I had read a while ago about tranferring petterns to wood using photocopies and a solvent to tranfer the toner (ink) to the wood. Couldn’t find the article again so started expermenting today. Google led me to believe that mineral spirits (paint thinner would do the trick but not so! Tried acetone and it works like a charm! had to play a bit to find the right amount and not to rub but just blot it on, transfers the lines nice and crisp. If you have the ability to mirror copy the picture you want to transfer even the text will come out correct on the wood. Just tried it on Maple which was planed, next step will be some Oak and see if the lines are still crisp. After that will try a color copy and see how that works.
Cheers.
Replies
Nice tip, thanks for sharing!
Woodspirit,
Have I got this straight? You take a copy of a drafted plan say, run through my scanner and then printed out, or a larger drafting I have duplicated at Kinko's or wherever, then I lay it down, face down, on the wood and dab the paper with acetone and the ink will release and tranfser? This sounds great if it's so!
Hi Danceswithwoods.
Yes, it's true. So far Iv'e only tried it with photocopies, I'm led to believe that newprint ink will not transfer but who knows. As I mentioned it takes a bit of practice to find the right amount of acetone to soften the ink, but not too much so that it runs and smuges. Dabbing seems to work better than rubbing with a damp towel. What I'm after in the end is transferring a print or picture so that it has that laser etched appearance and then a protective finish. When I'm happy with the results I'll post again.
Cheers
Interesting idea and worth a try. You mentioned that the text also transfers (or can). Does it come off easily or will it be a problem during sanding and finishing?
Hi Dave, sorry haven't got too far yet, from trying to clean up the bleeding from too much acetone it doesn't wipe off easily so I assume sanding is the best answer.
Cheers.
If you don't like playing around with acetone, here's another trick... Place the xerox'ed copy face down on the wood and go over it with a clothes iron set to a medium high temperature. It will transfer the lines to the wood. If you're careful you can get TWO uses from each page. I've even learned to read the dimensions 'backwards', just like the old type-setters used to do.
This process works because the toner that makes up the immage is heat-set onto the paper. All you're doing is re-melting the toner, this time onto the wood. (sort of like the offset printing process)
SawdustSteve
Hi Steve, tried that with some transfer paper and wasn't happy with the results, uneven transfer and bleeding on the lines. Haven't tried it with a photocopy yet so will include that in my future experments. thanks.
Cheers.
Pounce wheel, lightly run.
Yes that will work for just a pattern but what I'm eventually after is to transfer a picture that I can finish over.
Cheers.
Yes that will work for just a pattern but what I'm eventually after is to transfer a picture that I can finish over
Sorry, but I guess the title you chose for your thread, namely, "Transferring Patterns" confused me.
Here's a approach that might work. It's an old decouppage technique used for photographs and printed materials like labels.
A clear glue is painted over the face of the image, allowed to dry and recoated, three or four times. Then when it has thoroughly cured, the paper support is soaked and rubbed off in a soapy water solution. What's left is the image on the back side of the clear glue, which can then be fastened to almost any surface.
A book on decouppage would (should) have a complete technique for this.
Regards,
DonI'm not the man I used to be, but then I never was!
Thanks Don, more things to try, guess I'll just have to live longer LOL.There is seldom only one right way!
Before referring to methods, it must be noted that there are different kinds of photocopiers and they produce different results. I worked in the photographic industry and related technologies starting 40 years ago.
The original and still used technology is a black and white process that applies a wax based ink, also called toner, on the paper and fuses it with heat. That's the key. It goes on the substrate with heat and can be transferred with heat.
Laser printers, however, usually do not use parafine based toners, but there are some that do. It's important for this application to know the difference.
Color copies. Hmmmmmmmm. Where to start. The color copiers in my office do not use heat transferred colors, they are waterborn inks. Very pretty, but more difficult to transfer. The acetone might work, but so might water. I'd be careful with them because any solvent applied will first start to diffuse the colors through the paper substrate which will result in a blurry image. Printing on the substrates intended for heat transferring images to Tshirts will get you back to wax based transfer, but the wax is not just in the color, it's over the entire image area and when transferred to wood and similar surfaces gives a whitish smear over the background.
Many photo processing programs allow the "flipping" of images so they are "right-reading" after transfer.
Finally, on the subject of these programs, don't overlook the possibility of converting a black and white image to 1bit image format. It eliminates all gray scale and makes an image that lends itself well to scroll sawing and such.
Hey! Ain't it fun to blend woodworking with other techniques? It opens up many horizons to your creativity.
Best regards,
Don
HI Don, you raise good points and explained one of the reasons that I wasn't happy with heat and transfer papers. As I mentioned I'm just playing with different methods, if they don't work I learn! I fully agree with your comment obout combining different disiplines and creativity.
CheersThere is seldom only one right way!
"combining different disiplines and creativity"
As a picture framer I have a Computer Operated Mat Cutter refered to as a CMC in our industry.
I draw my furniture in CAD and if I need a pattern I can cut a full size pattern out of mat board, lay it on the wood and draw around it.
Good for patterns up to 40" x 60" and accurate to a few thou.
Hi Corners, if only we all had toys like that!There is seldom only one right way!
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