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Custom Decal Printer

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  • 12-12-2014 3:33pm
    #1
    wobbles
    Registered Users Posts: 1,090 ✭✭✭


    Anyone know of a anyone in Ireland capable of printing proper decals. I build model cars and am in need of someone who can print professional quality decals including white. I can print them at home with a colour laser printer but just cant get the depth of colour I need, and of course cant do white. The colours come out dull with no vibrancy to them at all.

    Is there anyone in Ireland who can do this. Would prefer to keep it in Ireland, but of course am willing to use someone form a different country if they are good.


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    #2
    my3cents
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,764 ✭✭✭my3cents


    A sign writers could do it for you (at a price) but on models the thickness of the decals might be an issue.

    There are plenty of different media and white shouldn't be a problem.


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    #3
    wobbles
    Registered Users Posts: 1,090 ✭✭✭wobbles


    Ive tried several sign writers locally but the problem is their vinyl cutting machines cant cut it small enough. Some of the things Id need would be as small as 1mm so vinyls not really an option. Also as you mentioned the actual thickness of it is another factor and wont work on the smaller models.

    Ideally it would need to be printed on waterslide decal paper so thickness is not an issue. Ive been using it successfully up to now, just need to find someone with an ALPS printer, or a company that can do it. Ive priced up printers myself but too expensive for me


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    #4
    my3cents
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,764 ✭✭✭my3cents


    wobbles wrote: »
    Ive tried several sign writers locally but the problem is their vinyl cutting machines cant cut it small enough. Some of the things Id need would be as small as 1mm so vinyls not really an option. Also as you mentioned the actual thickness of it is another factor and wont work on the smaller models.

    Ideally it would need to be printed on waterslide decal paper so thickness is not an issue. Ive been using it successfully up to now, just need to find someone with an ALPS printer, or a company that can do it. Ive priced up printers myself but too expensive for me

    Mate has the vinyl cutting machines but can also print directly on the vinyl any size from a postage stamp up to 6ft wide. Problem is cost I can ask him how much small jobs would be and the format for the work if your interested?


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    #5
    The Doktor
    Registered Users Posts: 1,208 ✭✭✭The Doktor


    Printed some myself last week. Using an Inkjet. Depth of colour is great.
    The printer is printing based getting the "white" from the paper, so I wonder is the reason the depth of colour is lacking due to you using transparent decal paper?


    You can get white decal paper and use that.

    Depends on exactly what the image is, but you can make a decal of more than one part, and use white paper for some parts and transparent for other parts.

    Also think about backing the decal with white (paint the area its going to be in white), which is what I did.

    I know theres a few people doing it, but as far as i remember it was quite expensive to get a one off, and was only worth doing if you wanted a fair few sheets of the same decals.

    Vinyl isnt much use unless its large scale as you know.


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    #6
    wobbles
    Registered Users Posts: 1,090 ✭✭✭wobbles


    my3cents wrote: »
    Mate has the vinyl cutting machines but can also print directly on the vinyl any size from a postage stamp up to 6ft wide. Problem is cost I can ask him how much small jobs would be and the format for the work if your interested?

    That would be great if you could find a cost for me. At the moment, the size of the artwork is on A4 sized document and in .ai format. Would require 30/35 of them, small in number in the grand scheme of things but large enough for this kind of work.
    The Doktor wrote: »
    Printed some myself last week. Using an Inkjet. Depth of colour is great.
    The printer is printing based getting the "white" from the paper, so I wonder is the reason the depth of colour is lacking due to you using transparent decal paper?


    You can get white decal paper and use that.

    Depends on exactly what the image is, but you can make a decal of more than one part, and use white paper for some parts and transparent for other parts.

    Also think about backing the decal with white (paint the area its going to be in white), which is what I did.

    I know theres a few people doing it, but as far as i remember it was quite expensive to get a one off, and was only worth doing if you wanted a fair few sheets of the same decals.

    Vinyl isnt much use unless its large scale as you know.

    Its my own laser printer thats the problem for me. Colours are just dull regardless of what paper or background its printed on. I do have someone for my one off prints but he doesnt have the time for these kind of numbers I need printed. Im hoping to keep it close to home and help out an Irish company, of course the price needs to be some way competitive

    The models Im building are 1/18 cars with driver names on windows, so it needs to be white lettering on clear background since the windows are also clear. Thin vinyl will work on this scale but it needs to be cut, but I dont know too much about vinyls so Im open to correction


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    #7
    ShRT
    Registered Users Posts: 523 ✭✭✭ShRT


    Have a look at a silhouette cameo
    I've used it for cutting out size 10 font from sticker paper with good results


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    #8
    wobbles
    Registered Users Posts: 1,090 ✭✭✭wobbles


    ShRT wrote: »
    Have a look at a silhouette cameo
    I've used it for cutting out size 10 font from sticker paper with good results

    Thats very interesting and could possible work for me, but the main issue is the window names. They say on their website 4mm is the smallest cut and m stuff would be much smaller.

    How large in MM would size 10 font be in a font like helvetica?


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    #9
    my3cents
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,764 ✭✭✭my3cents


    Sorry wobbles I checked with my mate that does sign making and he didn't want to quote for it because he's been asked to do model decals before and after pricing it all up its worked out too expensive. He also agreed that white printing is a problem that he can't overcome.


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    #10
    ShRT
    Registered Users Posts: 523 ✭✭✭ShRT


    I double checked and it was 14 Arial Black in bold. I was doing capital letters also. I would guesstimate at 5mm high with a thickness of 1mm. So if you did a capital I, it would be a 5x1 rectangle.

    The biggest issue I had was the sticker paper itself. It had a tendency to pull away from the backing paper and then it would get caught in the blade. I compensated by doing 5 sets of lettering and selecting the ones that worked ok.

    I had originally planned to stencil the letters on and I cut from overhead projector acetate sheets. The letters were good first time but my stenciling skills were too poor, so I printed in color onto the sticker paper and then made the cuts. This works well as the cameo has a sensor that in conjunction with some alignment marks, allows you to print your design and then the cameo will cut it out.

    Have a look here and you might get a better idea of the kind of detail it will do.
    http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/79025-a-guide-to-using-the-silhouette-cameo-cutter/


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    #11
    wobbles
    Registered Users Posts: 1,090 ✭✭✭wobbles


    Thanks. Its a very impressive machine. Unfortunately for me, it wont cut small enough. For what I need, the I would be .5mm x 3mm, far too small to cut from vinyl using this machine. Id often have even smaller letters etc so I think printing is the only option


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    #12
    Greenman
    Registered Users Posts: 2,962 ✭✭✭Greenman


    There's a guy on FB in the Dublin area, friendly and always helpful with info


    https://www.facebook.com/decsmodelgarages.declan?fref=ts


    Tell us how you get on. :-)


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    #13
    rick211170
    Registered Users Posts: 57 ✭✭rick211170


    Hi Wobbles,

    Did you manage to find anyone capable of doing your decals, I ask because I am based in Tyrone and have an Alps MD5000 which can print in white as you know as well as metallic and foils. I have printed a lot of transfers in 1/14, 1/24, 1/50, 1/76 scales all I ever ask is you have the artwork saved in .ai format and scaled to the size required. decals are printed on blue background clear paper which makes it easier to see white decals.


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