I tried printing decals on my laser printer and also airbrushing some opaque paint onto PETG. Neither look very good when illuminated. I have a Silhouette Cameo cutter so I am thinking to try stencil screening instead. Original plastics were silk screened so I figure this is going to produce better results.

What mesh size frame should I buy or does it matter for stencil screening? And what kind of ink? Any advice is appreciated!

Does anybody have experience to share? I guess the mesh doesn't matter for stencil based screening.

These inks can print on plastic: http://paintspot.ca/products-page/jacquard/jacquard-screen-printing-ink/

Should I be looking at the regular or opaque inks? Pretty expensive, I don't want to get the wrong kind.

I tried that and didn't get good results. The image just seems too thin and washed out. I do have the toner density cranked to maximum, it looks great until illuminated from the back -- then it is a pallid cousin to the real plastic.

Someone else mentioned printing from an inkjet onto photo paper and then adhering that to the plastic with 3M adhesive spray. I don't have an inkjet printer any more but was tempted by the Canon Pixma Pro 100!

TopMoose, did you do stencil based printing or emulsion based?

EEE -- I did use clear decal paper for the colour and affixed white decal to the back.

For me I am trying to recreate a single slingshot plastic for "Top Score". I have hand-cut the PETG it is pretty easy to work with.

I have already vectorized the artwork so I can cut accurate stencils on the Silhouette Cameo.

The Jacquard inks are heat curable and they state suitable for plastics -- just wish I knew whether to order the opaque inks or the standard inks.

I think I will give it a shot and report back on the results....