Re: Decal printers?

I use white decal sheets.

CGM

Gregory Procter wrote in article = ...

The printer used a "thermal transfer" process apparently there's a = firm called Citizen who have this kind of printer in their "Printiva" = range

In the same price range as the ALPS used to sell for you are absolutely correct. If you want to step up to a $5k or greater sticker price, you can get some that do almost as well.

For a new [??] ALPS try:

"

the Yahoo ALPS group.

Good luck, Paul

I posted and then followed up my own post:

Make that "like new".

I've never dealt with either of these places.

"P> Gregory Procter wrote in article = "P> ... "P> > Hi all, "P> >=20 "P> > Is there any (home) alternative to the discontinued "Alps" printer for "P> > printing white decals on clear decal sheet? "P> "P> "P> The printer used a "thermal transfer" process apparently there's a = "P> firm called Citizen who have this kind of printer in their "Printiva" = "P> range "P>

Citizen *seems* to have discontinued these Printiva (Micro-Dry) printers...

called Citizen who have this kind of printer >in their "Printiva" range

Discontinued before Alps introduced the printers that do white. Folks on the Alps Decal List do use them by changing bar codes on carts. Biggest problems is that the Citizen drivers did not progress beyond W98 and, apparently, Alps drivers don't work. Alps drivers go through XP and OS-X.

CTucker NY

Sorry, I should have been more specific. I've used white decal sheets for making signs for structures and for billboards. I've not used it for making decals for locos/rolling stock.

On another note, I once tried substituting yellow for white on clear decal sheets hoping it would be close enough, but with very poor results.

--- CGM

Whitel decal sheets are ok if youhave white embedded in the decal somewhere. If you have it on the edges then you can try one of several tricks:

- outline the decal (black or some contrasting color) and use the outline to trim,

- try to match the color of the loco or rolling stock where the white is on the edge ... then you don't have to be very accurate with your trimming. Weathering will probably take care of the "not quite right" color mismatch ... maybe?

Probalby other tricks but, those are the ones I've seen mentioned and I put on my "try it" list for when I get that far. For number boards I was planning on using white decal sheets and printing black/blue/??? outlines a bit larger than the numberboards and trimming to fit. Of course if I get the ALPS to work I'll just do white on clear ... if I can get it to work !! *8-O

Paul

I've never tried the stuff, but Microscale makes "Trim Film" which are colored sheets of decal material. Large range of colors.

CTucker NY

I wonder why Alps, OKI or some other barnd doesn't try to enter the current US market with printers like these?

Don't like yodeling?

I love the sound of my Alps MD5000. It positively sings. The bigger problem is that they are too slow for general printing use. Also, they are not the most robust printers ever made. But for printing decals, they are lovely. They can also print on thin styrene, great for making signs. And gold lettering on transparency stock is wonderful for signs painted on windows. Also for printing blinds and curtains. I don't print them right on the window, but attach a piece of printed transparency stock behind the window just a hair. As you can tell, I don't regret buying that wonderful printer, even if the drivers are not terribly intuitive and it takes a bunch of fiddling to get exactly what I want.

Mark Alan Miller

Good Morning!

Do you happen to have an URL handy for Rail Graphics.

If not, I can certainly search!

Jim