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Decal Paper?


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Any tips on where to get decal paper? My LHS doesn't have any and my non-L HS doesn't either. Looks like that may be something that Testors is throwing into the fire with the rest of the modeling supplies.

BMF sold some as well, but I am seeing it as mostly out of stock on my brief search. I haven't hit up all of the usual suspects, but it's disconcerting that it is disappearing.....

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Also note......when Bel Decal paper was forced out of business I ordered 4 - 5 different brands of laser paper. One brand jammed so bad it damaged my printer to the point it is not useable any longer.  I will not recommend a single brand as until you use it in your printer, you do not know if it will work. Getting a new paper to work cost me hundreds of dollars. Good luck 

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12 hours ago, SfanGoch said:

Plenty o'listings for decal paper. Pick yer poison.

I am not familiar with any of those brands. The LHS carried Testors and that is all I have ever used. I assume that the MicroMark stuff is probably good, but more expensive than others that may be just as good. Any suggestions on a brand you have had experience with?

 

9 hours ago, peteski said:

Make sure to pick the decal paper designed for the printer you have:  ink-jet, or laser (including other thermal transfer printers like Alps).  Those types of paper are not interchangeable.

Right, I have an inkjet.

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As others have said, there is ton of it out there.  You are rolling the dice depending on which one you buy.  Here are my tips.

1: Buy the right type for your printer e.g. injet, laser, etc.  This is important as they are not interchangeable. 

2: Find 8 1/2" by 11 and cut it to size.  I found that I can cut to 4" x 6"(well actually 5 1/2") and put in the photo tray on my printer.  I wind up wasting much less paper that way.

3: Remember you are going to have to seal it once you print it or the ink will run. Inkjet ink is water soluble.  A very thin mist is all you need, but use the same stuff you are going to top coat with to insure compatibility

4: Print at the highest resolution your printer will do.  

5: Get both clear and white paper.  With the exception of the Alps, printers don't generally print white.  

6: While your are learning, print two sets of decals.  Inkjet ink on clear is often times very thin and translucent and will need a second layer of decals over the first to keep the base colors from bleeding through.  White paper is opaque so a second layer if often not needed, but you need to trim them very close.  

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Thanks guys. I don't print a lot of decals, but I have been doing it off and on for quite a few years. It's mostly stealing underhood decal images from online 1:1 suppliers and reducing them to 1/25 and printing on white. I am currently building a fun gift for some friends and want to put their company logo on the doors and their Instagram handle on the tailgate. I finally found a sheet of clear in my stash, so I can get this project handled. Except for the Instagram logo, it will be black on the clear.

I am afraid to check out Micro-Mark for fear of what else may find its way into my cart.....

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I'm buying my injet decal paper from Amazon....both clear and white.

Some of the decals I've printed for myself using both the clear and white paper from Amazon....

FYI....for these decals I'm using Future Finish as a setting solution....it needs something a lot stronger than microset, Mr. Setter, ect.....

 

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On 11/21/2021 at 9:08 PM, Chariots of Fire said:

Been using sunnyscopa laser waterslide decal paper for a while now.  Clear 8-1/2 x 11 sheets.  You can find it on line.

Charlie has an Alps MicroDry printer. Make sure not to use this paper in ink jet printers!

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19 minutes ago, Chariots of Fire said:

 

Ah  I should have mentioned that, eh Peter?!  It does make a difference.

No problem Charlie. Since that majority of hobbyists printing decals use ink jets, I just wanted to prefer a disappointment of the ink beading up on the surface of laser decal paper. 

To the uninitiated: Ink jet specific decal paper has a special liquid ink-absorbing layer, so it doesn't bead up on the surface.

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