Do I need an ALPS?

Hello,
I am working on designing and building rockets. I would like to add some decals to the rockets. What is the most cost effective way to make my own decals? Is the ALPS the only way to go?

Thanks,
Brian

 

[wwattles]

As far as I know, the ALPS printers are the only way to print white ink. They are pretty much a specialty item, usually purchased by professionals and avid amateurs.

You can purchase decals printed on one of these machines from several sources online, if you want to go with the "subcontractor" route.

If your business is going to stay small, that may be the way to go.

WW

 

[mikeyd]

I have an ALPS, and yes it will print white, as well as gold, and silver foil, however the cartridges do not last as long as inkjets, and are harder to find. It does print well though. Cartridges are hard to find locally, and after searching the web. I found out that that ALPS is only committing to supply ribbons through 2006 though!
https://www.systems-consulting.com/md1000.htm

 

[Zippy]

If you allready have an inkjet printer than the most cost effective way to print your own decals is to go to Bel Decal and order some inkjet decal paper from them or one of their competitors. You can get an assortment with 10 sheets clear and ten sheets white so you don't have to worry about the printer not being able to print white. I think it's about $30 with shipping but they last a long time. They have to be sprayed with a clear coat after printing to keep the ink from running but they work real well.

 

[flying_silverad]

Hey Zippy...I think that if you have white decal paper doesn't help much if unless you are going ot cut out everything out that's white. And even then you don't know where the lines are. Unless there's something here I'm missing, you don't do white unless it's an ALPS.

 

[Zippy]

flying_silverad, The white paper allows you to do things like the white NASA lettering in the blue circle (whoosh?) and have the lettering be white when on any color of rocket If you want to do white lettering only on a rocket you would have to have a border around the lettering as close of a color match as you can get to the rockets color and/or patiently cut out the lettering. White lettering only with no border would just pass through the printer without anything printing.

 

[flying_silverad]

Originally posted by Zippy
flying_silverad, The white paper allows you to do things like the white NASA lettering in the blue circle (whoosh?) and have the lettering be white when on any color of rocket If you want to do white lettering only on a rocket you would have to have a border around the lettering as close of a color match as you can get to the rockets color and/or patiently cut out the lettering. White lettering only with no border would just pass through the printer without anything printing.

I'm with ya