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Thank you for sharing the build of this engine with us all. The build is a very tidy one and I wish that I could exercise the same level of craftsmanship which I see every time I look at this and other postings.
With regard to the debate about the relative strengths and weaknesses of laser and ink jet printers: laser printers form a heat fused plate of ink on paper, a film which may crack when the underlying paper or card is scored or folded. The colours are strong but the film presents a uniform glazed plastic surface. The film does not accept inks or paints easily in order to touch up paper edges or modify surfaces – to suggest weathering etc.
On the other hand, ink-jet printers deliver a coating of coloured dyes which sink into the surface of the paper and card. These inks are not water resistant and may smudge if they come into contact with water based glues or other liquids. Some dyes are susceptible to fading.
There is an alternative which is a pigmented ink such as Epson’s Dura Brite ink. Ink jet printers which use pigmented inks deliver a coating which is less likely to sink into the paper base. The colours can be quite bright especially when printed using a “high” setting. On the other hand, this pigmented ink will not fragment or crack when the paper is folded or scored. They are reputed to be light fast with a life expectancy of about 80 years. They allow the surface of the paper to retain its surface character, whether gloss or matte. The decoration of the models is stable and inks remain in place and do not smudge. The models may be coated with various varnishes or sealed with a thin polystyrene glue such as Revell’s Contacta cement which penetrates the paper and usually dries into an invisible surface. Test on an inconspicuous corner of the model first!
I use pigmented inks daily. Posters and printed leaflets do not need to be laminated to protect them from the weather. Documents may be highlighted with highlighter pens without affecting the printed texts. But, some users have noted that these inks can dry on the printers if the machines are switched off without being closed down properly.
I hope this is of some help …
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