I just found out that a Gerrman company makes white toner for laser printers. You replace the black cartridge and print white instead of black. Supposedly works on any transparent decal paper.
Here’s the link: http://www.ghost-white-toner.com/?lang=en
I just ordered one for a test, I will post as soon as I get it and have results.
Hello all,
What is the cost of the white ink cartridge versus white decal paper?
On the directions sheet from the Micro-Mark decal paper,
“Note: inkjet decal paper will also work in laser printers,…”
Having only inkjet printers white ink is not an option for me but I curious as to the cost difference and is it worth it?
Keep us informed on the results.
Hope this helps.
This would not be a replacement for white decal paper. It would make lettering steamers and such with white lettering easy, should also work well for window lettering for shops and other buildings.
You have no idea how badly I want this product to work.
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Please keep us posted for your experiments and how it works.
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-Kevin
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Interresting.
White decal paper will disappear under varnish.
Titanium white printing in scale sizes without an ALPS printer ($$$) has been the holy grail of modellers since printers became available to the great unwashed (the rest of us)…I would LOVE for this to work.
Another voice to the “love to see this work” sentiment…Very hard to generate good white letter decals without an ALPs or better gear…
Guy
I agree, I too will be following this thread. White printer ink would be extremely useful.
After seeing the pricing of white laser cartridges my Alps MD doesn’t look as expensive any more, even with its cartridge price increases.
Mel
Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951
My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
Bakersfield, California
I’m beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
With white decal paper you can print images that include white color such as illegal spray paint on boxcars however you can not print white numbers or letters without having to cut out every single number separately.
White toner will allow you to print numbers and letters on clear paper and just cut out the entire decal.
In theory, you could print white numbers/letters by printing everything ELSE on a white decal sheet the color of the background (e.g. Boxcar Red). The nightmare of trying to match the colors that precisely, though, has kept me from trying it. You’d waste an awful lot of white decal paper before you got the color close enough.
Would work well for patched-out renumbered rolling stock. Background patch color need not match the primary car color, and could be wildly different (e.g. black patch on a yellow freight car)
Good idea!
Apparently they are only for color laser printers, primarily HP, Canon, and Lexmark.
Like so many modelers I am a do-it-yourselfer by nature—however—when it comes to some things, dentirstry, heart surgery, flying multi-engine jet aircraft and… decals, I sometimes seek the help of a professional.
With that in mind, I’m planning to send some artwork to Don Tichy and get his input on a few decals I would like.
I recently recieved a catalog from Tichy and toward the back there was a page of information regarding custom decals. $35 for the first sheet and $15 each additional.
No messing with printers, paper, toner, sealants and the possibility of less than adequate results.
Sure, it’s rewarding to say, look at what I did on my printer but, for me, I can fit an awful lot of HO artwork on an 8½ x 11 sheet and be pretty sure that it won’t bleed or look blurry.
Maybe home printing of decals is a viable option but the cost of having them professionally done doesn’t seem all that expensive.
Just throwing out another option…
Regards, Ed
I have developed a way to match the background color to the model without wasting a lot of decal paper. I first create a row of small boxes along the top edge of my layout page. I then choose a color that looks as close to the model on my computer screen and assign that color to the middle box. I then assign successively darker shades of the original color to the boxes left of center. Next, I assign successively lighter shades of the original color to the boxes right of center. I then print out these color boxes on the intended decal paper (do not use regular paper) and compare the printed color boxes to the model. If one of the boxes is a match, name that color (such as Accurail Santa Fe Boxcar Red) and save it for future decal use. If the model color falls somewhere between two boxes, assign these two colors to the far left and far right boxes on the original layout page. Then fill in the middle boxes with various color shades between the two close matches and print again. I usually find the right color in one of these first two printings and I only waste about a half inch of decal paper. Any remaining mismatch can easily be hidden with a little weathering.
Hornblower, if you can come up with a how-to article about your process, you should submit it to MR.
Hornblower!
What a brilliant use of the technology!!
Dave
I never thought about this enough…but… I like slogans printed in white lettering on contrasting colors. Like a black ribbon on a mineral red car with the words “Rocky Mountain Road” in white. This would be easy using your method.
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Might need to give this a try.
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-Kevin
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Steve
I’ll see what I can work up.