Peacemaker Posted June 26, 2019 Share Posted June 26, 2019 Hi All, Any experience into using ALPS decals from Draw Decal? They offer a sheet that I am interested in, but I have never used Alps printed decals before. What is their quality like? Regards, James. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Slo-pine Posted June 26, 2019 Share Posted June 26, 2019 Draw decals are DIGITAL Silk not ALPS printed. Not sure how that differs from traditional silk printed decals. Quality is good. Nice printing, and much more durable then ALPS printed. I've had good luck with them but have heard that they can be trouble with compound curves. Small price to pay for some unique subject matter. SeAN Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stu_fishing Posted June 26, 2019 Share Posted June 26, 2019 Unfortunately not that good. The carrier film practically disappears using Setter and Softer but the ink on the sheets I used was so strong and thick that it would not lay into panellines, even when using boiling water or a hairdryer. Best regards, Thomas Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mike J. Idacavage Posted June 27, 2019 Share Posted June 27, 2019 Hi James I have had pretty good luck with using Draw Decals over the years. In fact, I am a big fan of Draw Decals because of their subjects and really good customer service. Sean is right, Draw Decals is using a really high end ink jet type printer that uses a different type of ink than the ones we usually see around the home. Draw Decals started out with using an Alps printer I believe but changed years ago. While Draw Decals can take a bit more work to conform into panel lines, I have found the results more than worth it. For challenging areas, I'll use a soft cloth with very warm water to press the decal into tight places. The end results looks good. Here are two models I built in the last few years that used Draw Decals along with a third model (Carolina Panther A320) that are not Draw Decals but were printed on the exact same type of printer that Draw Decal uses. Looking at them on the shelf, you can't tell that the decals are not traditionally silk screen printed. Have fun modeling! Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ben Brown Posted June 27, 2019 Share Posted June 27, 2019 The ink Draw uses is impervious to setting solutions. All it does is make the clear decal film conform to the model. Like Mike, I've had some success getting the printed parts to lay down by dipping a Q-tip in very hot, almost boiling water, and pressing them into place. It may not me hot enought to actually melt the ink, but it does soften it enough to be workable. It takes patience, but the results are usually pretty good. It is sometimes hard to blend fuselage cheatlines around the nose and tail, because the decals are thicker, so you get a seam where they meet. Ben Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jabow Posted June 27, 2019 Share Posted June 27, 2019 Well, has anyone made decals for that 48th scale B-36??? That would be unique. Bo Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sierrascale Posted June 30, 2019 Share Posted June 30, 2019 On 6/27/2019 at 9:39 AM, Mike J. Idacavage said: ...but were printed on the exact same type of printer that Draw Decal uses. Have fun modeling! Mike Hey Mike, what is the name/manufacturer of this printer? (Asking for a friend.) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mike J. Idacavage Posted July 6, 2019 Share Posted July 6, 2019 Hi Sierrascale The printer is one of the high end ink jet printers that uses UV curable inks. I am in the UV curable ink and coatings business which is why I know the printers. Draw Decals keeps the brand and model they use as a trade secret so I am unable to give out this detail. Sorry! Have fun modeling Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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