Transfer

[Mack]

In previous thread I mentioned that I bought something called Black Noir graphite paper at Michaels art supply. This is how well it works when put behind a pattern and traced on to the plate. Anyone else ever tried it. Mack

 

[carl bleile]

Mack, make your transfer as accurate as possable. I noticed that your tracing had some uneven lines and lines with kinks or elbows, when you engraved it you copied these mistakes. Every line you draw or cut should be smooth and in the right place.
God is in the details, Carl Bleile

 

[Marrinan]

Mack I used it a few times-still have some but when when people started discussing the new tech transfer methods I pretty much abandoned-also I mostly draw directly on the metal anyway-If I could do a better job of symetricals I could give up transfers altogether-I draw about 2 to 1 or more to drawing to cutting-always have-Fred

 

[monk]

i used to do the carbon paper way. now i like to draw oversize , scan, reduce in the computer, and do a transfer that way. also like to direct draw on some stuff, this forces honesty out of a crook like me. on more commercial stuff, i save a lot of time tracing patterns with a pantograph when applicable.

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Hi mack

Following on from what Carl has said...........you are following your transfer lines pretty well considering the stage you are at. And therein lies a bit of a problem.

Because your transfer lines have kinks and elbows...........so does your cutting.

I've taken the liberty of overlaying your transfer over your cuts so you can see what I mean.

Send me your e-mail address and I will send you a few scrolls to trace and cut plus a few other bits and pieces. It'll take a few days as I'm right in the middle of the silly season.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Mack]

Monk, I don't know how to do that on a computer.
Andrew, Thanks I need all the help I can get. Whenever you have the time of course. I think the problem is I am putting them in my vise to trace them. I need to lay it on my desk and do that and then put the finished product in my vise. I apreciate all the help. I'll be at my engraving bench till they pry my cold dead fingers -----Oh no that is something else.

 

[KCSteve]

Mack

All you need for computer based transfers is a computer, a printer, and pretty much any software that lets you print out a picture at the size you want.

I've got a laser printer and I think it's the easiest to work with. You don't need any special paper or have to do anything with selecting inks.

The one thing you might have to work to figure out is how to mirror your image before printing it. It's usually called 'flip' or 'mirror' in the software - if you tell us what kind of software you have available someone will probably be able to give you exact instructions.

So, if you have a laser printer you print the image (mirrored) at the size you want it to be. I cut out the image so it's easier to place it on the metal. Put the paper face down over the metal where you want it. Wet a paper towel with some acetone (nail polish remover is usually just acetone plus maybe a few things to make it 'pretty'). Daub / wipe the back of the paper with the acetone. This dissovles the binder in the toner and lets it come free from the paper. Lift off the paper while it's still 'damp' and you should have your image. It'll take a couple of tries the first time to get the right amount of acetone. Too little and you don't get enough transfer, too much and it blurs.

This transfer will probably be a bit too fragile to work with but that's easy to fix. 'Borrow' some hair spray and give it a light shot. Or you can put some of Mike Cirelli's solution (damar varnish + lighter fluid) on first (let it dry to tacky) it does a great job of keeping that toner in place.

Lots of ways to do tranfers but that's the basics.

 

[Mack]

Steve, I have Microsoft digital image and I can't seem to get the thing to work. I go to resize and resize the pic but when I hit print It is the origional size. Mack

 

[KCSteve]

Mack

I don't have that particular program but I'm sure someone does. As a guess I'd say check the options when you're doing the printing - there should be something on there somewhere that lets you specify the size of the printout.

 

[Mack]

It gives me the option of 8 x 10 or 5 x 7 or 3 x 5 etc but when I try to go custom it doesn't work.

 

[monk]

mack: i use corel draw. don't know about most of the other graphics programs. corel lets you tweak an image literally to the tiniest fraction of an inch. it allows many ways to manipulate an image to "just the exact" way you want it. corel wasn't always that way; it took me a long time to learn how to get the program to do what i wanted it to do. i love the program, but if you're new to the graphics software scene, it can make you go grey, or even bald !

