Large Scale Central

White Decals with an HP color laser printer.

Modeling Technical Modeling
#1

So I had a chance to test the Ghost White toner today! https://www.ghost-white-toner.com/ghost-white-toner-transfer-for-everyone/

I needed a few white decals to complete my tank cars but that didn’t fill an A4 sheet so I added a few logos for my 3D printed shipping container project.

Greg mention something about black flecks from swapping the black toner for the white one so first I test printed on white paper.

White on White - not one fleck!

So I loaded up a sheet of decal paper and …

OH YEAH!

Applied to Cars. The decals on the end are Ghost white. On the side, I added the LD LMT, LT WT and 2 INCH COMP SHOES decals.

I couldn’t be happier!

I little more info:

I bought the HP Color Laserjet CP1215 on eBay for $70 delivered.

Purchased the toner directly from https://www.ghost-white-toner.com/ for $237

The toner is estimated to yield 2200 pages so my grandchildren’s grandchildren’s grandchildren will have a white decal solution.

My first print is the nice blue background decal paper from Ghost white at $2.84 a sheet. I have some under $1 (white background) paper to try.

To print another color with the white, you must run the sheet through again.

No need to seal the decal before applying to the model

#2

Nice!!

#3

Need to find out more about this…

#4

So will you be taking print orders to help off-set the cost?

#5

Shhhhh Don’t tell Stan!

#6

Craig Townsend said:

So will you be taking print orders to help off-set the cost?

I have thought about it. I have concerns. The most difficult part is making sure I have good sharp vector images. The guy I have been using for decals has told me he’s spent hours redrawing crappy graphics for customers. I’m also afraid of selling trademark graphics. I may just make up some sheet of “Data only” for folks who like to repaint rolling stock.

I figure the going rate is about $30-$35 a full page so about 10 pages to break even. Also, my wife is a Herbalist and Yoga teacher who offers salves, tinctures and the like at her studio and prefers to use craft paper labels. The white ink on the light brown paper looks awesome!

#7

Dan,

I would agree that creating a .svg file is probably the hardest part. Hitting “print” doesn’t take much time.

This hobby sure has a lot of “micro” hobbies with the hobby.

#8

$70 is a great price for a used one in working condition, most are $120 refurbished, $500 new, and it is a discontinued printer.

How did you settle on that printer instead of the M452nw they “promote”?

#9

That is a great bargain.

#10

Greg Elmassian said:

$70 is a great price for a used one in working condition, most are $120 refurbished, $500 new, and it is a discontinued printer.

How did you settle on that printer instead of the M452nw they “promote”?

I went through the list of carts they offer and matched up with Printers I could get a deal on. Months ago I almost bought a HP451 for $150 (refurb) The toner cart may outlast the printer but I’ll be able to pickup another compatible one cheap. The cart I bought fits a very large number of models.

BTW: All the carts in the CP1215 I bought are about half full. So, No brainer.

#11

Are those waterslide decals ?

#12

mike dorsch said:

Are those waterslide decals ?

Yes they are!

#13

Very good , I have a HP color laser printer too. Will have to look into this . By the way , I love your tank cars.

#14

Thanks Dan, that helps make a decision, yeah toner carts are about 80 bucks each, but I’ll mostly be printing white… but I may go for a network connected one, just because of how my home is laid out, all peripherals are on the network.

It appears that the CP1215 is USB only.

I found the printer list, so will start shopping for a network printer that is a good deal, thank you for blazing the trail!

Greg

#15

mike dorsch said:

Very good , I have a HP color laser printer too. Will have to look into this . By the way , I love your tank cars.

Thanks Mike! This page lists all the White toner carts available. https://www.ghost-white-toner.com/ghost-white-toner-for-your-printer/ They make quite a few for HP so good chance they have one for you.

#16

Dan so glad you posted this. I am late to the show and just saw this I think in my latest Micro-Mark catalogue. The wife and I need a new printer and I was very happy with the laser water slide decals I printed for my delivery wagon. That sold me on buying a laser printer instead of an inkjet. But then seeing the Micro Mark add I figured I would buy the HP. Now I know it works.

#17

printer is $350 from Micromark, $218 on Amazon…

#18

I saw that also Greg.

#19

Hi Dan, et all… Sooooooooo glad you posted this. Great comments and input by all… I was wondering if anyone would jump on this system when I saw it in the Micro Mark Catalog… Your samples really look good. Crisp, clean and dense.

I’ve been fighting a deep cold for the past 2 weeks and haven’t felt like posting… Feeling a bit better now as the congestion is just stating to lessen…

I had a chance to check in on the Ghost white “system” and sure think it’s a viable process for printing white decals and was wondering when someone would come up with a “better Mousetrap”. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

I hadn’t followed up on the system because I’m so heavily invested with the ALPS printers and supplies right now. However, the cost of ALPS supplies and materials has gone up in the past few months. My supplier has raised prices over 40% and in conversation with them, prices may not stop going up. The only supplier for the cartridges is from Japan and they keep upping the ante’ and the US supplier has to keep up with the pace…

Couple of “concerns” that I have is that while the printers will print white, from what I see, they don’t have the ability to print metallic Gold or Silver and can’t print opaque colors. And have you been able to print color over the white with perfect register so white edges don’t show??? If the customer only wants white, the system sure looks viable… What you paid for the printer and cartridges was great. I know there are a number of modelers out there who can get the system and do they own.

Again, so glad you posted this… Not to be presumptuous, but if I can be of any help, please email me if you’d like… I’m heading toward the mid 80’s and there “may” (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)come a day the old eyes, fingers and body ain’t gonna cooperate with the intricacy of design and printing… (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-innocent.gif)(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)

#20

Thanks Dan for posting your results. Excited to try this for myself now.