Decals?

[Deleted]

Does anybody have any experience with making decals? I'm looking for somebody with specific knowledge about printers, blank decal sheets, etc.

[Deleted]

Hmmm. No responses. So, does anybody know somebody that does decals?

[68383]

A buddy of mine used to make his own years ago. I think he used an Alps printer.

I’ve tried those cheap kits from companies like Testors. Results were “meh.” Fine for a weathered POS, like I enjoy making, but not for a first class piece of art.

[tubbs]

Let me get back to you. I might be able to find someone.

[Deleted]

Yeah, Dave, I did see those "el cheapo" decal making kits that you run through a regular inkjet printer. That's not at all what I'd want. The reason I'm really interested in making quality decals is that there just aren't a whole lot of decals for big scale kits. The majority of the decals that are out there are usually Funny Car decals. New decal sets for a Model T Panel Truck are pretty much non-existent and what are out there are usually a set of the old, original decal sheets. Those are like handling flash paper with a lighted match! I've pulled decal sheets out of a couple of my kits and there is just no way they are going to be usable.

So the thought came to mind that I might get into making big scale decals for myself, then expand it to making any scale decals for other guys. I wouldn't be interested in trying to make a living off decals I made for others. I'd really be doing it to help out and the few dollars I did make would more or less just help pay for blank sheets.

Al, any info you can turn up will be appreciated.

[Tuffone20]

The guy I’m doing resin stuff with just bought this printer and there is a guy in our club that is going to start making decals using it. He already does a much of art work and then has someone else do the printing.

[Deleted]

Thanks, Marty. That's a starting point. I've got a bunch of reading and studying to do.

[Jcon]

I've used Testors as well and have never been happy with it... the Alps would be the printer to buy but I don't want to spend a thousand dollars for something I would only use occasionally...

[Deleted]

That $999 price took the wind out of me, as well. I've done a LOT of Internet searching and have managed to find several websites that have smaller, less expensive Alps printers as well as quite a few that sell factory refurbished units with warranties. I have no idea which of those printers might work for me, so I'm still reading a bunch. The last thing I want to do is buy a $400 or $500 printer and then find out it won't do what I want it to do.

[Tuffone20]

Jul 2, 2020 15:10:42 GMT -5 @smhardesty said:

That $999 price took the wind out of me, as well. I've done a LOT of Internet searching and have managed to find several websites that have smaller, less expensive Alps printers as well as quite a few that sell factory refurbished units with warranties. I have no idea which of those printers might work for me, so I'm still reading a bunch. The last thing I want to do is buy a $400 or $500 printer and then find out it won't do what I want it to do.

This one was recommended as a best one to use for making decals from a few different people that are already using them to make decals.

[Deleted]

OK. I wonder if that recommendation was meant to dissuade you from buying any others, or if it simply meant that one was the very best with one or two others close behind. I noticed on Alps site they have a few different printers designated as decal printers. I wonder how good, or bad, the others are. I've got to do a whole lot of research before I make any kind of decision. If it turns out that the $999 is actually the only one worth buying, I'm pretty sure I won't jump on one. I have 80 kits to build and only 20 - 30 of those would need decals. $999 for 20 decal sheets and a few for friends doesn't really add up. On the other hand, if I bought a $300 printer and had nothing but trouble with it, that's just as bad.