With the Alps printers long gone, I did a quick search for any new alternatives for lasers that print white. I found this one that was released about 6 months ago: http://www.oki.com/en/press/2011/12/z11090e.html http://www.okidata.com/mkt/html/nf/proColor920wt.html It looks like is is specifically designed for transfers such as decals. The printer is not inexpensive, but it is still interesting. Rob
Quick!!! Someone with a load of money buy this new printer, and give us some feedback, so I can trow my Alps 20 feet in the air and kill it with a baseball bat, to put it out of it's misery.:rats: Just like in the Office space movie. But at $7,495 it is still out of my league.:crying: Ben
When I need to operate my Alps, I lay some candles in circle around it, do a few prayers, and sometimes, killing a chicken helps. Ben
Good find, if I sell my 200 white Alps ribbons I could afford one! I have an OKI C5100n LED Printer that still runs great after 9 years, so that one should last too!
I have this other idea but I haven't tried it yet. When I looked I found another expensive printer that can print white, Epson Stylus Pro WT790. I also found that I can buy thirdparty refiller to it. Maybe you could buy the cheapest inkjet printer you can find, a refiller kit where you inject the ink and fill it with white ink. Print black and out comes white as long as you use it only for white. If the ink ruins the printer throw it away and say bad idea. Just a thought, never tried it. I haven't been desperate enough yet.
It not just a matter of printing white in many cases, but the ability to print colors at the same time or as overlays. So the driver is an issue too. Robert, go for it! Somebody has to be the first!
Exchanging white for black printing works, I saw the grahics dept. do it at work. For color there is an issue with the inks. They're formulated on the assumption there will be black ink in the printer, so about half the printable colors, the darker ones, become unavailable. Maybe the ink refiller can provide darker inks. For a printer, look for one that has it's command language, such as "ESC P" or "HPPCL" published. Frequencly, the printers have command strings such as "reverse image" that you can add to the driver properties. Also, I'd suggest looking for an RGB color printer, I think the inks would be more compatable with the RR colors you're trying to print. Good luck, and now you have been thinking about the printer I have collecting dust on my workbench. Mark
Great if it would work. I never thought of getting the other colours right too. For my need white only would have been good enough. I got two KCS SD40-2, almost white, in case MTL wouldn't be able to release a SOO-line SD40-2. I planned to try to repaint them, one white with black lettering and one red with white lettering. Surprise MTL white SOO-line SD40-2 showed up this month so I have ordered two of them instead. But I still have two KCS SD40-2. Maybe I should try to paint them red. On the other hand maybe red ones will be released eventually too. And I could need some spare parts. I will wait and see. http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=392297&nseq=110
