Printing your own decals

[Guest]

hey everyone, sorry if this is in the wrong section but i'm a little lost. I want to change my C-130 from Military grey to Coast guard colours and need to print my own decals (plus it would be nice to make my own detailed ones). I was just wondering if anyone had any information on what I should do. I've read that you can get special printers to do them which sounds okay but can you just buy the decal paper and print them from a normal ink-jet printer? My printer is a "KODAK ESP 3250".

Thanks

Sam

[Ian M]

Hi Sam.

Yes you can use your own printer, either ink jet or Laser. You will need to buy the correct type of decal paper depending which type you have. The special printers you have heard of are able to print white. This is some thing that not even the best ink or laser printer can not do. This is why you can buy decal paper in clear or white. If you need a decal with white or very pale colours you will need yo buy the white paper.

After printing you will need to fix the ink to prevent it bleeding out when you put the decal in water. You can buy the fixer the same place as the paper. I have had mixed results using acrylic clear coat. Remember these to are water base and the trick is to mist the coats on very lightly....

The one big problem I find is that the clear decal film gives you just that. A decal that is VERY see through. The only thing I print myself now are black serial codes. I use an ink jet a canon pixmar. Even after running the same sheet through the printer four or five times coloured decals have always come out see through. If a laser printer gives a better result? Some one with a laser printer will have to answer that one. Laser printer decals do not need fixing, Just print out and use.

No Tutorial I know, but I hope some useful info none the less.

Ian M

[Guest]

Thanks for the great Info Ian. The decals I need are mostly black so that's good I also found:

Inkjet printer: http://216.67.232.215/Product_Information_Sheets/InkjetDecalSheetInstructions.pdf

Laser: http://216.67.232.215/Product_Information_Sheets/LaserDecalSheetInstructions.pdf

Can't wait to give it a try

Thanks again Ian

Sam

[John]

I stock decal paper in white and clear, packs and single sheets

[stona]

I've printed my own decals on inkjet and laser decal paper. I got better results with the laser printer,luckily I have access to one at work. I found the same problems as Ian with my inkjet printer and sometimes had problems with the ink running.

Cheers

Steve

[Ian M]

Strangly found my self looking at a colour laser printer a while ago, with the sole intention of using it to print decals.. The printer was surprisingly cheap at around £80. The real sting was the laser toner. £50 for the large black and £35 EACH for the half as large colour toners. OK they would last a while, and not dry up if not used but any way !!! Needless to say I passed on that one. Black decals are not a problem. I will just buy the laser decal paper and e-mail the artwork to myself at work. We have black laser printers everywhere at work....

God luck with it Sam and let us know how it goes.

Ian M

[Guest]

Excellent John, I'll get some ordered and thanks guys, I only need black, I'm turning my grey C-130J into coast guard colours also modified the wings to make flaps and control surfaces. I'll upload some pictures tonight, I'm just off to pick up Chinese for tea

Sam

[Guest]

The only tip to be able to print by myself on a inkjet printer I found and use to escape from this problem is to print the white lettering in a very light grey, just enough to be visible above clear background... Not the best solution but the only one...

Regards

John