Model Train Journal

Just got a blurb from. MicroMark. They worked with HP to come up with a system using an HP color laser printer and a special "ghost white" toner. The toner alone is $350 per cartridge and the printing process is rather elaborate requiring swapping cartridges and double printing.

HP had either licensed or acquired the ALPS technology for direct printing of DVD labels for their burners. I Don't know why they did not try to adapt that to a dedicated make decal printer.

Interesting. $350 toner cartridge, but for what model printer?

HP Lj Pro M452dw. Package deal of starter kit of printer, toner, paper, is around $800. It has black, cyan, yellow and magenta tone as well. Dye sub is the way to go or silk screen print like the pro's. Too many ways to f up with a laser printer.

Something to consider if/when I need to look for a new printer.

Web site for toner supplier

http://www.ghost-white-toner.com

Way more info. Still tied to HP equipment. There are cartridges for sublimation printing as well (even more expensive that white). There are large format cartridges for the larger format HP CP 5225dn. The also make neon color toners. Looks like they are targeting small run novelty shops for t-shirts/mugs.

chuck wrote:Just got a blurb from. MicroMark. They worked with HP to come up with a system using an HP color laser printer and a special "ghost white" toner. The toner alone is $350 per cartridge and the printing process is rather elaborate requiring swapping cartridges and double printing.

I suspect you wouldn't get very white whites if you used a printer that previously had black cartridges in it.

chuck wrote:Web site for toner supplier
http://www.ghost-white-toner.com

It's interesting how they seem to only be selling bundles with a brand new printer included.

You can just order toner. You have to scroll down below the bundles.

I also suspect the process is more involved than simply printing on water slide decal paper. It looks like they use a foil method that transfers the image to build up the decal in layers. And they do have supported some other brands of laser printers.

chuck wrote:You can just order toner. You have to scroll down below the bundles.

But not for my printer.........unsurprising,