Silver Paper and Colored "Decals"

[Szdfan]

I've been pondering about using silver paper. I have access to a black and white laser and was wondering whether the following process might work --

• Print the model with a black and white laser onto silver paper
• For the color sections, print them onto regular paper with a color printer
• Using fine sand paper, sand the colored sections to as thin as possible
• Glue the colored "decals" onto the model

Has anybody tried this or is it completely harebrained? Any thoughts on alternative methods.

 

[Zathros]

I don't know if it will stick. People have reported problems with lasers on printing models because the color flakes off on the corners, I don't know it what you are proposing would or wouldn't work?

 

[Szdfan]

I don't know if it will stick. People have reported problems with lasers on printing models because the color flakes off on the corners, I don't know it what you are proposing would or wouldn't work?

So what are people using to print onto silver paper? My understanding is that ink jets smear.

 

[Zathros]

Well, you have to research dye ink verses pigment ink. Pigment ink is permanent, and considered archival while dye will fade with time. Most Epsons use Pigment ink. Since this involves heating microscopic little spheres that are heated and melted on to the surface of the paper, bonding with the paper matrix (has to bond to something) which is why you get no run through, the inks are not really interchangeable. Pigments ink tends to clog more if you don't use it a lot.

Personally, prefer pigment ink. Now before someone accuses me of being a "know it all" about ink, I am not. Not even close, and I am always subject to correction and learning, based on fact. A good friend of mine designs printer heads and is my "go to" person when question of merit are asked, he will answer no others. When he edumacated me, I could not believe how little I knew about this whole process.

I have posted at another forum I visited, that if you use Epson Printers, and want to get the SAME ink that EPSON uses, go to www.inkproducts.com , as they buy their ink from the same supplier from Massachusetts who gets it from Dupont. That is a fact.

I have heard too many times that Lasers don't work, there there is always the odd person who comes in with a 10 step process, which makes you think f he had printed it once with Pigment ink, he'd be done.

On the other hand, if I had the paper, and the printer, I would be posting the results of what I had done, and if I had failed or not.

So, get to printing, and tell us what happens!