It is good to have a color plotter and photo paper :)

[shardian]

I've been planning to print off an underlay for my pacman at work. However, I found out that our 2400dpi color plotter will be going to our North Branch soon. Seeing an opportunity slipping away, I decided to print off everything I need for my projects and then some.
Some notes:
Vector images do not print out well on an inkjet printer. For some reasons, blacks were not bold.
High resolution raster scans (which is every thing in the pic but the underlays) print out AWESOME on the same printer.

And now, the brag photo op.

[JeepMonkey]

Nice!

Run that ink dry until it gets moved out.   

[shardian]

Nice!

Run that ink dry until it gets moved out.   

Heh, I plan to. My buddy that maintains the plotter freaked out when I showed him what all I wanted to print out. He got a roll of photo paper free from our supplier, and he thought every file was the same size as the underlays at first. After seeing the size of a marquee, he wanted to print everything. 

[FrizzleFried]

Any way I can get a custom CPO for my DK cabinet printed by you?  I'd happily pay some $$ for the time and effort?!?

This is what it looks like (thus far...still work in progress):

[RayB]

Do you need to spray a protecting fixative or something on top? Doesn't it stick to plexiglass after a while?

[Jeff AMN]

I'm jealous man. Tonight I'm picking up a Pac-Man cab that has been converted to a Bubble Bobble. It's going to need some work...

[shardian]

Do you need to spray a protecting fixative or something on top? Doesn't it stick to plexiglass after a while?

I'm not really sure on this. After they are dry, they don't stick to each other. I would figure that spraying them with fixative would definitely help out alot. I will pick up a can and test out on one to see how it looks and how much durability it actually adds.

[shardian]

Any way I can get a custom CPO for my DK cabinet printed by you?  I'd happily pay some $$ for the time and effort?!?

This is what it looks like (thus far...still work in progress):

As long as you put it under some plexi, this would work out awesome for you. I wouldn't trust the durability of these as a CPO unless they are laminated (which I also have limited access to a large format hot laminator  ...but not for a while.)

Anyways, shoot me a pm and we'll talk.

[ChadTower]

I'm not really sure on this. After they are dry, they don't stick to each other. I would figure that spraying them with fixative would definitely help out alot. I will pick up a can and test out on one to see how it looks and how much durability it actually adds.

Warm up a copy and see if the ink wets a little.  You're going to use it in front of a heat source.

[leapinlew]

I'm not really sure on this. After they are dry, they don't stick to each other. I would figure that spraying them with fixative would definitely help out alot. I will pick up a can and test out on one to see how it looks and how much durability it actually adds.

Warm up a copy and see if the ink wets a little.  You're going to use it in front of a heat source.

I absolutely HATE saying this but Chad is right. 

I printed my first cpo to use on my nintendo cabinet. I put it under plexi. I don't think the heat from the monitor or computer was as much of an issue as the heat from my hand on the control panel while I played. The ink started to rub off on the plexi.

[FrizzleFried]

Do you think regular old CLEAR COAT spraypaint would rectify the situation?

[Jeff AMN]

Do you think regular old CLEAR COAT spraypaint would rectify the situation?

How would laminating the stuff work? Would that mess things up?

[FrizzleFried]

I don't have access to a laminating machine...does Kinkos do that kinda stuff?

[shardian]

I don't have access to a laminating machine...does Kinkos do that kinda stuff?

I'm not sure about kinkos. If they do, they might only laminate their own stuff.
If you know an elementary school teacher, ask if they can laminate it for you.

[shardian]

Do you think regular old CLEAR COAT spraypaint would rectify the situation?

How would laminating the stuff work? Would that mess things up?

hot laminating is basically shrink wrapping. It won't hurt anything if done right. Professionally done CPO's are cold laminated vinyl. It is more durable I believe.

[ChadTower]

Do you think regular old CLEAR COAT spraypaint would rectify the situation?

Not well, probably... I'd avoid liquids.  It may not react well with the ink or the print medium... acrylics like Triple Thick are reflective, which isn't good here, and they go on like a liquid.  He can't wetsand this for a good finish.

[FrizzleFried]

Welp I found a "Copies Plus" locally that will laminate it for $3.00.  Hard to beat that.

[ChadTower]

If you're going to do it many times, you can get a low end laminator at Walmart for $25.

[shardian]

If you're going to do it many times, you can get a low end laminator at Walmart for $25.

It is not wide format though and refills can get expensive. Also, quality of lamination will not be very good.

[ChadTower]

That's true, but I'm not sure he's going to get high end lamination for $3 a piece, either.  The unit I have is easily good enough to do marquees that are going behind glass.  CPs, no, probably not, not good enough quality.

[shardian]

That's true, but I'm not sure he's going to get high end lamination for $3 a piece, either.  The unit I have is easily good enough to do marquees that are going behind glass.  CPs, no, probably not, not good enough quality.

Do you have a link for the one you have?

The machine I have access to is a 48" wide continuous feed laminator. I assume that the copy store will have something similar and have the know-how to use it. I have to wait until I can get to the machine myself, because my mother-in-law is sloppy with it and will ruin whatever needs laminated...small price to pay for free.

[ChadTower]

The one I have is nothing like a 48" continuous feed laminator.  That is definitely better.  It works pretty well with stuff up to about a foot to 18" wide.

[Wade]

Looks nice!!  Where did you get the JK bezel?  The only one I could find was low res.

I've used Satin Crystal Clear on prints like these before and it held up pretty well.  Maybe not good enough for a CP, but good enough for a marquee or bezel underlay for sure.  I've used it on sideart as well.  Might not hold up out in the elements, but has held up just fine in my gameroom.

Wade

[shardian]

Looks nice!!  Where did you get the JK bezel?  The only one I could find was low res.

I've used Satin Crystal Clear on prints like these before and it held up pretty well.  Maybe not good enough for a CP, but good enough for a marquee or bezel underlay for sure.  I've used it on sideart as well.  Might not hold up out in the elements, but has held up just fine in my gameroom.

Wade

Classic arcade graphix group buy. I LOVE the 300 dpi raster scans. They look so ridiculously sharp on photo paper. And the jungle king bezel was only like 5 megs as a psd file.

[Wade]

Really, they had a good scan of that in there?  Sweet!

You could sandwich that print between a piece of tempered glass and put a piece of tinted plexi underneath that would hold the print.  Then you'd get a tint over your monitor too if it has burn on it (like most of mine have).  I'll give you a sheet of tinted plexi if you want, I have a couple dozen sheets in varying condition (some of them are decent, some worn.  Some are also TOO dark).

TTYL,
Wade

[rovingmind]

wow i'm so jealous

all we have here is a color laser printer,

[eccs19]

It's nice to see others having fun like this.  I've got access to a HP 450C.  It's not the greatest, but it worked for what I wanted.  We are expecting to get getting a new color plotter anytime soon, and I'l looking forward to seeing what kind of a job it does.