My printing progress (WAS: My first print attempt)

[peteski]

Bryan, seeing more pictures in the Weekend Update I'm curious as to why you printed white layer decal separately from the colors?
And yes, you are being amazingly prolific! 

[bbussey]

As printer technology has evolved, my current HP LaserJet renders color line artwork and photographic artwork far better than the Alps.  For the last decade or so, HP pixelises by varying the size of the dots rather than the constant pixel size that Alps does, which makes the prints look closer to dye-sublimation quality.  And it keeps improving with each new printer model.  So currently I use the Alps to print white and metallics and chromes, and the LaserJet for black and all colors. My wife got a new LaserJet through work late last year that’s even better quality, but my current one works efficiently enough for N scale decal work.

Also, switching to the Sunnyscopia line of decal paper has improved the quality 100% on both printers, especially the Alps.

I’m itching to try white toner, but you need a dedicated laser printer to use it.

[bbussey]

My wallet's sphincter just clenched...

The two ore cars are designed to be tooled and produced by Micro-Trains for ESM, with all the detail parts snapping into a diecast body and the end-cages/stirrups being Celcon (Delrin) molded in the appropriate colors. Same diecast body for both variations, different group of detail parts. But the demand isn’t there to justify the extra tooling expense of having it done here. The production costs probably would be comparable to China when factoring in all the import expenses (although we’d have to import our wheels). But the advantage would be shorter lead times and lower quantity minimums. And since the fire and the pandemic, it is questionable whether MTL currently has the capacity to do contract tooling.

The GSC well car was designed to be tooled by MTL, which is why the model snaps together rather than being cemented and we solicited quotes including from MTL. But it was overwhelmingly more economical to have it tooled overseas.

[peteski]

As printer technology has evolved, my current HP LaserJet renders color line artwork and photographic artwork far better than the Alps.  For the last decade or so, HP pixelises by varying the size of the dots rather than the constant pixel size that Alps does, which makes the prints look closer to dye-sublimation quality.  And it keeps improving with each new printer model.  So currently I use the Alps to print white and metallics and chromes, and the LaserJet for black and all colors. My wife got a new LaserJet through work late last year that’s even better quality, but my current one works efficiently enough for N scale decal work.

Also, switching to the Sunnyscopia line of decal paper has improved the quality 100% on both printers, especially the Alps.

I’m itching to try white toner, but you need a dedicated laser printer to use it.

Interesting.  Sounds like the colors you are using need to be rendered in halftones (rather than solid colors which Alps excels in).  The Alps MD 5000 does change the dot size (they call that the 2400 dpi Photo Realistic mode, with 190 lpi), but it still results in visible dots in closeup photos.

I don't use halftone colors in my Alps printed decals. I instead use multiple layers of spot colors to produce the colors I need.  With the extensive range of ink colors produced by Elephant Rocket, you can pretty much get any color you want (printed as a sold, rather than a halftone color).

[bbussey]

The LaserJet toner also is indestructible, whereas the Alps inks are prone to scratches if not careful. I like not having to treat the decals with kid gloves. It’s good to know though that there is a source for multiple solid color inks for the Alps.

[reinhardtjh]

My wife got a new LaserJet through work late last year that’s even better quality, but my current one works efficiently enough for N scale decal work.

Bryan,  Do you know the printer model for your wife's new printer?  Actually, yours too, if possible.

Thanks.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Man, the floodgates of Bryan's workshop have opened.

I'm in for the Erie caboose whenever it is available. The fluted trailer too.

[bbussey]

Bryan,  Do you know the printer model for your wife's new printer?  Actually, yours too, if possible.

Thanks.

M462dn M452dn and MFP-M283fdw

[reinhardtjh]

M462dn and MFP-M283fdw

Thanks Bryan, though I think you meant to type "M452dn" as I can't find a "M462dn".  If so, the "M452dn" is EOL and has been replaced by the "M454dn".  Next week who knows what will be the current model. 

I had been looking at the M452dn as it has good reviews for repeatability which is handy if having to feed a decal sheet multiple times to get white and other colors in register.  There is a Ghost White toner cartridge for it, however, the replacement M454dn uses a different toner cartridge, of course. 

[bbussey]

Thanks Bryan, though I think you meant to type "M452dn" as I can't find a "M462dn".  If so, the "M452dn" is EOL and has been replaced by the "M454dn".  Next week who knows what will be the current model. 

I had been looking at the M452dn as it has good reviews for repeatability which is handy if having to feed a decal sheet multiple times to get white and other colors in register.  There is a Ghost White toner cartridge for it, however, the replacement M454dn uses a different toner cartridge, of course. 

I bet M452dn printers are available on the secondary market.  I do want to try the white toner, but I'm not going to try it in a primary printer.  I'll pick up an EOL model specifically for the white toner, as I did in getting a 2300n strictly for etching PCBs because they apply the toner best.

I don't try to "manually" register the white base coat with the color overlay.  I just apply two layers of decals.  The Sunnyscopia film is so thin, you don't see the double layer even under magnification.  I did that with the Elephant truck and this weekend with the Stone's Express trailers.

[John]

https://www.amazon.com/HP-LaserJet-M454dn-Printer-W1Y44A/dp/B07RSHG542?th=1

[reinhardtjh]

I bet M452dn printers are available on the secondary market.  I do want to try the white toner, but I'm not going to try it in a primary printer.  I'll pick up an EOL model specifically for the white toner, as I did in getting a 2300n strictly for etching PCBs because they apply the toner best.

They are.  Amazon has "refurbished" ones and, of course, there's Ebay.

I don't try to "manually" register the white base coat with the color overlay.  I just apply two layers of decals.  The Sunnyscopia film is so thin, you don't see the double layer even under magnification.  I did that with the Elephant truck and this weekend with the Stone's Express trailers.

I figured that's what you meant when you described your process.  It's probably easier to get it right that way, too.

https://www.amazon.com/HP-LaserJet-M454dn-Printer-W1Y44A/dp/B07RSHG542?th=1

John, that's the newer model.  Fine for most things but the Ghost White toner cartridges aren't available for it.

[bbussey]

Training class is over, time to see what was learned from three weeks of hands-on lessons.

I printed four RBB&B stockcars overnight.  Switched back to AnyCubic gray standard.  I performed the initial isopropyl wash while the parts were still on the plate.  These pics are before the parts were removed form the plate and placed in the sonic cleaner.  That process should be done, part inspection later today.  I'm pleased with the results so far.  The safety bars in the door of Car #19 rendered perfectly.  There doesn't appear to be curl-up anywhere, or loss of detail due to poor support.  Looks like I should have added support to the closest bolsters, but I can fix that with styrene to get the cars level.

[bbussey]

Finally wore out the FEP film, after dozens of prints and nearly three liters of resin. Swapped in a new one yesterday.

Also finished decorating one of the reduction gears for display at the Springfield show this weekend. This was from the initial beige test prints with slight curl-up on the I-beams but still passable for a show sample. I do see a difference on some of the angled surfaces between these parts sliced at 0.020mm layers and the subsequent parts sliced at .050mm layers. The stepping is too small to see, as evident below. Not enough to be concerned about though as the .050mm stepping easily can be sanded out.

[motofavorite]

So nice! I'm really looking forward to seeing your station build.