Printer roll-call

[Julie Coffey]

LOL tell me its not a small world?

I started doing leather repairs, and personalised tooling. Then I moved the UK was asked to apprentice under a rocking horse restorer/refurbisher. When I came back to the states I got my Adult Woodworking Degree from the USAF MWR. I just love working with my hands, I'll never be a hand model but I'd like to think I can make people smile with the stuff I've done. Kyf'ing people is very addictive.

Since joining the SCA I've been doing Tournament prizes, Baronial and Kingdom level gifts. And of course the highly prized 'just because...I like ya prezzies'.

Here Black and whites are legal, along with the designer colors IF and thats a big IF your lucky enough to find someone who's #######d to breed them. I guess they arent the easiest things to raise. Momma's get a real 'tude'. Thing that kills me is that theres a skunk rescue less then 80miles away from me in Indiana that could hook me up with a baby but no dice.... makes a girl want to cry.

My friends say I'm as tenacious as a pit bull with rabies :evil (I think thats a round about compliment) so I'm not giving up. Just have to keep on shaking hands, making phone calls and getting the word out.

J

[MCirelli]

Julie
When you go to the office supply place they have all the printers pluged in and on display. What you want to do is print out the sample page for the printers your interested in it is usually explained how at the printer. Print out all the sample pages (they usually print the type of printer it is) take them home and see which one transfers the best for you. But don't use staight acetone it is usually to strong use fingernail polish remover.
Good luck
Mike Cirelli

[Julie Coffey]

Thanks that is a great idea, I'll be doing that over the weekend. When I went in two days ago they were 're-arranging' at our Staples so I was only able to get one sheet hopefully tomorrow or Sat. I'll go back and they will have the rest up and running.

J

[John B.]

Julie,
I beg to differ with Mike Cirelli's post. Just my thoughts!
Finger nail polish remover will work, and it's fine for most metal. The problem is that it usually contains some scented oil mixed into the basic acetone.
When used on leather or wood it leaves a slight oily stain. This will be a problem when you go to apply your final finish. Acetone leaves no stain.
Acetone works just fine on all materials except some plastics. It's a matter of timing and how wet you make your wiping cloth. Wipe the back of the transfer with an acetone DAMPENED cloth with firm, quick strokes until the design is visible on the back of the transfer paper. Without displacing it, quickly hinge back the transfer to make sure you
have transfered a complete image. Do not leave the damp transfer in contact with the surface any longer than needed to get a good transfer. Hinge back down and repeat if needed to get a complete image.
JohnB.

[MCirelli]

I am sorry, I never transfer onto anything but metal. But I do believe if you find your transfer to be smearing I would water down the acetone. I think the water in the nail polish remover is what makes the transfer work better. It lets the aceotne work slower and not so aggressive to release the toner from the paper. Just my thoughts
Mike Cirelli

[Julie Coffey]

I'm very excited about trying this process with the mediums that I work in. Anyone who has ever used carbon paper or tracing film knows what I'm talking about when it comes to getting finite detail. I can only imagine it would be similar to going from engraving with the naked eye to using a microscope for added detail.

I will post on a seperate string if anyones interested what success or failures I have.

J

[LonglineCharlie]

Hi Julie I am a learning engraver and I too use the transfer methods as I am not an artist but rather a mechanic. I can sculpt metal or wood or whatever but putting something beautiful on there in the first place is next to impossible. I must copy someone elses ideas and artwork. Hence the need to learn how.

I was using the laser coper and acetone method and found it to be lacking a lot of finess and quality. I learned of Tom Whites transfer liquid and his way of getting fantastic results and I bought a C86 printer from EBAY, brand new in a sealed box for $42 + shp. It included all of the proper ink with it and I purchased some of the Proper transparencies off of ebay as well for $35 with free shipping. I now had 30 transparencies. I put the setting in that Tom reccomended with his solution and printed up a scroll That I wished to engrave on a S&W Revolver and I installed it and was engraving in 30 minutes. The pattern I had transfered to the revolver was better than any I had gotten with the acetone and laser printer method although I Had used it extensively up till now. Like you though it was a pain running back and forth to the copy shop to get copies made to the exact size I needed and such.

I saw you mentioned the sticky ness of the transfer solution, It does not remain sticky but for a few minutes and then dries like shellac. It is easily removed with sandpaper or alcohol but might stain the wood you use. I doubt it would stain the Faux Ivory that you are going to use though as I have used it on knife handles and accidently got stain on the Ivory and it removed easily with plastic polish.

I am not a regular visitor to this forum however so if you should wish to contact me on any of the transfer process questions, please email me At LonglineCharlie@lightbound.com

Charlie

[KERRY BOGAN]

Does anyone reuse their transparencies? I haven't tried this method, but I'm getting ready and bought transparencies and am waiting for the transfer solution. Does this method completly transfer the ink and can you reuse the transpariencies? I know I'm being cheap here but they are kind of expensive.

[Andy S]

Most just print at the bottom of the page, cut it off and then reuse the sheet that is left. Your printer doesn't care how long the sheet is. Just accommodate for it in the print setup. As far as trying to reuse the whole sheet.....If you can find a way to remove the ink that remains I suppose it would be possible....more trouble than it would be worth though

[LonglineCharlie]

When you burnish the back of the transparency to transfer the print to the steel, if you cover it thoroughly, it will transfer all of the ink to the steel. What I do is cut off whatever part of the print is left that I didn't use and save it in a scrapbook for something I may need it for later on another project.
As for the rest of the sheet, as they said your printer doesn't know it isn't a full sheet if you are only printing in one small corner or whatever you can keep using the sheet till its all gone.
Longline Charlie