I have been making decals with the white vinyl material on a cheap HP ink jet (D2660), and have been very happy with the results. The one issue I have is when doing a black background, the black is not as dark as a gloss black blank.

I have messed with the printer, and had a local computer tech look at the settings, and he said I would probably need a different printer to get a truer black.

Does anyone have any printer model recomendations for this? Also - has anyone tried one of the new Kodak printers?

Thanks,

Marc

The Cannon printers I have used in the last few years all seem to do really deep blacks. Not sure about current offerings though.

Black color setting in your software have many setting for color shades.

Black is no different.

If you are using software like Corel Draw shade adjustments can be made. The RBG Setting for color to match the Castaway Black blank is RBG - 8-8-8.

The other way to work around the blank black/media black is to do a wrap around overlap and then the slight difference is not noticable.

I use three older HP ink jet printers and they all work quite well.

Most of my labels are black as well.

Are you edging with acrylic black touch up to make the edge vanish? (Finger Nail Acrylic at Sally's beauty supply?)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/24/2010 10:07AM by Bill Stevens.

Hey Bill,

I am using Paintshop Pro, with RBG settings all at zero, and still not getting black enough with my HP D2660 printer. I am darkening the white edge with a black sharpie and it is working great.

Not sure what I can do to get darker other than a printer change from here.

I had an older HP printer that did print a darker black, but she retired.

Thanks,
Marc

Understood - What blank surface are you trying to match up with?

There is also a setting for ink volume in the printer settings - have you advanced that to darker?

Sharpie use can be improved. Sharpie contains a solvent which reacts with the adhesive on the back of the media. If you are getting small bubbles around the edge during the finishing after the first coat try acrylic black touch up.

I looked under my printer info, and can't seem to find a setting for ink volume. Any idea where it may be located?

Also - I do sometimes get those little bubbles - I'll have to check out the acrylic black - Thanks!

At time of print -

On HP printers the print screen includes Properties - click on that and select darker or slide the bar from lighter to darker.

Bill, will you elaborate on "acrylic black touch up"? Are you just talking about acrylic paint, or is there a specific paint marker that you have used with good results?

Wall Mart: White Tube 4 5/8" Long with Black Removable Cap. 1/2 " Diameter with a ball inside that you can shake. When the cap is removed a felt tip is exposed that is used to run the edges. The thing is called an Acrylic Touch Up Marker. My present one has lasted for about four months. Hundreds of labels.

You can also go to the drug store and get black fingernail acrylics that are much higher priced that work also.