Which is better? Inkjet or Laser?

Each has it virtues & vices.

Printing onto LASER decal paper via a laser printer will be a bit more robust, but unless you get a Color laser, colours will be a bit harder.

Inkjets can do colour, using decal paper for INKJETS but some colours are a bit wishy-washy, especially yellows & reds. Most brands of inkjet inks will need sealing before use as they will bleed.

The quality will depend on the ij paper, the ink & the DPI output, and they are a bit more sensitive to rough handling than normal decals.

For a small scale boat you might be better to drill out the portholes, then fill them in after painting with crystal-clear tinted with acrylic black?

Doesn't someone already make them?

There is a bit of a trade here.  I find the laser results a bit higher in opacity, but most laser printers do not have the resolution or the tonal gradations of modern inkjets.  Modern inkjet papers take the ink quite well.  You need to put a seal coat on both laser and inkjet decals, so no difference there, though overcoating laser decals is a bit easier.  On inkjet decals you need to mist on a very thin first coat to keep the clearcoat from making the ink run.

You can get laser printers that do good graphics, but those are pretty pricey!  Many inkjets use dye inks, but a few do now use pigment inks, that are better for decals and have opacity similar to laser toner.  You have to shop around, and the printers that have pigment inks tend to be a little more expensive than the dye ink ones.

No inkjet nor laser printer does white printing.  There are some dye sub printers that do, but they are not widely available.  Technically, there is no reason a white cartridge could not be made for an inkjet printer, but a custom package with a replacement printer driver software program would be needed. I have argued with a few friends about the cost for some business to create such a package.  Most folks feel that would be pretty pricey to develop.

As above, re White.

The practical method to print white is not to...

eg use white decal stock & print the outline, but how accurate are you with a scalpel.

Or, there are people who can print short-run custom decals, someone remind us here?

Gerald, you're exactly right.  It's just that I need to complete the model by March 26th for my daughter's interest fair at school.  I was hoping I could create the decals myself rather than ordering them since it would be faster and cheaper, too.  I found a the graphics available to download from a Titanic web site.

I'm fortunate that the windows are VERY small so I really don't have to worry about creating gradients or anything fancy like that.  I'm also fortunate in that I do have access to a color laser printer.  The paper I have is white decal film.  It's the three-sheet pack from "Eperts-Choice Decal".  Oops!  It is only now that I see on the very top where it says "LASER".  I guess I'll give this a try.  It's my last sheet so here goes nothing!

Oh, one last thing.  Usually when you send something to a printer, it'll ask you if it's glossy paper, photo paper, etc.  They don't usually ask if it's "decal paper".  Is one setting better than another?

Thanks,

Eric

echolmberg

Gerald, you're exactly right.  It's just that I need to complete the model by March 26th for my daughter's interest fair at school.  I was hoping I could create the decals myself rather than ordering them since it would be faster and cheaper, too.  I found a the graphics available to download from a Titanic web site.

I'm fortunate that the windows are VERY small so I really don't have to worry about creating gradients or anything fancy like that.  I'm also fortunate in that I do have access to a color laser printer.  The paper I have is white decal film.  It's the three-sheet pack from "Eperts-Choice Decal".  Oops!  It is only now that I see on the very top where it says "LASER".  I guess I'll give this a try.  It's my last sheet so here goes nothing!

Oh, one last thing.  Usually when you send something to a printer, it'll ask you if it's glossy paper, photo paper, etc.  They don't usually ask if it's "decal paper".  Is one setting better than another?

Thanks,

I'm still not clear on the color you want for the "windows" and the background color.

Also, for paper type, use "glossy paper".

Eric

 

Any advice for a very good inkjet printer?