Question: new up to date transfering

[Weldon47]

I use the ancient/archaic method of drawing the design with a pencil right there on the object I am going to engrave....
a hopeless case ain't I!!

Good luck,
Weldon

 

[Stewart's Jewelers]

question for everyone when you print on paper should you be able to run your finger across the ink and feel it? because looking back at my stuff from class i toke the one paper i have that we used you can run your finger across and feel the the ink. and on my print outs its all on layer.

 

[rod]

Weldon,

I must agree that drawing on the object at real life scale has to put the engraver in very close touch with the about-to-be-cut stage, I know that you and Martin Stroltz would see eye to eye here. Boy, can that man use a hammer and chisel! I was astonished at how vigorously the chips flew all around the room, and how rapidly his deep carved game scenes evolved. One valuable insight I got from him, and it should have been obvious, when scribing the pencil drawing onto the steel with a slightly burnished point scriber, I always had in my mind that the scriber was held and used like a pencil. No. He used a scriber like he would hold a graver, supported up close to the point, and would quickly and accurately lay his designs in.

Thanks for the super glue hint, by the way in your PM !

Rod

 

[Tira]

Try using a Q-tip to apply the acetone. For one, it won't get all over your hands, and two, you can use a slight pressure from the Q-tip rod as you go over the design. It seems to be easier to gauge just how much acetone you are using too. You don't want so much acetone that the paper is really stuck to the metal due to the liquid underneath it. You want just enough that the toner lets go.

 

[mitch]

I use the ancient/archaic method of drawing the design with a pencil right there on the object I am going to engrave....
a hopeless case ain't I!!

Good luck,
Weldon

good point. just so we're clear, folks, i only very rarely transfer anything. other than the occasional logo or client-supplied artwork that needs reproduced faithfully, i seldom have call for it. i hand draw all of my scrollwork.

 

[GTJC460]

alright so i went with the printer douglas suggested but got it with a scanner. i print it out on paper then acetone and remove the paper and thats what i get.. so i be trying something different.?

I have and use this exact printer. I was frustrated with the acetone method as it is a faint image you will get. At the suggestion of someone here on the forum, I started using the printer with parchment paper/varnish method to get my transfers. It is far superior to the acetone method.

Basically go to your local arts and crafts store and buy a can of spray damar varnish or similar varnish spray. Print off a page on plain white paper the design. The cut a piece of baking parchment paper to cover the printed area. Tape down with "Scotch" tape. Put paper back in printer and reprint design. Next spay your item with the varnish. allow it to dry to a minimum of slightly tacky to completely dry. Next place parchment design face down on object. rub design with burnisher on to object. Be sure to rub the design completely.

As long as you don't completely lift the transfer off, you can check it and burnish areas you missed.

It works like magic, very easy and supper clear transfers.

 

[Mike Fennell]

Sam, as always, makes some excellent points.

Apparently I did not use the inkjet enough to notice that it was capable of finer detail than the laser could provide. Perhaps I should borrow one and try it again.

Mike Fennell

 

[silverchip]

So lately I have been using my Xara program and traced out some patterns with it.I used some misc transparency film and printed it out on my Epson printer. I did have to put a strip of tape on the right side of the transparency to make it go through the printer but it transfers perfectly fine with alcohol and Damar mix.No special transparency needed just got to remember to mirror my images when I print them!!!

 

[rod]

If you are new to the transfer procedure and getting smudgy results, do not give up without trying a wet finger dab of 'Chinese White' water color. It works wonders over bare metal to act as a tenacious blotting paper, lessening smudge.

Remember heat alone will transfer your image, no damar needed, that toner on your print out is loaded with glue grains to melt and stick it onto any surface, mostly onto the paper. You just have to press it evenly with something like an upturned electric clothes iron. Want a simple test to prove the point? Take a piece of, say, copper plumbing tube, clean surface, wrap your printout design face down around the pipe. Wrap the paper with many turns of sewing thread. Give the pipe a bit of a torch heat a few inches from the design. Get the paper hot but not brown with a burn. Let cool, unwrap the thread, the paper should drop off and the design will be glued firmly to your workpiece? If you like that, figure a way to press and heat a flat surface situation. No chance of any smudging. Again, a first rub with spit and Chinese White is your friend.

Rod

 

[Mike Bissell]

I use the method that Bert Edmonston described a few post ago. I get a perfect transfer every time. I'll either use this or draw it on with pencil and scribe.

 

[Stewart's Jewelers]

Well yesterday my dad/ my boss got pretty feed up with this so he said after work we taking a trip to the closes staples and we did with a contaner of acetone and practices peace and cotton balls went to every b&w printer and tested them all out and found which one worked best. we end up getting a canon image class with a built in scanner work very good then we mess with the setting and it made it 100 times better. and we got some 3m transparency film for laser printers which is a cg3300 were going to give that a try out with the spray varnish which was a kamar. so

would like two say thanks for the in put from everyone now i cant print different fonts off an practice my engraving..

 

[Sam]

If you find a good way to make transparency printouts work with laser I'd like to know about it.

 

[DKanger]

Sam
Perhaps you should talk to Brian M. He has sheets of them preprinted with designs for his students to use. Cut out the design you want and transfer it to a practice plate. Every one made a perfect transfer by people who have never made one before. Some were good for 2 or 3 uses.

 

[LWN1957]

I am using an HP Officejet Pro 8600 inkjet printer (bought on sale for $149), Tom white's Transfer Magic solution and Master's Touch Tracing paper rather than the transparency film. I am getting very clean and crisp transfers and the Master's Touch tracing paper is much cheaper (50 sheets for $4) than the transparency film. Printer is set for "Best" quality and grayscale. This method is working very well for me.