Decal printing

pttom

Member
I purchased the paper from Bel nc. When I print what I want on it, it soaks the ink up and causes it to smear out side of the printing. I have reduced the amount of ink but this doesn't help. I've gone by their directions but it doesn't work.
 

Tyson Rayles

Active Member
Never heard of that company, I use decal paper from Micro-Mark and have had no problems. They are a little fragile and you have to be careful handling them, but it's not that big a deal. When "cured" a couple of coats of Dull-Cote makes em' bulletproof. BTW welcome to the Gauge. :)
 

pttom

Member
Hi Tyson, Thanks. The problem is they look good when first printed. ,Then as they dry it soaks up the ink.
 

ezdays

Out AZ way
Are you using the type made for ink jets, or perhaps they sent you ones for laser printers?

Just a thought, since Micro mart sells both, but theirs are marked either "laser" or "ink jet".

Don
 

ezdays

Out AZ way
Well, that kinda conclusive I would think :eek:ops: :curse: Just a shot in the dark, but you might be right in thinking it's too much ink. Can you change the ink density with whatever program you are using to create the artwork? ie: my desktop pubishing program allows me to add transparancy to the image from 0% to 100%. Basically, at 50% it prints every other dot and so only puts half the ink on the paper.

Probably just another wild and crazy thought, but a possibility.:rolleyes:

Don
 

rockislandmike

Active Member
I've used the Bel paper since the start, it works great for me.

Are you using the right kind ??? I think they make decal paper for lasers and for inkjets - that would be my first question.

Otherwise I don't do anything fancy - run it through at max quality on premium photo paper. I then let it sit in the outload tray for about an hour to dry.
 

Vic

Active Member
Originally posted by rockislandmike
My other question would be whether you're printing on the proper side.

That makes a lot of sense. When a printer loads paper it reverses it.(At least a front loading printer does) What's face up in the paper tray is not the face of the paper. Bet that's the problem. Trying putting a sheet in the paper tray "shiney side" down. Decal paper only has the "film" on one side.
 

pttom

Member
jon-monon, I am using a Epson which prints excellent photos..

rockislandmike, I am printing on the gloss side.

Tryed again last night , same problem. Thanks for the replys.
 

jon-monon

Active Member
Yes, they do print nice photo's. I fear there is too much ink or the ink is incompatible with the decal paper. What is the model? With the introduction of hte C84, the ink became waterproof. Earlier printers had alcohol based inks.
 

TinGoat

Ignorant know it all
I thought that

I read somewhere that the Ink-jet decals needed to be coated with something after printing....

It was a two part process, where you printed on the decal paper, and then had to coat them and/or treat them before using...


The Laser decal paper could be printed and then used right away, but the ink-jet decals needed to be treated after printing...
 

rockislandmike

Active Member
They do need to be coated afterwards, Ron, but he isn't even getting to that stage. I'm beginning to think it is the printer, something about the inks being different than most inkjets.

Sadly then, there wouldn't be *ANY* fix.
 

Vic

Active Member
Final Thoughts

Since decal paper is nothing but gum arabic paper coated with a thin coat of lacqure its my thought then that the ink is not compatible with the paper and is "eating through" the lacqure coat.

Second thought....The paper is too thick for the printer. While it will load the pressure is too great against the print head and it is litteraly being "squirted" into the lacqure coat rather than just onto it.

Third and final thought.....Although I'm not familar with an Epson printer, I wonder if some sort of heat process is used to heat the ink just before its "squirted" onto the paper? This could cause the lacqure coat to soften and absorb the ink.

I dunno? Just some random thoughts

:confused:
 

pttom

Member
Vic, I have printed on heaver paper than this. Epson doen't use a heat process for the printer. I have reduced the amount of ink going to the paper and it is helping, but not like I want it yet. 4 sheets down and counting.
 

rguyett

New Member
just a thought but i had a problem similar to this on photo paper and it turned out to be I was using refill cartaridge from a mail order place and leaked ink the same way. I went back to reg store bought and have had no trouble since. As i said this was on photo paper not on decal paper so i don't know if this could be your problem or not
 

ezdays

Out AZ way
Originally posted by pttom
...4 sheets down and counting.
That can be an expensive experiment. You might try printing on just a small portion of the paper to see how it works, then you can run it through to try something else on another part of the paper.

If you are using an Epson photo quality printer then you could have the resolution set too high. Like Jon says, try the "draft" mode, and if that helps, you may still have to screen back your image by changing picture resolution or adding transparency to it.

Yes, after market ink could also affect your results.

Don
 
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