Printers to Use to Make Decals

Color Laser Printers

• Color laser printers make excellent decal printers. The smooth lines of a laser printer maintain high resolution without choppy sections. The ink doesn't take time to dry, and therefore won't smudge when the decal comes off of the printer. Of course, the higher the resolution of the printer, the better the quality decal you will have. Do not feed a stack of decal paper into the paper slot. Work on one sheet at a time to prevent the decal paper from clogging the sheet feeder and damaging the unit.

Alps Printers

• Alps printers are popular with hobbyists making decals that require high resolution printing with a variety of colors that standard printers are unable to mimic. The Alps line of printers use dry ink cartridges very similar to the old typewriter ribbons. One of the popular features of these printers is the ability to print a true white, gold, and silver. These are popular colors for decals that most laser or inkjet printers cannot achieve. The Alps series has moderate- to high-priced printers to meet different budget limits.

Inkjet Printer

• Inkjet printers can print craft and hobby decals using water slide paper. There are many levels of color inkjet printers fitting into any budget. To achieve the highest quality decal print, you will want the printer settings for photo paper with the highest possible resolution your printer can handle. You need to be careful when removing decals printed on inkjets. It will take a few minutes for the ink to dry. Carefully remove the paper and set the decal prints flat. Do not stack prints or expose them to windy areas; this can smear the ink before it dries.