DAP Decals Update

Avus

Member since
June 2003
From: Caput Mundi

DAP Decals Update

Posted by Avus on Friday, March 19, 2004 1:29 AM

To all you guys who got my printable decalsheet:
Angry [:(!]

My sheet was ready yesterday. I made a test on a black background and ... I could see nothing. The color is transparent!
Angry [:(!]

I wasted a sheet for nothing! Censored [censored]

IT!

I wanted to warn you on that. If you have one, try printing on an overhead projector film first, to see if your printer has covering colors. Honestly I doubt that.

I'm thinking to have my JPEG printed with an ALPS printer. I found an italian company that makes this service. Just have to see how much it will cost me.

Sorry guys!

Klaus

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Trigger

Member since
February 2004
From: Moooooon River!

Posted by Trigger on Friday, March 19, 2004 5:43 AM

What do you mean by an ALPS printer? Everything on the sheet looked fine to me. Was there no opacity to the markings?

I haven't tried here yet, but I figured that I would have to make sure I used clear decal sheets (some of the Pave hawk markings I'm working on would need white paper)

------------------------------------------------------------------ - Grant "Can't let that nest in there..."

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HeavyArty

Member since
December 2002
From: Valrico, FL

Posted by HeavyArty on Friday, March 19, 2004 8:56 AM

Avus,
Not sure what you mean. I printed the sheet you provided on a clear decal film and they look great. I haven't applied them to the model yet. My printer is a Lexmark X125 All-In-One. They came out looking great. Do you mean they disappeared when you placed them on the black model? If so, we may need to run them through the printer a couple of times on the same sheet to build up the ink and make it opaque.

Gino P. Quintiliani - Field Artillery - The KING of BATTLE!!!

Check out my Gallery: https://app.photobucket.com/u/HeavyArty

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." -- George Orwell

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Avus

Member since
June 2003
From: Caput Mundi

Posted by Avus on Friday, March 19, 2004 11:06 AM

Probably I was too upset to express myself clearly, but you got the point (or maybe my lacks in english show up).
When coming out of the printer the sheet looked fine, but when I applied it on the model the color was too transparent to be seen.

Trigger74
Alps makes printers that can print white and metallic colors. So I hope to get opaque colors. I've contacted the company and I'm awaiting a reply. Here's a link:
http://members.xoom.virgilio.it/huey/alpsdecals_gb.html

HeavyArty
It sound like a good idea to run them through the printer more than once but you risk streaking the color from the first pass. Should you try, please let me know if it worked.

Klaus

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balta1

Member since
December 2002
From: Midwest US

Posted by balta1 on Friday, March 19, 2004 11:33 AM

I have an Alps MD1300 but it is at work but on Monday I can try to print a couple sheets to see if they are ok. If they come out fine I'll send you a sheet.

Stir not the bitterness in the cup I have mixed for myself!

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Trigger

Member since
February 2004
From: Moooooon River!

Posted by Trigger on Friday, March 19, 2004 5:48 PM

Also, the trick with running a sheet thru a printer twice is the registration. Will it print exactly over the previous run?

------------------------------------------------------------------ - Grant "Can't let that nest in there..."

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 19, 2004 7:31 PM

Avus,
I wonder if we took the file to be printed on a laser printer if that would work? It makes sense though that printing ink jet on clear paper may be translucent without a white background. Thanks though for all your work and we'll keep plugging away.
Paul

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Avus

Member since
June 2003
From: Caput Mundi

Posted by Avus on Saturday, March 20, 2004 1:55 AM

balta1
Please keep me updated. I seems that Alps is the only solution to tihs problem.
The company I contacted didn't reply yet. So all my hopes are turning on you balta1.
I was even thinking to buy an Alps printer but apart from being expensive, Alps doesn't even make them anymore!

Trigger74
You got a point there; runnig the sheet through the printer more than once sounds good on the paper but is difficult to realize.

ppickett
I have no idea how a laser printer works. Let me know if you try.

