Home printing decals

[diburning]

There is a printer out there that uses the same technology as an ALPs printer.  Since ALPs discontinued their printer, smaller decal comapanies like Highball Graphics use a Kodak Polychrome Graphics First Check proofer which is basically the same thing.

Check out their "about us" page.
http://www.mgdecals.com/using_our_product.htm

[RailSpikeTie]

Alps MD 5500 printers are still being made but only sold in Japan. There is an alps dealer in NZ. You can get an MD 5500 and the cartridges from them. They are not cheap for just printing a few decals though.

http://www.alps-supplies.com/

[wm3798]

I've been getting mine from one of our fellow members here.  Most of mine have been white, though, so the color matching thing is less of an issue.  But I get a full sheet (8-1/2 x 11) for about $25 shipped.  I layout the art in MS Publisher and just e-mail the file.



Lee

[reinhardtjh]

Another method of creating decals, or in this case dry transfer artwork, is the DecalPRO system.  You can see an overview of the method here

On the "Customer Photos" page there is also one person that has created the dry transfer and put it on traditional water-slide decal paper for use on "Small Scale Trains".  The scale wasn't mentioned but it looks to be either HO, S or O.

I haven't tried it and I don't know personally anyone that has.  I'm just bringing it up as a possibility.  I heard about this through the Yahoo RR-Decals group.  Several members of that group mentioned looking into it, although I don't believe any of them have tried it either.

The biggest disadvantage to it is that you need a laser printer or copier rather than an inkjet printer.  And if you want to color match or create multi-color artwork you need a color laser printer or copier.  Prices have come down for these printers but it's still a hard choice between finding a used $300-$500 MD-5000/5500 at auction, buying a new ALPS MD-5500 from the guy in NZ or trying a color laser and this DecalPRO system.

[wm3798]

I think it was Gregg Mahlkov who did a lot of his decals with dry transfers. 
Lee

[tom mann]

Another method of creating decals, or in this case dry transfer artwork, is the DecalPRO system.  You can see an overview of the method here

On the "Customer Photos" page there is also one person that has created the dry transfer and put it on traditional water-slide decal paper for use on "Small Scale Trains".  The scale wasn't mentioned but it looks to be either HO, S or O.

The site says they are HO, and they also have a photo of a decal on someone's thumbnail to show how small of a size is possible.

I may order the kit to try it out.

[John]

I saw this today

Epson has launched an inkjet printer with white ink aimed at the packaging proofing market.


The Epson Stylus Pro WT7900 is a 610mm wide (24in) printer which uses the first water-based white ink.

"We looked at what applications weren't being addressed by inkjet, and packaging proofing was identified as one area," said Epson Europe director of pro graphics Duncan Ferguson. "The WT7900 will be cheap relative to current white-capable proofing technologies such as Cromalin or Kodak Approval."

http://www.printweek.com/premedia/news/939895/Epson-Stylus-Pro-WT7900-world-first-water-based-white-ink/

[lashedup]

That article says the Epson WT7900 will be 2.5 times the price of the current Epson 7900 which sells for $4000 or occasionally $3500.

Hopefully Epson will consider moving the technology into cheaper printers in the future and open up the possibility of an ALPS replacement.

[bbussey]

No white toner from HP anytime soon.  I sent a query and received this in reply:


Thank you for contacting Hewlett-Packard.

Currently, HP does not have white toner available for any of HP LaserJet printers.  There may been a third party white toner but HP does not recommend, test, or support the white toner.  Therefore we can not guarantee compatibility because HP does not test or support third party products.  If you purchase a third party white toner and that toner malfunctions, if that malfunction affects any part of the printer that may void your warranty for the affected part.

Hewlett-Packard is always looking to improve and expand our product line; however, as a Hewlett-Packard representative, I am unable to provide information on products that may or may not be under development.  I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

[tom mann]

fixed it:

Hewlett-Packard is always looking to improve and expand our product line (except by producing white toner cartridges). 

