Toner Transfer System Review

[cwp]

Hi all,

I while back there was a thread on the newbies forum about etching Trademarks. I had seen a system for circuit boards from DynaArt called the Toner Transfer System, so I bought a pack to do some tests. I just finished the first test, and things worked out pretty well. I did a couple of images from old woodcut images and "WARNER" for Bob Warner. Things worked out fairly well on the transfer and etch. I got a good etch of "WARNER" at about 3mm by .5mm. I do think that DynaArts suggestion of a vaccum bag and a heat gun would give a better transfer than a household iron, but overall I am pretty impressed with the product.

Hopefully this helps some. I will try another etch, and see about posting some pictures later this week. I just wanted to get the early results out, so others who may want to try it know at least it is do-able.

--Carl

BTW -- The web page
http://www.dynaart.com/DTF/A.PCB.html

[Bob Warner]

Good work Carl. Looking forward to the results. Sounds like a pretty small example. Can you post any pictures?

[cwp]

OK, here is a quick scan from the test steel. This is a piece of welding steel that was prepped quickly for a first quick test/learning experience. I will try and get a tutorial posted this weekend using a piece of O-1.

[image]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid47/p3ced38bb0a2fc80584f3c0b328cf6862/fcc66e4f.jpg[/image]

The "WARNER" second from the top is approx 3mm across and was done for Bob Warner as a test. The Osprey has had a sharpie run over it, while the skeletal seahorse (upside down in this image) has not. The list of "WARNER" has also had a sharpie
run over it, and the darkening around it is from the scratching and pitting left in the welding steel during the test.

If you look around the seahorse, you can see a lighter area where the toner was, the acid when washed off slightly darkend the exposed steel.

Hope this helps,
--Carl

[Jamey Saunders]

Here ya go:

[cwp]

Thought I had that, used the tutorial and everything:confused:

Let's try one more time:

[image]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid47/p3ced38bb0a2fc80584f3c0b328cf6862/fcc66e4f.jpg.orig.jpg[/image]

This doesn't seem to be working, although the webpage seems to work. Any one know why? No spaces, no double http://.

:confused: :confused: :confused:

--Carl

[cwp]

Thanks Jamey,

--Carl

[cwp]

Just a note,

Looking at the image, the second link has a much bigger image that shows the detail better, a copy and paste into a new browser might be worth looking at the detail.

--Carl

[Jamey Saunders]

The actual tag you will use for posting pics is [IMG], not [IMAGE]. Try posting using the IMG button in the vB Code section, just above where you type your reply.

The url for the following picture is:

[IMG] http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...f.jpg.orig.jpg[/IMG]
without the pace after the first [IMG] tag.



[EDIT] Looks like Imagestation has blocked the outside linking on your picture. I offer free image hosting to CKD members. Check it out here:
http://www.ckdforums.com/showthread....&threadid=9254

[cwp]

Jamey,

Thanks, I used the [image] like in the tutorial, next time I will use the [img].

Thanks for the offer of the web space, I have some available to my through my cablemodem, but haven't set it up yet, and wanted to post this scan. I will probably be doing a tutorial for this system this weekend, and will set up everything then.

--Carl

[Martyn]

Jamey, this is great, what's a sharpie?

[Bob Warner]

A sharpie is a felt tiped marker with permanent ink.

[Jamey Saunders]

"Bring back my Sharpie, dude!"

[For those of you from "across the pond", that's a line in a commercial for Sharpie brand permanent markers.]

BTW, this is Carl's experiment. I'm just an interested party who's trying to get the images up.

[cwp]

Hi all,

The sharpie really didn't work well for blackening. I have another idea I am going to try when I do the tutorial this weekend, so I hope they work. If you look at the seahorse, the area around it is a fairly shiny area of the steel, so you can see the lack of contrast here.

I also need to give credit to the idea of the animals, I got that from David Boye's book 'Step-by-Step Knifemaking', which has some very nice etched blades.

I may do one more test sheet in the near future, if I do I will let people know and have the same offer as last time. That is I will make available space open on a first come basis. I only had two people interested last time, and hopefully they will try the material and add to the knowledge base.

If you are interested in testing this, drop me a quick e-mail and if there is enough interest, I will put another sheet together. This will benefit by having more test cases on steels I don't have, possibly on a number of treatment methods. All I would ask is a post on how it worked (and hopefully pictures).

Note: any image or logo has to be black and white, and would be printed on a 1200dpi laserjet (HP LaserJet 4050, older but good),
so a 1 wide design would be between 1200 and 2400 pixels for best resolution on print.

--Carl

[Martyn]

Originally posted by jsaund22


BTW, this is Carl's experiment. I'm just an interested party who's trying to get the images up.

Oops, got it Jamey, my mistake, sorry Carl. Great work and thanks for the "sharpie" clarification.

[aiiifish]

I've been using a simular system (Techniks inc. ) for several months now. I like it very much. The best thing is the flexability. I want to customize a blade with someones name, cut a piece of sheet, tape it to a sheet of white paper, run it through the laser printer.

A few things I've found with this though. After you apply the stencil spray your blade with primer. I use the dollar a can stuff from walmart. then remove your stencil. This keeps any acid fumes or spilled acid from darkening your blade. Trying to brighten the blade after etching will degrade the mark. Look at the stencil, after application and before acid etch, with a magnifying glass. You will notice a thin spot or pin hole or two. cover these with nail polish or primer. I always look at the borders of my lettering at this time too. If I need to sharpen an edge up I use the point of a needle. If you use FECL cut it to 50% with water and add a couple of drops of dish soap. Don't let the acid sit longer than 2 to 2.5 minutes. If you do it will degrade the border of your letters.

I know this all seems like a big hassle. But in reality It takes about 5 minutes to apply and etch. and it really give you alot of flexability over some of the other marking systems. Hope this helps.

Steve
Double S Custom