Default printer

Is there a way to tell the Finder to (in classic environment) to make a default printer without having to run Desktop Printer Utility.
We only use one printer per machne, but on some machines at startup the Default Printer doesn’t remain active.
TIA
Maruzzo

not really sure if you mean in OS 9 or running classic in OS X. anyway:
for OS X:

tell application "Classic Environment"
activate
tell application "printer utility"
set "default printer" to (name of printer. i.e Epson Stylus Inkjet Printer 710i)
end tell
end tell