Klaus

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balta1

Member since
December 2002
From: Midwest US

Posted by balta1 on Saturday, March 20, 2004 8:12 AM

Oh man! talk about pressure! LOL We should be able to make it work. I will let you know on Monday what my results are.

Stir not the bitterness in the cup I have mixed for myself!

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Trigger

Member since
February 2004
From: Moooooon River!

Posted by Trigger on Saturday, March 20, 2004 3:12 PM

I work with a digital printer all the time, they're fast and inexpensive. I've got to talk to them anyway monday so I'll ask the rep monday about this, see if there's something they can do.

------------------------------------------------------------------ - Grant "Can't let that nest in there..."

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Avus

Member since
June 2003
From: Caput Mundi

Posted by Avus on Sunday, March 21, 2004 7:48 AM

Sorry balta1, didn't mean to put you under pressure, but ... could you have a look at your office today! Laugh [(-D]

Same goes for you too Trigger74. Laugh [(-D]

I can't understand why you guys stay at home in the weekend instead of trying to print my precious decal sheets!
Bow [bow]

No, just kidding. I really thank you for your interest in solving this problem. Bow [bow]

My father bought a printer yesterday. I tried to print on a transparent film with that one, but the result is the same: not opaque!
Damn' Academy's graphics division: why did they have to make yellow decals!

Klaus

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Trigger

Member since
February 2004
From: Moooooon River!

Posted by Trigger on Sunday, March 21, 2004 11:28 AM

QUOTE: Originally posted by Avus
Damn' Academy's graphics division: why did they have to make yellow decals!

Well, Rick James said it best - "Cocaine's a hell of a drug."

------------------------------------------------------------------ - Grant "Can't let that nest in there..."

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HeavyArty

Member since
December 2002
From: Valrico, FL

Posted by HeavyArty on Sunday, March 21, 2004 1:23 PM

Yup, tried my version of the decals on a black background and they disappeared as well. Here is a question. Has anyone tried the kit decals yet? Here is my theory, thanks to the wife: If the black comes through, so to speak, our decals, might it do the same on the kit decals. Furthermore, yellow and black make green, therefore the resultant decal will look green. I may have to try this myself as a test.

Gino P. Quintiliani - Field Artillery - The KING of BATTLE!!!

Check out my Gallery: https://app.photobucket.com/u/HeavyArty

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." -- George Orwell

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HeavyArty

Member since
December 2002
From: Valrico, FL

Posted by HeavyArty on Sunday, March 21, 2004 5:13 PM

So much for theories. That didn't work either. Back to square 1!!

Gino P. Quintiliani - Field Artillery - The KING of BATTLE!!!

Check out my Gallery: https://app.photobucket.com/u/HeavyArty

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." -- George Orwell

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Avus

Member since
June 2003
From: Caput Mundi

Posted by Avus on Monday, March 22, 2004 2:28 AM

Smart thinking HeavyArty, but if you had a look at the pictures on the box you'd have noticed that the decals remain yellow also on the model.
Guess we have to wait and see what comes out of the Alps and the laser printers.

Surfing around I found these two sites with instrucions on how to print with Alps printers:
http://www.alpsusa.com/RetailPrinter/Howto_A7.html
http://www.info-central.org/finishing_alpsdecals.shtml

Klaus

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balta1

Member since
December 2002
From: Midwest US

Posted by balta1 on Monday, March 22, 2004 7:53 AM

OK... Houston we have a problem! I am out of white ink for the alps! I will order some today but I don't think I will have it until late this week or maybe next. Sorry guys but please be patient.

Avus, what part of Italy are you from? My best friend in from Bari.

Has anyone tried to print them on white decal sheet but surrond the text/stencils with the color of the aircraft? I have not tried myself but we should be able to match up the FS # pretty close.

Stir not the bitterness in the cup I have mixed for myself!

