Making your own decals...

On 7/15/2010 1:14 PM Barb/Bob Alexander spake thus:

I have no personal experience with making my own decals. but I can tell you definitively that the best printer for this job would have to be the old Alps printers. Why? Because, among other things, they could print white (and silver) as well as colors, so you could make decals that weren't possible with non-white-printing printers (unless you could get ahold of white decal stock).

These printers used to be available on eBay; anyone know if they still are (plus supplies for them)?

I would also like to know. The Alps thing was so far back, the odds of getting a workable solution using one - if you can find one - might make it not worth the effort.

Also, how about dry transfers?

I've had good luck using an off-the-shelf HP Photosmart C6180 for decal printing. I've yet to find a really good decal paper, but stay away from the stuff sold by Micro-Mark. Bad product.

The film is so heavy that the edges of the decal remain obvious unless you do some serious camouflage work, it absolutely refuses to snuggle down into depressions for the same reason, and it also tends to "silver" a lot.

~Pete

I've had good luck using an off-the-shelf HP Photosmart C6180 for decal printing.

---------------------------

Does it print white?

As the vast majority of railroad marks are white, I'd think the ability to print in white is the most important criteria for decal printer.

No.

Good luck finding one that's affordable.

For things such as railroad names it's probably more practical to pay someone to run you off a few hundred than to buy a printer just for that capability.

~Pete

Good luck finding one that's affordable.

For things such as railroad names it's probably more practical to pay someone to run you off a few hundred than to buy a printer just for that capability.

--------------------------------------------

Tend to agree with that,

This guy is good:

He's made both "CRESTLINE" and "SUD PACIFICO De MEXICO" logo decals for me, and I was (and am) pleased with the results.

Good quality, easy to work with, and he doesn't waste time getting your order to you.

~Pete

No inkjet or laser printer prints white.

The Alps printer used a wax that was transferred from a ribbon to the paper. The wax was laid down in stripes. Very expensive for b/w printing, since most of the wax wasn't used, and inadequate registration for photo-quality printing.

cheers, wolf k.

This guy is good:

He's made both "CRESTLINE" and "SUD PACIFICO De MEXICO" logo decals for me, and I was (and am) pleased with the results.

Good quality, easy to work with, and he doesn't waste time getting your order to you.

-------------------------------------

Thanks, I've bookmarked it for later, when I get to rebuild my GER.

While Alps (or a few of its kin) are the only way to print white decals, using an Alps to print colors other than those available is a labor intensive process of multiple overlays.

Why? Because dithering on a dry ink printer works poorly. There's no spreading of the inks and thus no overlap. Inkjets and lasers deposit wet inks that do merge, making the individual dots invisible or at least a lot less visible.

I have an Alps and an inkjet and have come to the conclusion that the Alps will be used only for white decals. And if I could find a steady source of white dry transfer lettering in a variety of fonts, I might get rid of the Alps altogether.

Just my opinion - YMMV.

On 7/16/2010 10:54 AM Twibil spake thus:

So I take it that you use this in an inkjet printer, correct? (I suppose it might work in a color laser printer as well.) If you use inkjet, can you tell us about any potential problems with the ink running or dissolving when the decal is set? (Never have done this myself.)

(But now I realize after reading this: you haven't told us what decal paper you use, have you? just the name of the printer?)

I found this source for decal film, prices seem good. Has anyone tried them?

Bob

On 7/16/2010 2:00 PM Larry Blanchard spake thus:

Well, your opinion is worth more than mine in this case. Thanks for your insights here.

On 7/16/2010 11:06 AM Roger Traviss spake thus:

[Twibil posted:]

I've thought about this a bit, and it seems that it might be possible--though a lot of work and a pain in the ass--to get white in your decals by selective underpainting of the surface to be decaled, in the places that will show up white later. For some simpler decals, like circular emblems with white interiors, this might not be too bad.

On 16/07/2010 17:00, Larry Blanchard wrote: [...]

CDS are good, but the owner is retiring. See:

wolf k.

See:

wolf k.

Retired, over a year ago. Business defunct.

Several people were interested in taking over the business but his demands ware too much.

Get 'em while you can.

Si!

As per instructions, you wait until the ink from the printer is 100% dry (I wait 24 hours) and then spray the decal paper throughly with either Dullcote or Glosscote, depending on whether you want flat or glossy decals. You then wait *another* 24 hours before cutting them out and using them.

Works fine unless you've been too parsimonious with the overcoat, in which case the ink might still try to run. Which is why I shoot *two* cover coats now.

~Pete

Warning: *laser* printers use heat to fix the toner. Decal 'paper' may not handle the heat, unless it is designed for laser printers. Note inkjet printers use water-based inks and unless the decal paper is designed to to be used with inkjet ink, there could be problems.

You need to apply a fixative to seal the *water based* inkjet ink.

There are several source of inkjet compatible decal paper. Usually there is a fixative spray you get with the paper.

>