Laser decal printing help

[slashandburn]

My printout seem to be getting spoiled by what looks like a mist layer of toner on the decal paper. Not sure what's going wrong, 4 different attempts using two different brands of paper, tried different paper settings and resolutions. Not sure how to get round this,my next attempt will be with a whole sheet - rather than cutting a small section and sticking it down to a plain bit of a4, as pictured - but I only have one (full) sheet left so I don't want to mess this one up too.

Figure it's to do with paper thickness but it can't be much thicker than the photo paper I use with the same method.

Could it be something to do with static?
Any chance in some help solving this before I run out of decal paper?

Cheers
Iain




- it's hard to see in my photo, but the bits that should be clear are basically grey, like a fine mist of toner has decided to cling to it.

[EBK]

Try reducing your print density.  Looks like your printer is laying down too much toner.

[slashandburn]

Thanks Eric. I'll have a look, all I can see for now is "Toner Saver Mode" which didn't help. (It's a cheap Samsung model, 2020 I think)

I think it's the printer, I just tried photo paper with the same result, weirdly never had an issue until now. It still prints fine on plain office paper, thankfully.

Frustrating, I thought printing the decal would be the easy part!

[bloxstompboxes]

Does the decal you are printing truely have a transparent or white background? It's possible that the printer is working fine and just printing in grayscale whatever the background color is.

[deadastronaut]

i'm with eric,

sounds like the white isnt actually white..

[slashandburn]

Cheers Rob and Eric. I know what you mean and  I'll have another look but these are printing fine on plain office paper, just when I use decal paper the printout comes out grey(ish).

If I tape a bit of decal paper to regular office paper, the office paper comes out white, but the background around the decal just looks dirty, for lack of a better way of describing it. If print the same design on plain paper it prints with no issue.

The black marks (or mist) only appears if I use decal paper or photo paper. Hence why I suggested static (a small squad of decal paper on plain a4, the "mist" only appears on the square of decal paper, as if the paper type is attracting toner where ordinary paper is not)

One thing I haven't tried is printing from within different programs (currently using inkscape) but I'm clutching at straws here and cat imagine that helping.

Cheers though. I'll keep fighting with it for now.

Oh btw Rob, this was for my spare Spitfire pedal in case you hadn't noticed. I just lazily pinched the Triumph Spitfire logo. Creativity isn't exactly flowing lately but at least it's not as half-arsed as my Red Box. (An MXR Blue Box, except I only had a red box at the time).

[bloxstompboxes]

Try outputting the image from inkscape to either a bitmap or pdf and print that way. I personally make a sheet of around 6 decals for a 1590b or 125B project and save/print it through Word.

[Kingmafw]

Are you printing the graphics as a bitmap?

If you just print it on plain paper, do you still have this 'mist' around the graphics?

[slashandburn]

Are you printing the graphics as a bitmap?

Same results regardless. Tried from bmp, png, pdf. Also tried natively from within Inkscape, Paint, Word.

Also tried from different pcs, and even with a laptop connected to printer via usb, to rule out some a Wi-Fi issue.

If you just print it on plain paper, do you still have this 'mist' around the graphics?

No. No mist at all. Printing on plain paper gives me immaculate results.


Oddly, this issue doesn't just affect the decal paper though. This mist seems to now also affect photo paper, so I can't even print PCBs for transfer using a method that's been working fine for months.

Beginning to suspect either the 3rd party toner cartridge (which has worked fine until now and is still reporting 70% toner level remaining) or excess toner on the rollers/drum/paper feed device that's maybe only managing to contaminate these coated, thicker paper types. I could be miles off though. 

Sorry to bother you all with general office equipment issues. Having a 'mare here! About to go full on Jamie McDonald on the blasted thing.

[EBK]

I think it is a smoothness issue.  As I suggested before, I believe your printer is laying down too much toner, and smoother paper has less texture to hold it in place.  It is brushing off before it has a chance to get fused.

[slashandburn]

Maybe I'm a dimwit who missed step 1 of the instructions.

"Ensure decal paper is thoroughly dry before printing".
Alongside a picture of someone pointing a hairdryer at the paper.

Last attempt before I give up on it and go back to etching.

[EBK]

Hmm...  If that works, maybe you should bag up the rest with some DO-NOT-EAT packets for the future. 

[slashandburn]

Well I'll be damned!   Nope, it wasn't the supposedly important first step. Same problem there.

However, I put my frustration to one side and decided to just actually use one of the crap, misty looking prints, and it...Eh.  Well. You won't believe this, but, well. It came out fine.




Either I need my eyes tested, or the heat from the printer is discolouring the decal or it's backing paper. Or something like that. I can't see any toner on the clear bits I thought weren't printing clear.

Mystifying. No pun intended.

[Passaloutre]

What kind of enclosure is that?

[deadastronaut]

cool, glad you got it sorted..

[slashandburn]

What kind of enclosure is that?

Takachi "YM Series", Id bought a few different sizes to check them out. They're not very robust and bend quite easily, I don't think it'll be all that suited for stomping on, even in the short term. Nice finish though. No sanding!   (edit: scored them from here. https://uk.rs-online.com/mobile/p/instrument-cases/3732227// Very thin aluminium sheet, anodised silver finish. Figured this stuff wouldn't etch, hence the experimenting with decal paper.

And cheers Rob! Hopefully boxed up soon. Currently watching clear coat dry and trying not to think of how much time I've wasted!

[EBK]

Just to satisfy my curiosity, could you run your finger over one of the decal prints?  Is there a chance the mist was unfused toner dust, which washed off during your soak?

[slashandburn]

I wondered, Eric! I wish I could give you an answer. It wouldn't rub off, the decal just looked "dirty". The clear parts looked instantly discoloured as they came through the printer. Every. Single. Time.

I've found another cast off I didn't happen to bin.  I can't see a damned thing wrong with it, though it's night and looks different under artificial light. I swear though, they all looked contaminated.

Still baffled it came out so well. Guess I should worry less about imperfections. Weird though. Suppose you live and learn.

[davent]

Speckle/splatter paint the enclosure and you can get away major issues and you'll be the only one to know, camouflage, sleight of hand, misdirection... it's suppose to be that way!

dave

[bluebunny]

Either I need my eyes tested, or the heat from the printer is discolouring the decal or it's backing paper. Or something like that. I can't see any toner on the clear bits I thought weren't printing clear.

Mystifying. No pun intended.

This thread passed me by somewhat.  Dunno why... 

I see something similar with my decals, but they always seems to come out OK when they're applied to the pedal.  I think you're right: the substrate is being discoloured by its passage through the laser printer.  Hadn't really given it any thought, since the results ended up fine, although the printed decal does look dirty before it gets used.  (FYI Iain, my paper is from Crafty Computer Paper / Gecko.)

Good pun, btw.