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Frequently asked questions: -----------------------------

- Please browse through these questions here below before callings us. This list contains most of the frequent questions we have received the last few years.
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Q. I want to make outdoor labels that must last up to 5 years.
A. The ONLY WAY to do this is to screen print onto vinyl media or film using industrial ink that is certified for this purpose.

Q. I want to make bumper stickers using my inkjet printer. Can this be done ?
A. Yes, by using our waterproof inkjet vinyl AND over-laminate. The biggest concern is the UV resistance of the ink (not the water fastness). Use photo inks or "achievable" inks for longer outdoor life. Don't expect unrealistic long life from bumper stickers that can be made one at a time for pennies using your desktop equipment. Professional bumper stickers are made using screen printing and industrial UV proof inks. If you want to make a larger quantity of bumper sticker signs for outdoor use we have a screen printing machine for this purpose, item# HAN1013.

Q. I want make bumper stickers using a desktop inkjet printer. The stickers don't have to last for years but several months and/or up to a year would be good.
A. This approach is more realistic, and please keep in mind that screen printed bumpers stickers sometimes fade in the sunlight after even just few months if special UV resistan inks were not used. You can make Bumper sticker using you inkjet printer and we recommend our WVF (water proof vinyl film together with our WOL Laminate (waterproof over laminate) Best results will be achieved when using an inkjet printer such as the Epson Stylus series that prints using the new color DuraBrite TM inks.

Q. What it the difference between the static cling and the ultra cling.
A. The static cling is just that, a film that will cling to flat or smooth substrate without the use of an adhesive. This is useful for some special application where the label may be left on the item for a long time often to protect it from surface scratches. Static cling is also used for promotional stickers that are used for short time and must be removed quickly and without any possible adhesive residue. The Ultra Cling however has a a special tacky film (similar to regular adhesive) and will therefore cling to substrates where static cling can not be used. This feature is specially useful for car windows, glass door on coolers, surfaces where moisture may collect and so on.

Q. I want to make temporary tattoos in a relatively large quantity or a few hundred or more at a time. Can I use your paper ?
A. Yes. The tattoo kits we sell here on our website are ideal for hobby use and to make 20 or 40 tattoos at the time using a foam applicator and applying the glue by hand. This is a completely unrealistic approach if you want to make a few hundred tattoos at a time. We sell a flat bed vacuum table top screen printing machine. This is an apparatus that can be used for several screen printing applications onto flat media (paper) including applying glue to tattoo paper.

Q. I want to use your Aqua Slide Paper to make a ceramic decal and fire it in a ceramic kiln. Can this be done?
A. No. See next question. Computer printers do not print with ceramic over-glaze colors.

Q. I want to make Ceramic Decals. Can I use your paper?
A. Yes. We have printing machines and colors for this purpose. If you are serious about making ceramic decals, please read this whole paragraph carefully and understand the concept before calling us for more information.
If you are unfamiliar with screen printing, additional reading is required and available at your local library. First, the term Ceramic decal as used here refers to an Over-glaze decal that must be fired onto porcelain or other manufactured glazed porcelain, ceramic, or stoneware that can be kiln fired to cone 015 (800 C or 1470 F). The decals are simply screen printed using over-glaze colors that are supplied in powder form. These colors are mixed with oil and/or a pasty substance (called medium) to make up the "ink" suitable for the screen printing process. This printing is done onto our PPF water slide paper and later covered with supporting film to make up the ceramic decal. You must use a printer such as our HAN1013 to print onto our PPF paper. For further understanding of this concept, please go to your local library and look for books about screen printing and china painting. If books are unavailable, make an interlibrary request.

Q. I need film for mouse pads.
A. The cold laminate or our anti skid floor laminate POL is ideal.

Q. How can an inkjet media be waterproof if the ink itself is water-soluble?
A. The concept is similar to what happens if you spill fruit juice on white cotton fabrics such as a T-shirt. The dye molecules get trapped in the cotton fibers and cannot be removed easily using only a gentle stream of cold water. Sometimes warm water and soap will not even remove the stain.