 

[Mack]

No problem there, I am already grey and nearly bald. LOL

 

[Mack]

Hey!! wait a minute there, I just figured it out. Ha ! I printed a postage stamp. Even a blind pig will root up an acorn once in a while.

 

[diane b]

Mack, if you try the transfer method KCSteve has described, it is best to use straight acetone. I tried using my nail polish remover which does contain acetone, but the other "stuff" in it prevented the transfer from taking place at all. When I raided my husband's "studio" i.e. the garage, and used his straight acetone, it worked great.
diane

 

[monk]

don't forget- you can also use parchment "bakers" paper to do transfers. it has a place in this array of transfer fiddling. it's just 1 more way to skin the cat. it's way cheaper than the clear laser sheets.

 

[Mack]

KCSteve, OK there is something I don't understand here. First I printed an image on my Lexmark ink jet printer the size I wanted it. Then I placed it on the metal face down and took a Q tip and put some acetone on it. Not finger nail polish remover, but the acetone you buy at the hardware in a can. Nothing happened. I did this five times and nothing happened. Then I drew an image on paper with a pencil and tried that and then I drew an image with an ink pen and then with a sharpie marker. Nothing. If I use an overhead transparency like someone suggested, how will the acetone penetrate? I think I am missing some info or something. I am having a lot of fun and I am learning what does not work but that is about it.
I sure have a great wife. All this tap tap tapping and now talking to myself. She just smiles and says " Are you ok over there?"

 

[Arnaud Van Tilburgh]

Mack, I'm using nail polish remover, I have bought me 3 different bottles, the only one that worked was the nail polish remover WITHOUT acetone in it.

arnaud

 

[Tira]

Mack, The acetone works with laser printed images because the acetone allows the baked on laser ink to loosen from the paper and transfer onto the metal (or anything else the ink would come in contact with at that time). If you are using an ink jet printer then usually you use the other transfer type solution (Tom White's) or some combination of alcohol and damar varnish. In this case the ink from the printer isn't baked onto the paper it is printed onto a transparency or silicone baking paper, etc. Then when the "non- set" ink comes in contact with the sticky varnish/alcohol surface of the metal, the ink lets go from the non-porous surface (baking paper or transparency) and sticks to the metal.

 

[Peter E]

KCSteve, OK there is something I don't understand here. First I printed an image on my Lexmark ink jet printer the size I wanted it. Then I placed it on the metal face down and took a Q tip and put some acetone on it. Not finger nail polish remover, but the acetone you buy at the hardware in a can. Nothing happened. I did this five times and nothing happened. Then I drew an image on paper with a pencil and tried that and then I drew an image with an ink pen and then with a sharpie marker. Nothing. If I use an overhead transparency like someone suggested, how will the acetone penetrate? I think I am missing some info or something. I am having a lot of fun and I am learning what does not work but that is about it.
I sure have a great wife. All this tap tap tapping and now talking to myself. She just smiles and says " Are you ok over there?"

Mack - when you print to a transparency, as Tira mentioned, you don't use acetone but Tom White's transfer magic or Mike Cirelli's type solution. You clean the surface that you are transferring to (can use acetone for that or lighter fluid, etc.) and put the transfer solution on that. Then you place the transparency over that and burnish. Also, you need to print in mirror image mode and make sure you print to the correct side of the transparency for best results.

Peter

 

[Mack]

From the Schmidt tutorial
1. Print the image desired onto Epson InkJet transparency sheets.
2 Trim the printed transparency to “fitâ€￾ the metal plate.
3. Place the transparency, with the image side down (ie, facing the metal plate), upon the metal plate.
4. Apply the isopropanol/Dammar varnish solution to the surface of the transparency sheet, as if lightly burnishing

OK let me get this straight. You print on the transparency and then place it on the metal and then apply the solution to the back of the transparency. How does that work? Does the solution go through a plastic sheet?