danmerkelKindly tell us more about these "Snap On" glasses.
I believe Kevin is refering to UV enhancing glasses such as these:
https://www.amazon.com/Tracerline-TP9940-Flouresence-Enhancing-Glasses/dp/B000TDEERI
Snap-On is one brand, O-T-C Tools makes another.
I can't comment on the light source you bought since you didn't mention exactly what you bought.
danmerkel A total bust.
Sorry it didn't work out for you.
gmpullmanMight be worth a try?
Kevin seems to have had better results. We used a mercury-vapor, high powered lamp with Woods Glass filters in them for doing Zyglo metal defect detection where I worked. That lamp made all lighter colors "glow-in-the-dark".
Good Luck, Ed
SeeYou190 gmpullman Have you tried looking at the sheets using a black light source? Great trick! I just tried this using the UltraViolet leak detector lamp at work (don't ask why I have decals at work), and the white lettering just jumped out at me. I was using an OTC UltraViolet lamp and wearing a pair of Snap-On glasses designed to make UV more visible. It was perfect. Thanks! -Kevin
Have you tried looking at the sheets using a black light source?
Great trick! I just tried this using the UltraViolet leak detector lamp at work (don't ask why I have decals at work), and the white lettering just jumped out at me.
I was using an OTC UltraViolet lamp and wearing a pair of Snap-On glasses designed to make UV more visible. It was perfect.
Thanks!
-Kevin
Kindly tell us more about these "Snap On" glasses. I bought a 75w UV light this evening and, while it looked promising at the store, WORTHLESS when I got home. What was strange was that the white printing actually looked darker than the decal paper. A total bust. :(
dlm
gmpullmanHave you tried looking at the sheets using a black light source?
.
Living the dream.
danmerkelIf anyone has a suggestion, I'd most certainly appreciate hearing it.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008133KB4/ref=sspa_dk_detail_0?psc=1
Perhaps you can find a blacklight bulb (retailers usually have them at Halloween time) and place it into a desk lamp/worklight near your decal workstation to supplement the ambient light.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002F5544/ref=psdc_6476725011_t2_B076J6FGNV
Maybe try the flashlight first before investing in a bulb or fixture. I have only had experience with incandescent lamps, not the LED or compact fluorescent. Maybe these last two are just as effective but I'm not sure.
This might be enough to make the white ink "pop" from the color of the paper backing.
Might be worth a try?
Hello all,
I don't know if this has been suggested before but MicroMark has clear decal paper with a light blue backing (#82370).
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
Hi there. Decaling has to be what I hate the most about this hobby! I also have a laser printer and I print using Testors decal paper. To print white letters, you will need to use their white paper (vs. transparent). So, you can print a dark color on the white paper to achieve what you are looking for. Or use the transparent paper, but you will need to use something like yellow to do your lettering.
That being said, I find that the process is hit and miss with respect to the results. Testors provides a decal scellant that you will need to spray on your decals before applying them. I haven't mastered that part yet: the colors often fall off the paper (on the sides) when I try to apply them on the model. A friend of mine says that this happens when the product sits too long on the shelf.... In any case, I don't want to start a new thread, but be aware that the product is not super easy to use. I always end up doing paint touch-ups. But at least my decals are levelled!
Simon
mbinsewi I just looked at the thread you started back in August. Did you have any luck contacting the seller on Ebay? Mike.
I just looked at the thread you started back in August. Did you have any luck contacting the seller on Ebay?
Mike.
I just sent another message but I don't remember hearing from him the first time. Perhaps he's concerned that I'd be competition... which I would not be since I'd be doing these for my own consumption.
He's still up and running with decals on a darker blue backing availiable.
My You Tube
I've asked this previously but it was quite a while ago and people come & go so there may be a different group of eyes looking at posts.
Is anyone aware of any company that makes dark colored decal paper? I'm nearly blind (on a good day I can see the second line of a standard eye chart) and for me to try to find white decals on very light colored decal paper is almost impossible.
Formerly, I had an ALPS printer and I could print some darker colored dots around the white lettering to help me with the cuts but the PC that I used to run it has finally given up the ghost. I'm considering investing in a Ghost white cartridge for my laser printer but using that on white or very light blue paper wouldn't help me much.
I'm constantly frustrated with that one ad in MR that shows white decals on dark paper. I wrote to the seller and he unfortunately told me that he just does that to make the lettering show up better. He has no source for any darker papers.
I've tried the black Magic Marker trick but only managed to ruin the sheet of decals that I used it on. :( I'm not ready to give up but at this point, it would seem that my options are indeed dwindling.
If anyone has a suggestion, I'd most certainly appreciate hearing it.
Thanks in advance.