Transferring image to metal

LVCIAN · Sep 14, 2016

Has anyone tried using acetone to transfer the reverse of a printed image to metal?

I'm not having a lot of luck.

The metal is clean, the printed image is as dark as I can make it, and I'm using pure acetone.

Any tips?

diandwill · Sep 14, 2016

It must be the wrong ink/printer. Some work and some don't.

My Brother printer does not, but I have an old Canon b/w copier that does. It adds an extra step, but it transfers just fine.

Sam · Sep 14, 2016

LVCIAN said:
Has anyone tried using acetone to transfer the reverse of a printed image to metal?

I'm not having a lot of luck.

The metal is clean, the printed image is as dark as I can make it, and I'm using pure acetone.

Any tips?

Acetone only works with laser printers that are not the Brother brand. It will not work with inkjet.

LVCIAN · Sep 14, 2016

What have you all doing as the most reliable transfer methods?

Tim Wells · Sep 14, 2016

Please use the search function. Not trying to put you off, this subject has been covered probably more times than any other topic. It's all there for the reading.

LVCIAN · Sep 14, 2016

Thank you I started in "Tips" but there isn't a whole lot there. I'll keep digging.

JJ Roberts · Sep 15, 2016

I either draw directly on the gun, knife or transfer any images which are drawn on Vellum tracing paper. :pencil:

J.J.

truehand · Sep 15, 2016

Acetone and laser printer is the easiest and most reliable method of transfer. If your laser printer isn't transferring try a different laser printer because the odd one doesn't work at all but most do.

Using the search function on a forum is a painful, time wasting exercise at best.

diandwill · Sep 15, 2016

The 'site search' under the Engravers Cafe logo works well. The other not so much.

Using the search engine shows a certain amount of interest and desire. Not using it is presumed to be lazy, and will draw the ire of many on this forum.
Anyway, using the top Site Search came up with these articles:https://www.searchlock.com/search?q=site:www.engraverscafe.com+Printers

Barry Lee Hands · Sep 15, 2016

I print with an ink jet, then photocopy the image with a dry toner old school photocopier.
If i need to flip the image, i photocopy to a transparency sheet and flip that, and photocopy it onto paper.
After that, I use a cotton ball damp with acetone, if i fail, it is usually from too much acetone puddling the image.

Eric Olson · Sep 15, 2016

I recently had success printing with a regular ink-jet on parchment paper.
I roughed up the surface of the parchment with abrasive paper and it seemed to keep the ink from beading up too much.
Transfer using tacky damar varnish thinned with lighter fluid.

monk · Sep 15, 2016

im not trying to spend your money, or make sam wealthy. if you get sams' dvd on pattern transfer, he shows several ways this can be done. all are easily done, but require a bit of practice. transfers are much easier to accurately place, if one uses transparent sheet. parchment works, but not easy to see thru it for accurate placement.

Sam · Sep 15, 2016

truehand said:
Using the search function on a forum is a painful, time wasting exercise at best.

Now that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever read here. I use it all the time...in fact just awhile go when I had to dig years back for a google search script.

As I have said 1000 times, use the SITE SEARCH button at the top below the Cafe logo. It's extremely effective.

LVCIAN · Sep 15, 2016

I appreciate the recap of an old conversation, the direction, and the clue in about the search function.

At this point I want to use a graver to put my art on metal. I had hoped not to get too bogged down in transfer methods.
Sounds like there is a lot to learn there too.

Imagine my surprise to learn that being a metal smith meant I had to know the internal workings of office equipment.

Thanks for the heads up. I'm off to FedEx to see what printers I can get my hands on to test.

Sam · Sep 15, 2016

LVCIAN said:
Imagine my surprise to learn that being a metal smith meant I had to know the internal workings of office equipment.

Thanks for the heads up. I'm off to FedEx to see what printers I can get my hands on to test.

Transferring printed designs certainly has its place, but please don't think it's mandatory. Many of us draw directly on the metal, which is how we learned back in the day. I caution all my students not to become slaves to transfers. If you do, then you are putting huge limits on how far you can go with this art. If you're just a hobbyist and just want to have fun engraving, then that's fine. If you're going to get serious with it then drawing is an absolute must.

LVCIAN · Sep 15, 2016

I am using all my own art. I posted a few pencils.
So far I am drawing directly on the metal but I keep rubbing bits of it off when I make a pass. It's pretty frustrating.

Steve L S · Sep 15, 2016

If all else fails, and you don't want to buy A new printer- clean metal surface with alcohol after lightly abrading with 2000 mesh. Print or photocopy your lettering/drawing onto 45gsm Bank Layout paper available from any artists supplier, you may have to carefully tape it to your heavier 80 gsm normal printer paper for it to go through your printer. Lay down a thick layer of artists 'Multi Medium Matte' ( which is a weird kind of gel glue mine is from Ranger Ink) on your metal and laminate the mirror image down onto it with a brayer using heavy pressure.
Do this in the morning, then after lunch soak it in hot water with detergent, then in the evening rub the disintegrated paper fibres off with your fingers. Takes all day to get your transfer done and only on flat plate but permits me to use a printer that doesn't work with other methods

Sam · Sep 15, 2016

LVCIAN said:
I am using all my own art. I posted a few pencils.
So far I am drawing directly on the metal but I keep rubbing bits of it off when I make a pass. It's pretty frustrating.

If you're wiping off the design as you're engraving, then you need to start training yourself to engrave without your fingers resting on the surface of the metal. I think most of us prefer to keep a couple of fingers in contact with the surface since it provides a nice stable platform and helps with control, but there will be times when that's not possible. Early in your career it's tough to do, but eventually you'll be able to do it.

Dani Girl · Sep 15, 2016

sam said:
Now that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever read here. I use it all the time...in fact just awhile go when I had to dig years back for a google search script.

As I have said 1000 times, use the SITE SEARCH button at the top below the Cafe logo. It's extremely effective.

Why don't we delete the other search option? Or hide it or something?

Sam · Sep 15, 2016

Dani Girl said:
Why don't we delete the other search option? Or hide it or something?

Because it's part of the forum software packaged and there's no way to easily remove it.

Transferring image to metal

Member

Elite Cafe Member

Chief Administrator & Benevolent Dictator

Member

~ Elite 1000 Member ~

Member

:::Pledge Member:::

Member

Elite Cafe Member

~ Elite 1000 Member ~

Elite Cafe Member

Moderator

Chief Administrator & Benevolent Dictator

Member

Chief Administrator & Benevolent Dictator

Member

Member

Chief Administrator & Benevolent Dictator

~ Elite 1000 Member ~

Chief Administrator & Benevolent Dictator

Sponsors