thierry laurent Posted March 8, 2018 Share Posted March 8, 2018 Alas, this is not possible anymore because Alps technology was purchased by a Japanese printer company (oki) and the cheapest similar printer they released is costing at least 1500$...! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vince14 Posted March 8, 2018 Share Posted March 8, 2018 I think I have an Alps printer somewhere in the house - maybe I should dig it out and sell it if they're as rare as hen's teeth these days! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamF Posted March 8, 2018 Share Posted March 8, 2018 If it's a low use one I'd be interested. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vince14 Posted March 8, 2018 Share Posted March 8, 2018 I'll have a look and see if I can find it at the weekend. I bought it second-hand many years ago, but I've never actually used it. I'm pretty sure it came with some cartridges as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeMaben Posted March 10, 2018 Share Posted March 10, 2018 Alas, this is not possible anymore because Alps technology was purchased by a Japanese printer company (oki) and the cheapest similar printer they released is costing at least 1500$...! Not entirely the case. You can still buy refurbed printers and more inks than were available in the past (called spot colors) http://alps-oki.seesaa.net/article/441175176.html The place is called 'Elephant Rocket' , I don't think they repair printers anymore but you can find lots of help and info on how these things work and how to fix them, on Yahoo. You have to join the group acourse https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Alps/info Hubert Boillot 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thierry laurent Posted March 10, 2018 Share Posted March 10, 2018 Refurbished yes but not new ones alas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wunwinglow Posted March 10, 2018 Share Posted March 10, 2018 (edited) I too had an alps printer but when the cartridges became essentially unobtainable I sold it. Shame, it could do useful work but the software that came with it was far and away the worst I have ever had to use! It can only have been improved if they ever updated it, they couldn't possibly have made it even more rubbish than it was!!I am a happy occasional customer of Gregs at www.drawdecal.com Some folks do say the varnish he prints on is too thick and stiff but I have never had a problem with it. I send Coreldraw files which I create but you could easily scan in inked artwork. Draw it a couple of times bigger, scan it at some high resolution and scale to taste. Coreldraw, and other drawing programs can handle vector or bitmap images with ease.If you don't want the hassle of doing it yourself, you can alwaus pay someone else to do it for you. I could help you out if it isn't too complex; I don't have much spare time at the moment! But in the past I've done decals for Aeroclub, Welsh Models, Accurate Armour and my own of course! Edited March 10, 2018 by wunwinglow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert Boillot Posted March 10, 2018 Share Posted March 10, 2018 Not entirely the case. You can still buy refurbed printers and more inks than were available in the past (called spot colors) http://alps-oki.seesaa.net/article/441175176.html The place is called 'Elephant Rocket' , I don't think they repair printers anymore but you can find lots of help and info on how these things work and how to fix them, on Yahoo. You have to join the group acourse https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Alps/info Thanks for the link. They are not cheap, but at least someone is selling -refurbished if not new - Alps printers with a commitment "to supply until 2030" (at least) Hubert MikeMaben 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeMaben Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 The originals were $1000.00 I have an MD1000 and a 5000 that I bought used on ebay back in the early 2000s and they both have never given me any problems (lucky ? ... me ?). The software can be problematic (yes they do have updated versions for newer computers without parallel ports.) I run mine on an old Dell with a parallel printer port just fine. I did 'all' the markings on my Bearcat and 109G-2. If ' I ' can do it , it can't be that difficult Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamF Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 I'm glad that people think the ALPS is no good as it means that virtually unused machine keep cropping up. It's like my Roland milling machines people bought them but never got on with them as they were not modelmakers, never really seeing their potential. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 I love my Alps - owned 20 (ish) years and have had some brilliant results. Frustrations are the software will only run on a *very* old laptop we've preserved just for this purpose (and even then, the fonts have gone wonky - so I have to remember what button does what) - and the availability of cartridges. Thanks for link for carts Mike - will be stocking up! Iain MikeMaben 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuildAero Posted March 11, 2018 Author Share Posted March 11, 2018 So, what, exactly do you draw these days for a decal job? Full colour, just like the real thing? Or black per colour like we used to with registrations? What does a decal maker expect to get from the a/w provider? If scanned twice size at high res. what's wrong with that when it's reduced as a/w? Martin I too had an alps printer but when the cartridges became essentially unobtainable I sold it. Shame, it could do useful work but the software that came with it was far and away the worst I have ever had to use! It can only have been improved if they ever updated it, they couldn't possibly have made it even more rubbish than it was!!I am a happy occasional customer of Gregs at www.drawdecal.com Some folks do say the varnish he prints on is too thick and stiff but I have never had a problem with it. I send Coreldraw files which I create but you could easily scan in inked artwork. Draw it a couple of times bigger, scan it at some high resolution and scale to taste. Coreldraw, and other drawing programs can handle vector or bitmap images with ease.If you don't want the hassle of doing it yourself, you can alwaus pay someone else to do it for you. I could help you out if it isn't too complex; I don't have much spare time at the moment! But in the past I've done decals for Aeroclub, Welsh Models, Accurate Armour and my own of course! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wunwinglow Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 Each colour on its own layer. Layers stacked in the order they are to be printed so you can see the image builds up the way you want. Varnish layer in some mad colour so it stands out. When the printer gets the file they output each layer themseves to suit their press requirements. This is screen printing we are discussing? If the artwork is going to Drawdecal, yoy only need a white layer which is printed first onto the varnish, which covers the whole sheet, and all the other colours as you want them as their printer prints in colour, not in seperated layers. The white layer is for white things, onbviously, and as an under layer for anything that might be a bit translucent inkwise. I still put registration marks on both layers but all Gregs work for me has been **** on. As has Rays at Fantasyprintshop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wunwinglow Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 Scanning will give you a bitmap image. If the resolution is high enough it might be fine as is for full colour printing but for sepersted artwork I used the bitmap as a guide and trace it. Coreldraw had some pretty good tracing tools but they always need a bit of clean up work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wunwinglow Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 The printer will change the colour to black for printing the screens. I have done this too by just changing the colour used to fill and outline from whatever it is to black. A couple of mouse clicks but then of course everything looks black!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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