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Avus

Member since
June 2003
From: Caput Mundi

Posted by Avus on Monday, March 22, 2004 8:48 AM

I was thinking to do what you suggest balta1, i.e. print the stencils surrounded by the helos background color on white decal paper. I'm only afraid that the base color from the printer won't match the one on the model. But it's true that the MH-60 can be painted black and "black is black" so it could work out.

I found out that an Alps printer would cost me some 2400Euros (approx. 2500 USD) ... maybe a little too much for one decal sheet!

As you might have noticed your question made me update my profile. Now everybody knows I live in Rome.

And BTW kick some butts to get the white ink as soon as possible! Big Smile [:D]

Klaus

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balta1

Member since
December 2002
From: Midwest US

Posted by balta1 on Monday, March 22, 2004 1:24 PM

I just won an auction for the white ink so it should only be a couple days til I get them and the wait will be over. Big Smile [:D]

Stir not the bitterness in the cup I have mixed for myself!

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Trigger

Member since
February 2004
From: Moooooon River!

Posted by Trigger on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 8:30 PM

Avus
Waiting to hear back from the printer. Sorry it's taking so long - work's been murder this week.

------------------------------------------------------------------ - Grant "Can't let that nest in there..."

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Avus

Member since
June 2003
From: Caput Mundi

Posted by Avus on Thursday, March 25, 2004 1:20 AM

Don't worry Trigger74. We all have those things interfering with modelling: our jobs!
I only wanted to add, that I found wonderful people here on the forum and I'm so happy being part of it.
Thanks to all!

Klaus

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Trigger

Member since
February 2004
From: Moooooon River!

Posted by Trigger on Saturday, March 27, 2004 1:04 PM

Spoke with the printer rep yesterday and... sorry, no joy.

------------------------------------------------------------------ - Grant "Can't let that nest in there..."

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Avus

Member since
June 2003
From: Caput Mundi

Posted by Avus on Sunday, March 28, 2004 1:28 AM

Thanks for trying Trigger74. To be honest I was afraid that laser printers wouldn't do our job, but never the less I kept my fingers crossed.

I got in touch with a company that makes decals. They told me that it would be expensive preparing the first print, but every additional copy would reduce the cost. So I figured to make a lot of copies and sell them via internet, but on the other hand I'm afraid that Academy has copyrights on the original sheet. I haven't made up my mind yet.

Klaus

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 28, 2004 1:39 AM

Avus,
You got a guaranteed multiple sale here buddy! Big Smile [:D]

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balta1

Member since
December 2002
From: Midwest US

Posted by balta1 on Sunday, March 28, 2004 11:08 AM

Hello all! I have been very busy this past week preparing for an inventory which lasted 16 hrs on Friday but I will have time to print the sheet next week. I will let everyone know as soon as the sheet is done printing.

Stir not the bitterness in the cup I have mixed for myself!

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Trigger

Member since
February 2004
From: Moooooon River!

Posted by Trigger on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 6:09 AM

Avus

I got an idea. I was looking at my TwoBobs "T-38A Ebony Talons" sheet and they double up on all the markings for reasons of opacity. Those Talons are either overall Black or FS36118 Gunship Gray with red or light gray markings (depending on the squadron). Maybe a similar solution here would work?

If that doesn't work and you have the sheet printed up, I'll thrown down a few bucks for some.

------------------------------------------------------------------ - Grant "Can't let that nest in there..."

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balta1

Member since
December 2002
From: Midwest US

Posted by balta1 on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 7:00 PM

UPDATE! The inks I need came in which means I will try printing the decals on my alps tomorrow.

Stir not the bitterness in the cup I have mixed for myself!

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Avus

Member since
June 2003
From: Caput Mundi

Posted by Avus on Thursday, April 1, 2004 12:36 AM

Trigger74 I don't quite understand what you are talking about. I think that TwoBobs' decals are opaque indepenently of the surface color of the aircraft.
I remember that for an F-111 I made I got a decal sheet from squadron. Since the airplane was painted in gunship gray, Squadron made a completely white decal of the fighter wing's logo wich was to be put on the model before the full color one. That was an opacity issue.

Great news balta1!

Klaus

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