question Stencil size and style for british vehicles.

[rampant rivet]

Now that the bonnet is ready on my Bedford MW I'm thinking of what height the Z numbers should be and what thickness they are plus the style also the size etc of the 30 mph sign often seen on the rear body of the truck have had a look for threads concerning this but withy no luck.

 

Help please.

 

Regards the Rivet.

[gas 44]

On all of our vehicle we have used Axholme Stencils.

First class product,first class people, helpful and friendly.

I have no connection with them.

[rampant rivet]

Thanks for info but want I make my own stencils.

 

RR

[wally dugan]

HI l have seen a number of different styles the ones attached are from a set dated 1940 they range from 5 inch high down to half inch these are the two inch l know people are going to say mine do not look like that but these are a british military stencil set and it would also depend on who painted them at the time our old sign writer it in a different style

[Pete Ashby]

Interesting Wally.

 

I think the best thing to do RR is a bit of original photo research as the size and styles did in reality vary depending on theater and period.

 

As a guide 3" or 3.5" high by 1" wide in white lusterless enamel seems to be most common for serial numbering, however if you check out period photos you can see that both stencil and sign written fonts of various styles were in use.

 

As for the speed restriction again original photo research is your best option. In the early war period there is some evidence to suggest that the number was in red at 5" enclosed in a red circle. Mid war evidence suggest white 3" numbers and MPH in smaller 2" letters in a straight line across the tail gate.

 

Pete

[Pete Ashby]

Have just looked into this a little bit more and found this in Mike Starmer's excellent book 'British Army colours & disruptive camouflage in the UK France and Europe 1936- 45'.

Reference as follows: ACI 465 issued 15th May 1940 'Disruptive painting and numbering of vehicles'

 

"the War Department number will be clearly painted in white on both sides of the bonnet and on the rear of the vehicle. The dimensions of the letters and figures will be:-

 

Height 3 1/2"

Overall width 2 1/2"

Width of every part of each letter or figure 5/8ths"

 

Pete

[wally dugan]

pete the sizes you quote continued in use after the war l have seen my type of stencils used and the spaces filled in to give a solid appearance to the letters and numbers as l said the museums sign writer favoured this style but l have also seen the

colonial font used a lot would depend on the skill of the person doing the painting our sign writer started paint military vehicles in the mid war period and when called up it was his trade

[simon king]

You can get interlocking stencil sets, like those shown in Wally's post at

 

http://www.eyreandbaxter.co.uk/

[Pete Ashby]

An option I have used is to search the web for the required font style then size up as required and print off and tape together into the required sequence. Use masking tape to tape onto stencil card ( oiled manila) and then cut through using a scalpel and steel cutting ruler, curves can be cut free hand with care. If a sign written finish is required the holding bars of the stencil can be cut as small as possible and the gaps touched in using a fine brush after the stencil is removed.

 

Pete

[rampant rivet]

Thanks for the info everyone especially Pete, I 've made my own stencils in the past using your technique and it works fine just needed to know the sizes, as to what my Z number should be for my early MW is a whole different matter with its chassis number being so low I'm erring towards Z 4109148 maybe :cool2:

[Pete Ashby]

Thanks for the info everyone especially Pete, I 've made my own stencils in the past using your technique and it works fine just needed to know the sizes, as to what my Z number should be for my early MW is a whole different matter with its chassis number being so low I'm erring towards Z 4109148 maybe :cool2:

 

Your welcome, just had a look through the Chilwell lists, the first MW's are listed on contract T7729 3927393 to 3928411

the next batch are on contract T8102 4108701 to 4110700

 

Pete

[rampant rivet]

Your welcome, just had a look through the Chilwell lists, the first MW's are listed on contract T7729 3927393 to 3928411

the next batch are on contract T8102 4108701 to 4110700

 

Pete

 

Yes that's why I thought I'd use a number from contract T8102 with my chassis number 2947 I thought that it would be in the range of 4108701 - 4110700 I know its almost impossible to be exact but with a production number of 1946 I though it would be from an early contract, I wonder exactly when it was built Sept, Oct or November 1939 ?

[simon king]

The alternative to strips of masking tape is Frisket Film = which can be bought on the roll from art shops. I used the interlocking metal stencils as a template to run a craft knife around the outline, but you can equally trace round a font sourced from the web. You're left with a low tack flexible stencil mask ready for paint

[Pete Ashby]

That's interesting Simon I've not come across that before I'll see if I can track a roll down

 

Thanks for that

 

Pete