Best type of backdrop and mounting process

Many of us have used Backdrop Warehouse... yes everyone knows their website is difficult. They have great industrial scenes, and they are available in very large sizes.

Several of us used Masonite, mounted with carpet tape. very forgiving during the initial hanging process. We left the bottom hang freely and it's covered by the layout anyway.

Also try Trackside Scenery, Joey Ricard has them self-adhesive types, very easy to mount, and lots to chose from.

Laidoff,

Looks great. I like the idea of Masonite and carpet tape. Backdrop warehouse website causes my eyeballs to fall out. Worst website I have ever seen. Yeow !!!

Scrapiron Scher posted:

Laidoff,

Backdrop warehouse website causes my eyeballs to fall out. 

 Wait til you try to order from it. Your brain will fall out too

You could turn my sweetheart loose with her paint and brushes. Most of what we did was cloud wall paper.

Mike, that is amazing work. Have Brush, Will Travel. I received an e-mail from you about your traveling to Boston in September but I have lost all control of where and when and how my e-mails fly around. Frustrating. If you have not already travelled, the door is open here for you.

Eliot

Scrapiron Scher posted:

Mike, that is amazing work. Have Brush, Will Travel. I received an e-mail from you about your traveling to Boston in September but I have lost all control of where and when and how my e-mails fly around. Frustrating. If you have not already travelled, the door is open here for you.

Eliot

Late next week, I'll be on the road.  I'll call, I think I still have the number.

Here is what I saw today at the Chicagoland Lionel Club. It looks amazing in person. Sorry I don't know what the material is or how they mounted it, but I bet a call to their source would solve those questions. See the attached photo for contact info. 

Laidoffsick posted:

Scrapiron Scher posted:

Laidoff,

Backdrop warehouse website causes my eyeballs to fall out. 

 Wait til you try to order from it. Your brain will fall out too

Eliot

You might want to contact Joey Ricard in West Virginia who has a line of backdrops all created from his photography and geared to o-scale

Steve

It seems like today's society has instilled style over substance in much of life.   The backdrop warehouse website is complicated in part due to the many variations of product.  Details stymie many.  We are a quick read people.

When I first came upon their website I was a tad befuddled until I realized there are many categories  of product.  The more I looked the more I learned.  I have been using their products for 15 years with great satisfaction. 

As in my insurance business, when dealing with people I need to adjust to the various types of personalities,  overlooking what some may find objectionable.  

Style, atmosphere & personality are incidential when compared to a product or service of duration.

IMO, Judge by the end result.

I agree Tom, as it took us awhile to figure out the website at BDW, and time to pick a couple scenes. In the end, it was WELL worth the time and effort. I don't think you'll find the selection or big sizes anywhere else. 

Don't forget that it is very easy to find a pano image on the Web (or take one yourself) and have it printed.. Many local print shops can do it. Also, out of curiosity, I just checked out VistaPrint.com. They will print a 2.5' x 12' banner on vinyl @75dpi for $55.49:

http://www.vistaprint.com/cust...ters&xnav=TopNav

I've never used them, so this isn't a recommendation--just one example of what's available.

Thanks, BigTruck, Gilly, LITrain, Tom and Avanti. Lots of great suggestions so I have my homework to do.

eliot

Laidoffsick posted:

I agree Tom, as it took us awhile to figure out the website at BDW, and time to pick a couple scenes. In the end, it was WELL worth the time and effort. I don't think you'll find the selection or big sizes anywhere else. 

Avanti posted:

Don't forget that it is very easy to find a pano image on the Web (or take one yourself) and have it printed.. Many local print shops can do it. Also, out of curiosity, I just checked out VistaPrint.com. They will print a 2.5' x 12' banner on vinyl @75dpi for $55.49:

http://www.vistaprint.com/cust...ters&xnav=TopNav

I've never used them, so this isn't a recommendation--just one example of what's available.

#1) I had most of it figured out and knew the measurements and scenes. When I called and told him I needed help with pricing and placing an order, it all went all down hill from there.  Obvious he didn't need, or want the business for the backdrops in my little 14' x 39' room. The selection was incredible. I just never figured out how to place an order, or pricing,

#2) Don't forget that Eliot is an excellent photographer. Probably the best suggestion would be to print and use his own original work.

1st he has fo find an industrial area to photograph

2nd.. have to be able to shoot the right angles in order to cover 12 feet in length and 4 feet tall... and match the layout perspective

Then he has to find someone who can print it 4' x 12' with high resolution

Not as easy as you may think.

So, does it need to be both outside and inside of the highlighted area? I see 4 on the outside  2-12'. 1-16' and 1 almost 9'. How high will the divider be?

I really like the look of the backdrop on the Masonite.

Scrapiron Scher posted:

Laidoff,

Looks great. I like the idea of Masonite and carpet tape. Backdrop warehouse website causes my eyeballs to fall out. SWorst website I have ever seen. Yeow !!!

 

Totally agree - on both points.  I favor the masonite, although any new backdrop I do will be painted directly on the wall.

Best of luck,

George

Scrapiron Scher posted:

Made my own backdrop today by digitally painting the scene at 300 dpi and sized at 9' x 3'. The file is 135M. Let's see how it comes out. Fairly easy to do.

I'll take two!

Mike

Our backdrop is made from actual scenes in the area. If any one is interested let me know and I will put you in contact with the creators.

Ray Marion

Raymondm630@gmail.com

My backgrounds (4 ink colors/300dpi) are from Backdrop Warehouse.  I'm very satisfied with them.  True, the website is extremely busy and at times difficult to navigate but there is a wealth of information there.  Every order is confirmed with a telephone call.  It is true it takes some adjusting to the phone manner and approach of the owner but in part it is because he believes you will have absorbed a good bit of the info on his site.  Let's face it, you probably should spend a fair amount of time getting what is right for you--these are not cheap so planning ahead makes sense.  I had a lot of linear feet to cover (parts of 4 walls).  I found one set of agriculture scenes that comprised 5 separate photos (A-E).  Maximum length is 12' and he'll print 36'' or 42'' tall for O scale.

I have permission to use the space as a train room but was not at liberty to permanently mount on the walls nor completely cover the window or remove its molding.  Many recommend a frame or masonite backing on which to mount the product but I had neither the time nor the carpenter skills to do that.  So, believe it or not I mounted 53' of background using poster putty and double stick 1'' square Scotch adhesive squares plus a few strategically placed staples. I was even able to get some curving of the background in the corners.

I overlapped the scenes to get a perfect match (the owner prints them that way with overlaps on the ends to be seamed) and I did use some rubber cement at the seams.  I hope to write up what I did as I took photos along the way.  The owner may actually give a rebate if you write an installation article for him or if you submit photos of your layout using his product.

At the moment I can't find panorama shot I took around the room but the photo I attach here gives a general idea of what I've done.  Will try to post the pano shot later.

If you don't want to damage the wall, it is quite possible to simply hang the backdrop like a curtain, suspended from thin strips of wood. My backdrop was done that way.  The wood strips are hung from the ceiling using fish line, which is basically invisible:

The very bottom of the paper may curl somewhat over time. You can prevent this by stapling another wood strip on the bottom. I didn't bother, since the image extends below the table, and so is not visible.

What a great thread, thanks guys. Just looking at some commercially available backdrops now. My problem is that they need to be adhered to painted plaster walls. The vendor is not sure their glue would work in that application. Suggestions?