Sources for decals?

[anothergol]

Many times I've been willing to design my custom decals (more for parts than minifigs, but it doesn't really matter), and find a service to print them, but I've only found a few sources for that (mostly private owners of ALPS printers), but nothing that looked "serious" (except one, maybe).

These would be my requirements, & probably what every customizer is looking for:

-transparency, on dark parts (thus not everyone's home-printed white stickers)

-limited colors/passes is ok, full-color isn't a requirement for Lego stuff that has more to do with illustration than photo

-preferably water-slide, always better than thick stickers, and easier to align

-pre-cut certainly a bonus, if done correctly (misaligned pre-cuts can ruin a sheet, besides water-slide decals don't require too precise manual cutting)

-(of course custom printing of parts is better, but I can't imagine that cheap enough)

So if anyone has heard of good online services that do this..

(sorry if there's a similar thread, couldn't find any)

Edited January 23, 2016 by anothergol

[willhappy]

hi

how many would you want to do??

will

[anothergol]

hi

how many would you want to do??

will

hi,

It's strictly for private use, so not many at all, like less than 5. (which pretty much forbids any of the part-printing services out there)

However, I'm assuming that the preparation/overhead for printing decal sheets isn't the same as the one to print parts, & that it would be ok to ask a service to print 10 *different* decal sheets, am I wrong?

[Robianco]

There is a seller on eBay who offered printing of heads and torsos with a minimum quantity of 5. I think it worked out around £3.50 per torso so it may be worth speaking to them although it's digitally printed.

You're not going to get someone to screen print (or any other alternative to printing light colours on a clear background) on decals and then have them die cut the decals for you. You're starting to get into proper printing territory and as such setting up each of the plates, screening it, drying, new layers etc means you'll be touching pad printing costs.

NACM Customs offer a printing service and I know there's a company in Germany that also offer a relatively easy service but it's the very short run you want that'll cause you the issue there.

[willhappy]

hi robianco

i know looking to get back into screen printing. Use to print water slide decals for the model trade.

Do you have a link to the ebay seller or a name ???

will

[Robianco]

Here's the store:

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/customizeaccessorizeyourminifig/

They don't list the service anymore but it's worth emailing them. I've not bought from them for a few years but the guy was really accommodating and did print some torsos for me a while back.

[anothergol]

You're not going to get someone to screen print (or any other alternative to printing light colours on a clear background) on decals and then have them die cut the decals for you. You're starting to get into proper printing territory and as such setting up each of the plates, screening it, drying, new layers etc means you'll be touching pad printing costs.

Cutting isn't a requirement, if it's waterslide decals it's ok to cut manually.

I was more looking for people who do this at home, with their ALPS printer. I had actually found a resource page for that, but it's just that most of them aren't doing it anymore.

http://robdebie.home.xs4all.nl/models/decals.htm#custom

This one looks interesting, but they're in australia, and I found no hint of their pricings

http://www.wessextransfers.com/html/decal_printing.html

[Robianco]

Cutting might not be necessary but it can be fiddly with torsos although a very sharp craft knife or scalpel has always been OK for me.

If you were getting things screened and had many up on a single sheet to make things more cost effective it can get tricky.

[willhappy]

well you just do a varnish that goes over the print area only so no cutting

will

[Robianco]

well you just do a varnish that goes over the print area only so no cutting

will

I'm not sure I get what you mean? Decals are printed on sheets that are normally 'A' sizes. If you then just wanted a torso you have to cut them out. In fact no matter what you want you'll be cutting the decal paper. The smaller the decals on the sheet the more cutting you'll do.

[willhappy]

ah well you see these decal paper an then theres decal paper. the inkjet type you are right but screen printed can put a white under coat and a shaped varnish so no cutting.

will

[Robianco]

ah well you see these decal paper an then theres decal paper. the inkjet type you are right but screen printed can put a white under coat and a shaped varnish so no cutting.

will

The decal will still need cutting. Whether it's screen printed or not the decal will not be the shape and size of a minifig torso so once it's printed it will need cutting before it can be applied.

[willhappy]

no you see the print floats of the paper. think airfix kits decals the varnish is only on the print not all over the sheet when its screen printed

will

[anothergol]

But can't you cut it rough and then cut around it, after it's applied?

Anyway the reason I said it was less important for waterslide decals, is that the edges are much less visible. A classic sticker raises so much that a round sticker would better be cut perfectly round around the print (which Lego often fails to do properly, btw).

And the reason I thought it'd be easier to find sources for decal printing, is that there is (still?) a big market for plastic kits (military, vehicles..)

Edited February 7, 2016 by anothergol

[willhappy]

yep there is still a market for decal in modelling

will

[willhappy]

hi Anothergol

Any joy of finding a printer for your mini figs

will