[Mark5]

I saw this today

Epson has launched an inkjet printer with white ink aimed at the packaging proofing market.


The Epson Stylus Pro WT7900 is a 610mm wide (24in) printer which uses the first water-based white ink.

"We looked at what applications weren't being addressed by inkjet, and packaging proofing was identified as one area," said Epson Europe director of pro graphics Duncan Ferguson. "The WT7900 will be cheap relative to current white-capable proofing technologies such as Cromalin or Kodak Approval."

http://www.printweek.com/premedia/news/939895/Epson-Stylus-Pro-WT7900-world-first-water-based-white-ink/

Water based eh? That could make for "interesting" decal application ...

[Ian MacMillan]

Another method of creating decals, or in this case dry transfer artwork, is the DecalPRO system.  You can see an overview of the method here

On the "Customer Photos" page there is also one person that has created the dry transfer and put it on traditional water-slide decal paper for use on "Small Scale Trains".  The scale wasn't mentioned but it looks to be either HO, S or O.

Looks really interesting.

The site says they are HO, and they also have a photo of a decal on someone's thumbnail to show how small of a size is possible.

I may order the kit to try it out.

[DKS]

I saw this today

Epson has launched an inkjet printer with white ink aimed at the packaging proofing market.


The Epson Stylus Pro WT7900 is a 610mm wide (24in) printer which uses the first water-based white ink.

"We looked at what applications weren't being addressed by inkjet, and packaging proofing was identified as one area," said Epson Europe director of pro graphics Duncan Ferguson. "The WT7900 will be cheap relative to current white-capable proofing technologies such as Cromalin or Kodak Approval."

http://www.printweek.com/premedia/news/939895/Epson-Stylus-Pro-WT7900-world-first-water-based-white-ink/

Water based eh? That could make for "interesting" decal application ...

No different than any other inkjet-based DIY decals... just seal with clear fixative.

[bbussey]

fixed it:

Hewlett-Packard is always looking to improve and expand our product line (except by producing white toner cartridges). 

The technology exists, and it's on the market, but it's not affordable at this time.

http://www.efi.com/documents/products/production/VUTEk/pdf/VTK_1271_QS2000_Brochure_High_Res.pdf

I'm amazed that no one has developed a white toner cartridge for LaserJets, especially with all the third-party toner products available for them.

Another alternative is to go to a small printing house, with digital artwork and a stack of laser quality decal paper in hand and see if they will print opaque white.  Other than that, we're left with the Alps option for now - which is a workable option, but becoming less viable as the MD-5000 units dry up.

As mentioned above, printing on white (instead of clear) decal paper with a color laser printer allows you some latitude, but you have to worry about the decal edges.  In the example below, all the markings on the black container chassis were printed on white decal paper:



I didn't have to worry about white edges on the frame because the decal fit in the recessed face of the I-Beam.  On the refrigeration unit, the edges of the decal were touched up with paint.  With both decals, they were designed to cover the entire face area where applied on the object so that film edges were matched to edges on the object.  Any areas not "white" or in color were black, which blended into the frame.  The container decals are color toner on clear film, since the container was painted white.

[AlkemScaleModels]

I saw this today

Epson has launched an inkjet printer with white ink aimed at the packaging proofing market.


The Epson Stylus Pro WT7900 is a 610mm wide (24in) printer which uses the first water-based white ink.

"We looked at what applications weren't being addressed by inkjet, and packaging proofing was identified as one area," said Epson Europe director of pro graphics Duncan Ferguson. "The WT7900 will be cheap relative to current white-capable proofing technologies such as Cromalin or Kodak Approval."

http://www.printweek.com/premedia/news/939895/Epson-Stylus-Pro-WT7900-world-first-water-based-white-ink/

What is it about package proofing that requires white ink? Do they need to print on colored paper or cardboard?