or won't use distributors per se, selling to retailers just like anyone else.

Situations like JBOT don't happen that often, but just goes to show the way it is these days - get 'em while they're hot!

The thing that gets me is when a website is left 'cooking' when the company is essentially off-line; that is my main peeve with JBOT right now, it gives the impression they are still in business. But then, Jim may be beyond caring, after all...

Regards,
Robert
 
Ok Here you go. This is a LOW res of MF decals I'm creating for the new Hasbro Rebel Falcon and the OLD Legacy Hasbro Falcon.

As your going to shrink them they should work fine for the MPC/AMT Falcon (these are just the most prominent decals)

What you need to use them
An ink jet color printer
CLEAR decal paper 8x10 (order it off Amazon) comes in a pack of 10 sheets. Or Testers 8x5.5 CLEAR decal paper.
One can of Tester DUL Coat

Use any graphic software to size them on regular paper. Print them at 80%, 75 % ect. until you think they look to size.
Close cut them out of the paper and position them on the model to test the size.

Once your happy with the scale print them out on the decal paper follow the direction that SHOULD come with the decal paper.

You will need to spray Dull coat prior to trimming and putting them in h2O or they will bleed as most ink jet ink is H2O soluble and they bleed

Note some of the decals are repeated. I've posted these on this site looking for input on correct verbiage etc. on another post ( just an fyi)

LMF_Decal_1.jpg

let me know if you have any Q?

best rgards
 
Here an MPC Falcon I did awhile back using the SAME upgrade kits you used:) with an earlier version of these decals.

1979mpcfalconboxlidc32e 2.jpg

it has been photo shopped on to the original box as I'm most likly going to post it on e bay some time in the near future.

Nice job on your by the way.

best regards
 
Do you want this, sized for the Hasbro Falcon? I have all the art ready to go. Ken Rice did the Falcon art.

decalssale.jpg
 
I'm hoping for a little more input from every one on this board as I posted a "beta version". I'm looking for WHAT they actually say as some of the reference shots I pulled off this board I can not tell what they ACTUALLY say. SO I made up some tech sounding verbiage.

I would LIKE them to be accurate as all the HRMFs that every one is building as really, really good and WHY would anyone want to mess up their hard work with "good enough" decals?

One of my mottos from doing graphics for a living for almost 30yrs was "suck do it over" or " you don't have time to do it right the first time, but PLENTY of time to do it over" when dealing with younger art directors who "new the software" but not so much on basic graphic design.:lol

I have most of them done now in IL as vector art so they scale either HRMF or the HLMF I'm planning on a set with both and 2 versions beat up or new so you can mix and match, your preference.

There are surprisingly a LOT of decals on the 5 ft version. More then what I see on the sheet just posted by Ken Rice, which are killer by the way.:)

My last count is 60. some of which are torn, or partially weathered. The under side of the falcon is were I would like more reference,.. SOOO if anyone has any "new shots":unsure

As fare as having them available sooner would be better. I'll post some photos soon of my HRMF with my beta I'm used as a sizing comp some time in the next week.
 
Wow! Confused on a couple of points. One, is the (I'll call it the Ken Rice sheet) decals shown available from somewhere and two, where are those dang images I've stumbled over repreatedly but always seem to misplace the link? Seems there were some very high rez pix posted of both the 5' & 32" props, such that wading through them may let me eye those pesky 'unknown' stencil applications. Figured I have to do it if I was faced with gen'in up a set, but I don't want to reinvent if I can collaborate instead. Better results, that way.

Regards,
Robert

- - - Updated - - -

Wow! Confused on a couple of points. One, is the (I'll call it the Ken Rice sheet) decals shown available from somewhere and two, where are those dang images I've stumbled over repreatedly but always seem to misplace the link? Seems there were some very high rez pix posted of both the 5' & 32" props, such that wading through them may let me eye those pesky 'unknown' stencil applications. Figured I have to do it if I was faced with gen'in up a set, but I don't want to reinvent if I can collaborate instead. Better results, that way.

Regards,
Robert
 
These are silkscreened decals - professionally made with a carrier layer so each decal is separate - so if they fit, these are DONE and SHARP!
Just saying - why not start with these? I've already set a set to someone with a Hasbro Falcon and they will confirm or not if they look good. But they will fit the UK subscription Falcon too.


IMG_2129.jpg

- - - Updated - - -

see?

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10153098392783156
 
Robert,


" where are those dang images I've stumbled over repreatedly but always seem to misplace the link? Seems there were some very high rez pix posted of both the 5' & 32" props, such that wading through them may let me eye those pesky 'unknown' stencil applications."

