SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - View Single Post - Dragon Models 1/350 Ohio class submarine w/ launching missile build

ET2SN · 05-26-22, 07:08 AM

You'll need to ask first if they can print in white ink or lacquer.

If they say "Yes" and don't put you on hold for an hour, you'll also need to ask if they can print at 800-1,200 DPI.

I'm betting that they won't be able to do either.

An ALPS type of printer is closer to an actual printing press where you can control the type and color of the ink. Brand new, they tend to be scary expensive because they are meant to run in a commercial environment.
Finding one that is Used is usually a dice throw. In a commercial environment, these things get beaten like a rented mule.

One thing you could try is to check the links I posted in the Resources thread. There's a guy listed who prints decals for racing cars. As I understand it, he found a decent ALPS printer and took the time to learn how to use and maintain it.

One last thing, a lot of this comes down to economics. A kit maker may contact a commercial printer (ie, Cartograph) to produce a bulk order of decals for 20,000 or more kits. There's lead time and prep time involved, but the per-unit cost stays low.
Outside of those "bulk" numbers, things tend to get expensive.

05-26-22, 07:08 AM	#44
ET2SN ET2/SS Join Date: Oct 2017 Posts: 2,513 Downloads: 58 Uploads: 0	You'll need to ask first if they can print in white ink or lacquer. If they say "Yes" and don't put you on hold for an hour, you'll also need to ask if they can print at 800-1,200 DPI. I'm betting that they won't be able to do either. An ALPS type of printer is closer to an actual printing press where you can control the type and color of the ink. Brand new, they tend to be scary expensive because they are meant to run in a commercial environment. Finding one that is Used is usually a dice throw. In a commercial environment, these things get beaten like a rented mule. One thing you could try is to check the links I posted in the Resources thread. There's a guy listed who prints decals for racing cars. As I understand it, he found a decent ALPS printer and took the time to learn how to use and maintain it. One last thing, a lot of this comes down to economics. A kit maker may contact a commercial printer (ie, Cartograph) to produce a bulk order of decals for 20,000 or more kits. There's lead time and prep time involved, but the per-unit cost stays low. Outside of those "bulk" numbers, things tend to get expensive.