Q. What is an Alps printer ? (MD series)
A. It is a personal computer printer, similar to the regular inkjet printer EXCEPT it does NOT print using water soluble ink like the inkjet printer. The Alps printer uses ink ribbons and transfers the ink on to the media "dry". We sometimes use the term "Alps printer", but "Alps" is a brand name from one manufacturer. In general, we refer to dry resin printers that are also made by Citizen, OKI, Mitsubishi and others.

Q. In some of the laser media instructions you talk about using the Regular Ribbons. What do you mean by "the Regular Ribbons" ?
A. If you are using Alps MD1000, MD4000 or other Alps printers that do not offer a "dye sub mode" you don’t have to worry about this as the regular ribbons are the only ribbons your printer will accept. Other Alps printers offer a printing mode called Dye Sub Mode using a special dye sub ribbon.

Q. What will happen if I use the Photo Quality Ribbons (sometimes referredto to as "Dye Sub" ribbons) instead of the regular ribbons ?
A. Depending on the media you intend to print on, the ribbons may tear.

Q. How can I tell the difference between the Photo Quality (dye sub ribbons) and the regular ribbons?
A. If you want to physically distinguish between the cartridges, the Dye Sub Cartridges are blue. The regular ribbons (the plastic cartridge enclosure) are black.

Q. I want to use your Aqua Slide Paper to make a ceramic decal and fire it in a ceramic kiln. Can this be done?
A. No. The Alps printer does not print with ceramic over-glaze colors. But you can BAKE the decal onto a mug or other item that can be heated to produce a semi permanent or dishwasher resistant decal using your kitchen oven.

Q. I want to use a color laser and your PAS paper to make dye sub images on ceramic tiles. Can I do this using a Color Laser Printer? NO. Sublimation and ceramic decals are two totally different things.
A. Ceramic decals are printed using lead fritted metal oxide (china paint) that fuses onto the glaze of porcelain and ceramic at 800 degrees Celsius. Dye sublimation is the transfer of dye sublimation ink using low heat onto ceramic ware that has been coated with a special coating to receive the ink. This process takes place at around 148 degrees Celsius. Printing on the PAS film is a COLD transfer where you use water to slide the carrier film onto the item. Baking will make this film stick better and using the urethane over-laminate makes this film invisible.

Q. What is the difference between PAS/N and PAS/2 decal media?
A. The PAS/N is softer, has less gloss and will form to relief and curves. PAS/2 is stronger, glossier and stiffer.

Q. Your instructions mention only regular ribbons for the white vinyl but I have printed on it using my dye sub ribbons with good results. A. The white vinyl may or may not accept the dye sub ribbons. Therefore ,the instructions recommend only regular ribbons even though most of our customers use dye sub mode with the white vinyl (the glossy one).

Q. How well will the Alps ink resist fading if placed where it is exposed to direct sunlight ?
A. The Alps ink is extremely resistant to the UV effect of the sunlight when compared with traditional photographs.

Q. Why can't I use ink jet printers with the water slide decal paper?
A. The Inkjet printer prints by dropping ink droplets onto the media. As these droplets are mostly water and the media is a plastic type, the results will be ink on the surface that will not dry.

Q. What do you mean by Late Model Personal Laser printer/copier?
A. The newer generation laser printers not using oil fuser unit.

Q. Can I use your self adhesive vinyl in a Laser printer and, if so, also in Color Laser Printers?
A. In most cases our new Laser Polyester can be used with excellent results in B/W laser printers like HP and Brother and B/W photocopiers, except Xerox. BUT do NOT use our vinyl in color laser printers.

Q. Can your Static Clingmedia be used in copiers or Laser Printers?
A. NO. For laser printers we offer the new cling/tack polyester.

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