LOL I know which link your talking about that IS the same one I'm using. The problem is distortion. A lot of the decals are angle type shots, and verbiage is not clear enough to read.

Also color accuracy is a problem. Same decal on a different shot looks different due to glass reflection, flash ect. Also OLD eyes.

Creating the decals is less work that creating a decal placement sheet. head shake. I can't find my link either. I pulled every shot that had a decal off in a folder.
 
Moffeaton, those look really nice and would be a good starting point. I know the balance of the other markings on the sheet (for the other models) are sized for particular, studio scale subjects to start with, so I suspect it would be tricky (?) to resize the entire collection to a nominal 1:48 scale. I have been literally back-burnering the MF project to 1:48 scale since the early 90's and during the interim have amassed other 1/48 scale (really, forever an approximation I know!) vehicle kits such as the sweet AMT B-Wing, TIE fighters and the ESTES TIE X1 (no, really is a sweet little model, that!), not to mention the more recent FM kits. Most fall down on the markings of course, but the MF's markings have attained an almost mystical status...truly, Lord I am a geek! ;^) Anyway, I am certainly interested and even more so if the rest of the sheet can also be put to use... shoot, I didn't even realize the TIEs had any markings on 'em.

Retired, I think I have done exactly the same thing - downloaded a ton of images but I failed to sort them into 5' & 32" piles, so it will be quite the puzzle to sort it all out. And somewhere I picked up a graphic for "ISKY" whatever that is! I am just surprised this hasn't already been settled out over the years...like some kind of "official" map of the markings. Perhaps it has and I'm just unaware of the results. Seems the 'drive safely' and "route 1" decals are well know, but the rest... hit and miss. Moffeaton's & your graphics both show different selections, and the JBOT decal, from what I can glean 4th hand, has even more. Really wish Jim was still putting them out to help get this definitively sorted.

Regards,
Robert
 
Thanks for the replies chaps, sorry about not answering sooner.

I sent him a few emails last year but no replies at all. Not out of pocket or anything but it really gets to me when you never even get a simple reply from them even if they were to say they couldn't do it because they were back logged and needed to finish others stuff off.

I agree. A simple email explaining a situation or a problem with an order wouldn't have gone amiss.

Here an MPC Falcon I did awhile back using the SAME upgrade kits you used:) with an earlier version of these decals.

View attachment 432502

it has been photo shopped on to the original box as I'm most likly going to post it on e bay some time in the near future.

Nice job on your by the way.

best regards

Love the box art you've done there! looks great.
Thanks, I've had to use a bit of 'artistic licence' over some of the details on her - well, if ILM can then why can't I? lol. It's the first time I've actually attempted to weather a model and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Big, you may have run into a problem I've seen several times over the years when an essentially one-man operation is going along gangbusters but then takes a hit from a medical or other personal problem (sometimes even the big "D") and the business is left hanging since there is often no 'backup'. As far as I can tell, the JBOT website hasn't been updated since the April time frame when Jim put a hold on new orders. (Well, the website shows it was modified, but that is due to the 'active' content like the visitor counters...) I know that doesn't solve your problem, but at least perhaps it provides some understanding? I suspect that *someone* within the Canadian modeling community may have some idea of what has happened to Jim... real life can be tricky. eh?

On the solution side, I was thinking that there is a need for an alternative source for the MF markings, other than Ken Rice's (do I have that right?) work. If someone has the information, I would gladly gen up the vector artwork needed to get some decals printed. Being vector data, the artwork can be scaled to any needed size, once a printer is found. I can think of several outfits that might want to jump in on such a 'specialist' band-wagon (Starfighter Decals, Belcher Bits, Archer even...) especially if the graphics work is already accomplished. All I need is the data for the markings...

Regards,
Robert

If anything has happened to the guy, then I apologise wholeheartedly for my gripes. I wouldn't wish anything on anyone. Like you said, the website is still up and he was happily messaging me whilst i was offering him money - then nothing. Maybe I'm getting cynical in my old age lol.

If anyone can get a set of decals together for the MPC then I for one would be happy cross atheir palm with silver
 
Check out the other 'decals' thread that Moffeaton has started... he is aiming for the Hasbro BMF crowd, but if resizing is needed, then perhaps an second sizing would be possible...
Thread HERE

BTW, found the link to the Modeler Magic website that has the Forbidden Plastic 5' studmod image archive:
http://www.modelermagic.com/?p=7554

R/ Robert
 
Last edited:
I've gotten the x-wing, snow speeder, and falcon decals from jbot. Have not had any issues at all. I even emailed him a few days ago, and he responded in under 5 minutes. I love his work.
 
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