Decal printing - ALPS substitute

356speedster · #1 03-08-2006, 03:59 AM

I've read a lot of decal printing posts, and most of them ends up with an advice to get an ALPS DIE-SUB (Thermal wax) printer.

But the ALPS printeres are hard to find, expensive and not very reliable, so I am curious to know if anyone have tried to print decals from cheap DIE-SUB photoprinters?

Canon got a range of photoprinters that use DIE-SUB (Canon Selphy 400, 500 and 600 series), and you can get them as cheap as 50$ brand new.

These printers only have 3 colors, wich means you still can't print white, but they put down each color on its own layer and finish of with a glossy clear protective layer.

In theory this would print nice even colors (withoyt the ink-jet dots) wich are sealed and waterproofed right from the printer, but I'd like to know if anyone have tried this before I buy one since I already got a ink-jet photoprinter and dont need two printers for photo-printing.

klutz_100 · #2 03-08-2006, 05:29 AM

Interesting question - I'm also interestd in the answer

wouter1981 · #3 03-08-2006, 06:23 AM

There is an other way. print you're decals with an normal inkjet printer... Go to a copy center with you're decalpaper and ask them if they want to make a colour copy on you're decal paper.. et voila...

356speedster · #4 03-08-2006, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wouter1981

There is an other way. print you're decals with an normal inkjet printer... Go to a copy center with you're decalpaper and ask them if they want to make a colour copy on you're decal paper.. et voila...

yes, but that means getting into the car and drive to the city, It's just so much more convenient to have a printer on the desktop :-)

toyota00 · #5 03-08-2006, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 356speedster

yes, but that means getting into the car and drive to the city, It's just so much more convenient to have a printer on the desktop :-)

Exactly my point also

ZoomZoomMX-5 · #6 03-08-2006, 09:21 AM

There is no true ALPS substitute. It's the only printer that will print white, silver, gold, chrome foil, and clear. Printing layer by layer so a white layer can be the first, or double them up for maximum opacity. All the others pale by comparison.

Ferrari TR · #7 03-08-2006, 12:29 PM

I just got a new Epson that uses 'pigment based ink'. Now, I've not printed any decals yet but the paper results indicate that it should be better then what came before.
I think it would be possible to swap white for one of the blacks in one of the high end 7 color printers as well.

Hiroboy · #8 03-08-2006, 05:28 PM

The Alps Printers are well worth the price tag, Also If you only use them for Decals, it should last for years as it will not be used for everyday printing.

Kodak do a printer similar to the Alps called the Firstcheck : http://www.kpgraphics.com/firstcheck/ but the price is very very high.

The printing of white is what is important as ZoomZoomMX-5 said.

ZoomZoomMX-5 · #9 03-08-2006, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hiroboy

The Alps Printers are well worth the price tag, Also If you only use them for Decals, it should last for years as it will not be used for everyday printing.

Kodak do a printer similar to the Alps called the Firstcheck : http://www.kpgraphics.com/firstcheck/ but the price is very very high.

The printing of white is what is important as ZoomZoomMX-5 said.

That Kodak unit may very well be made using Alps guts. I had heard Alps still sold the technology overseas, no more printers from Alps in the US but doing a bit of searching seems to indicate the Kodak system is by Alps.

Murray Kish · #10 03-08-2006, 06:13 PM

I read a discussion on another forum about using Die-Sub photo printers. End result was that they don't work.

Found the links. Try these two threads for more detail/info.

http://www.arcforums.com/forums/inde...509&hl=dye+sub
http://www.arcforums.com/forums/inde...867&hl=dye+sub

Murray

mikemechanic · #11 03-08-2006, 07:23 PM

Just read about this company on another board. Have not tried it ands don't know if it will even work, but I think it may be an alternative. It says you can do white, color and full metallics. Looks like something that would need to be researched and tried though. http://www.pulsar.gs/DecalPRO/a_Vert..._It_Works.html

scaleracecars · #12 03-08-2006, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 356speedster

I've read a lot of decal printing posts, and most of them ends up with an advice to get an ALPS DIE-SUB (Thermal wax) printer.

But the ALPS printeres are hard to find, expensive and not very reliable, so I am curious to know if anyone have tried to print decals from cheap DIE-SUB photoprinters?

Canon got a range of photoprinters that use DIE-SUB (Canon Selphy 400, 500 and 600 series), and you can get them as cheap as 50$ brand new.

These printers only have 3 colors, wich means you still can't print white, but they put down each color on its own layer and finish of with a glossy clear protective layer.

In theory this would print nice even colors (withoyt the ink-jet dots) wich are sealed and waterproofed right from the printer, but I'd like to know if anyone have tried this before I buy one since I already got a ink-jet photoprinter and dont need two printers for photo-printing.

Die sub printers do not work on decal paper. The ink is vaporizes in die sub printing and a special paper is required to absorb the ink gas. Alps printers come in regular impact printers with an add on part to make them a die sub printer which for our use is not required.

mazinkaiser · #13 03-08-2006, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikemechanic

Just read about this company on another board. Have not tried it ands don't know if it will even work, but I think it may be an alternative. It says you can do white, color and full metallics. Looks like something that would need to be researched and tried though. http://www.pulsar.gs/DecalPRO/a_Vert..._It_Works.html

Looks interesting. But I don't quite get how they could do the white and metallic decals...

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