DIY decals.

Hello Uffe,

I tried the Laserprinter papaer they have in Aalborg Hobby Shop (Can't remember brand) in a Samsung colourlaser with remarkably poor results - the colour stuck to the rotating part and it took several runs with blank paper to get rid of. So untill now I haven't ventured more into this way of doing decals! I have tried inkjet decal paper with much more luck, You have to use a clear lacquer afterwards, but it works ok. Just be aware that the images has to be good, mine was tested on plain paper first and looked good, but some got a little blured because I hadn't cleaned up the image good enough first.

The results can be seen in my model gallery on

see the Seafire 47 where all serials and codes vere done this way and the Seversky P-35A in Swedish markings, where the squadron insignia was printed (Black eagle on red disk)

Fell free to contact me if you have any questions that I might help you with.

Claus Gustafsen Strandby, Denmark

"Uffe Bærentsen" skrev i meddelelsen news:4f089ca2$0$296$ snipped-for-privacy@dtext01.news.tele.dk...

Hi

Have thought of it several times. How many of you guys makes your own decals? Why I'm asking? I'm looking at a task where there are absolutely no other way than to have costom made decals. Have done some 'lookin-around-on-the-web' and came to the result that it could be done with special decal paper and a laser printer. From what I've read ink-jet is also possible but the result is better using laser printer. Next question is where to find the right products/paper? It would be a lot easier/cheaper for me if the products could be bought within the european-union.

Found these:

Do not know the use of this These are for ink-jet printing The application will be on ABS plastic.

Experience with any product is very much appreciated ;-)

NB: The ALPS printer solution is not within reach :-(

What graphics program do you use? I have an Alps for my own deacals and use, (primarily), CorelDraw. I could run you off one. The printer could use some exersise.

snipped-for-privacy@ripnet.com

Awesome, I do my decals on Microsoft Publisher. Check out some of my stuff on

& All I use is a decent inkjet printer & use Testors decal paper (mostly because I can pick it up locally), have heard great reviews about Bare Metal Foil's decal paper & have had good results with Papilio & even a random company from Japan.

If you would be willing, I do have a buddy who was asking me if I knew of anyone who had an ALPS because he wants to do some chrome lettering. Do you mind if I send him your email address so he may contact you.

Alps printer community is still strong and thriving. Yahoo group

is over 4000 member strong. Plenty of hobbyists (and even many cottage industries) still print decals on Alps.

There are also custom decal makers who will either take your artwork or design artwork to your specs and print it on Alps. For a list of such custom decal producers see

(in the middle of that page).

Peteski

I have an Alps 1000 so doing chrome lettering is pretty iffy. It's the

5000's and 5500's that do the bright metalics natively. Mine does brushed silver. I have a silver mettalic ribbon that I was going top try to fool the printer into using but I can't garuntee it would work.

I have made chrome decals - once - with pretty good results. I needed to ma= ke some cheat lines on an aircraft and I stink at spraying fine detail. So = I sprayed Testors Chrome onto a MicroScale decal sheet and coated it with t= he decal solution. After it was dry (I gave it a couple of days), I cut it = on a paper cutter, the kind with the drop-arm, into thin 1/8" strips. They = worked nicely and looked good. Since then I've done the same with various c= olors, notably red and yellow, colors that really don't print that opaquely= from my inkjet printer.

Regards, John Braungart