Anyone tried printing onto Plasticard?

Just wondering if anyone's tried it and how it went ..... I am tempted as I have a hand pass option on one of my printers and it will accommodate up to
600GSM paper, but I wanted to know if it is worth my trouble to try.
Thanks
Steve
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It will take a long time to dry and the ink might run together into drops with white spaces If you want to try it treat it as a overhead projector gel
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"Trev" <trevbowdenATdsl.pipexDOTnet> wrote...

I'm sure this will happen...

I don't think this will work either, because inkjet OHP still has a special coating to absorb the ink. How about turning the idea around, and using the inkjet OHP "paper" as plastic card? It does all depend on the application though, and whether or not the inability to print white is a problem. Overlay onto white plasticard?
Paul Boyd
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The problem is the ink and type of printer used. At Deans Marine, a local firm who manufacture model boat kits, almost all of the kits are based on a plasticard superstructure formed of a single sheet of plasticard upon which is drawn a cutting plan. This is done by an ink flatbed plotter using a variety of colour inks applied directly onto sheets of the card which are then roughly split down to size to fit into the boxes for dispatch. The drawings are often fine line and include text and graphics so are both intricate and very precise. The machine draws from a cad program produced drawing and the plotter is controlled by a standard if somewhat elderly PC, so nothing too fancy is needed, just the right application of the correct ink.
Cheers
--
RH

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I once read of someone managing this by very lightly sanding the surface of the plastic first.
--
David A Smith
Copthorne, West Sussex.UK
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"Trev" <trevbowdenATdsl.pipexDOTnet> wrote:

It might be worthwhile to peruse http://www.craftycomputerpaper.com They make a wide range of media that can be printed with inkjet or laser, including white and clear decal paper. Many of their products are useful for model making. (No connection - just a satisfied customer!)
--
Martin S.

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In a message on Mon, 1 Aug 2005 20:18:36 +1000, wrote :
"> Just wondering if anyone's tried it and how it went ..... I am tempted as I "> have a hand pass option on one of my printers and it will accommodate up to "> 600GSM paper, but I wanted to know if it is worth my trouble to try.
I sort of doubt it will work. Ink Jet printers use *water soluble* inks. Styrene (and most plastics) don't take to water soluble paints so it is doubtful that they will take to water soluble inks any better.
When I've needed something 'printed' (computer generated graphics) on a model, I've printed it on paper (I used several different papers: regular bond, photo-graphic, and 'sticky-back') and apply the paper to the model.
"> "> Thanks "> "> Steve "> "> ">
\/ Robert Heller ||InterNet: snipped-for-privacy@cs.umass.edu http://vis-www.cs.umass.edu/~heller || snipped-for-privacy@deepsoft.com http://www.deepsoft.com /\FidoNet: 1:321/153
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good point yet doesn't account for printable CD DVD media

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What type of printer?
It might work on a Laserwriter.
mindesign wrote:

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I submit that on or about Mon, 01 Aug 2005 20:42:56 +0100, the person
Your Honour's bundle) to the following effect:

LOL! And you might end off removing melted plastikard from the destroyed fuser assembly :-D
Honestly, don't put plastics through laser printers unless they are specifically rated for laser printer use. DAMHIKIJKOK...
Guy -- http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk
"To every complex problem there is a solution which is simple, neat and wrong" - HL Mencken
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mindesign wrote:

Dot matrix printing works, but ink jet printers spray ink which generally relys on the ink soaking in to the surface a little to hold the ink in position until it dries. The current flock of "photographic quality" printers which can print onto high gloss paper with the correct settings may well do better. You will need to consider the paper path and the required flexibility of the plastic you are using.
Why not give it a go? At worst you will have to wash your sheet of plastic.
Now that you mention it, my little 150x100 photo printer has a straight paper path ... Hmmmmmm!
Regards, Greg.P.
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Thanks all ......
I will be giving it a go this weekend ..... will report back!
I am going to find out what the surface coating is so I can look at spraying plasticard with the same stuff!
Steve

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On Tue, 2 Aug 2005 07:02:29 +1000, mindesign wrote:

Check into what they coat printable CD-Rs with. Specifically designed for use with ink jet printers, matte white coating.
--
Steve

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great idea again!!!!
Thanks
Steve

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    I have successfully printed onto plastic using my Canon printer. the trick is to rough the plastic surface to be prinrted. Gently sand with 1200 grit paper then brush or wash away the sanding dust.. When dry print like paper.     Of course why even bother with plastic when you can print directly to various thickness cardstocks and get the same (or better) effect? Paper modeling has gotten quite advanced and is nothing like the punch out stuff we knew as kids. Paper modelers are now competing in shows with plastic builders and winning with more detailed and accurate models. One can build structures with prototypical material thicknesses on the visible parts like door and window frames. colors can be sampled from a real structure and used to get the finish perfect. curves are no problem once you get a bit of practice and the range of items is amazing. Best of all you can take any paper model and resize it for use in any other scale. I recently did an N scale intermodal yard for a friend and used rescaled HO paper containers which were made using photos of the real thing so all the bumps, rust and graffiti appears exactly as on the original.     Come over to papermodels at SmartGroups.com and check it out. you will be astonished at what is available. Even bette almost all are free. It's a friendly group and help is always available (in many cases from some of the top modelers in the world) While it does require joining SmartGroups, fear not, h have never received a single piece of spam from there (I have my SmartGroups memberships on a separate mail account and never has there been any spam, which sure beats the other places)     BTW: there is currently a discussion of this very subject (printing on plastic) under way in the group.
                            cat
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how good is the net!!!!!
IT ROCKS!
Thanks mate - am joining now
Steve

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Just wondering how well these paper models (as a whole) will hold up over time. I can think of several uses (such as store interiors for my model buildings), but if the paper will curl, crack or fade then that could be a problem (although gluing plastic bracing might help the curling). Sorry, I guess I am stuck in the decades old mindset of paper wearing out quickly, and plastic lasting, although that seems to no longer be true.
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Pendon Is doing well so far
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I was thinking the same thing but concluded that several layers of lightly sprayed lacquer would help along with stout bracing (though not plastic necessarily)

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On Thu, 4 Aug 2005 07:19:52 +1000, "mindesign"

    Several paper modelers swear by "Future" floor polish for this purpose.
                                cat
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