Transfer problem

[RT Bit and Spur]

I am having trouble transferring a image to steel. I come out of my laser printer, acetone the steel, put on image, rub back of paper with acetone, pull paper off, smudge at best. I don't move the paper. I grabbed a similar peace of steel and ground off the fire scale. Sand blasted it and the image was great. Went back ground my piece, sand blasted it and smudge again. I have gone through about a dozen sheets of paper trying to use different amounts of acetone etc. but no transfer. What do you think.
Rod

 

[Eddi]

I think its better not to put acetone on the steel. Just on the back of the paper. It usually works better for me.

Eddi

 

[Roger B]

Are you using Damar varnish and lighter fluid mix after cleaning the steel? If not brush on the solution, let it become tacky if not dry and then try transfering. If you are using a laser printer are you also using the silicon baking paper? This works for me every time.

 

[mitch]

ok, first i assume you're using acetone just to clean/degrease the steel, not leaving it wet, right?

next, are you taping the transfer securely to the steel? do NOT rely on holding it still by hand.

i dampen/slightly wet the entire transfer with acetone on a cotton swab and cover it tightly with my thumb or palm (whatever is big enough to cover the whole design at once). this serves to soften the toner and kind of stick it in place on the metal.

then i go back over small sections, wetting & rubbing with my fingernail as a burnisher, until i've gone over the entire pattern. when you peel off the transfer you should notice that it was stuck a bit to the metal.

oh, and btw- i just use plain paper and a laser printer/copier. works fine for me.

 

[silverchip]

Rod, since you have a laser printer, use the baking sheet method. just run your program just like you are and then tape the baking paper over your printed design and run it through again. Use the Damar varnish and rubbing alcohol 80-20 solution on the steel,let it get tacky and place your design where you want it and lightly burnish onto the steel and you"re done!!!TADA!!!!!!

 

[Beathard]

I use the same technique you are describing. I let the acetone I use to clean the piece dry completely, it evaporates quickly. I tape the laser copy onto the metal. I put acetone on the paper towel. Here is where it might differ from your method. I let the acetone evaporate some. I want it damp not wet. Then I dab the transfer once per coverage area. The paper get a little damp so I can see where I've been and not dab an area twice. I then let the acetone evaporate completely before removing it, it changes shades when dry. I used to get fuzzy transfers when I used too much acetone.

 

[Willem Parel]

I use the Dammar/ Zippo fluid but I have manipultated the heating roll of the printer so it doesn't work anymore.
I print my image on a tranparancie sheet and rub the unburnd toner into the sticky layer.
It's the best transfer you can get i.m.h.o.
After transfering you can heat your metal a bit so the toner will stick or spray the image with hairspray.

Sorry the pictures are upside down and a bit blurry, done with my Ipad but it's only an example for the sharpness
of the transfer.

 

[Tom Curran]

I had tried the laser image on baking paper, but the image would flake off the paper as it went thru the printer. I gave up on that for the time being. (would unfused toner stick to the baking paper?)

Currently I am swabbing acetone on the back of the paper. I will try Mitch's suggestion of covering the image to let the acetone soften the ink better, then burnish down, a bit at a time.

 

[KCSteve]

You're probably using too much acetone for the transfer - as Beathard said, you're just getting it damp, not soaked. The Damar will make the image stick to the plate better, and if you can get the baking parchment to work it holds the toner so loosely you just burnish it off onto the damar.

 

[Sam]

If you're using a Brother printer, it won't work.

 

[DKanger]

Maybe Brian Marshall should hold a one day class on layout and transferring methods. He taught us 28 different ways to do transfers. They were all easy and they all worked. Not a single person in the class had any problems. Or maybe someone can do a podcast or Skype class, or a YouTube video, but I suspect that's already been done.

 

[rodsta]

On some metals I have put a layer of china white (wet finger with tongue for application) before doing the acetone transfer. Sometimes for hard to stick metal it seems to help. It will make the transfer a bit less durable as it comes away with the china white but plenty good enough for engraving. It does sound like you are wetting the transfer too much and moving the sheet before it has a chance to dry a bit. I don't like to leave it on much past the initial drying stage as it pulls some of the toner up when dry.
Rod

 

[RT Bit and Spur]

Thank you for coming to my rescue. I will try some of these.
Rod

 

[RT Bit and Spur]

Sam
You hit the nail on the head. I had a Brother copier. I called up a business I use and asked if he had a laser copier. He said he had just gotten a new one. I used it and the transfer worded great the first time. He then gave me his old laser printer. I hit a home run.
Rod

 

[dlilazteca]

Sam
You hit the nail on the head. I had a Brother copier. I called up a business I use and asked if he had a laser copier. He said he had just gotten a new one. I used it and the transfer worded great the first time. He then gave me his old laser printer. I hit a home run.
Rod

Which method for laser did you use after all did you assist with damar varnish or just acetone

Carlos De La O III

 

[RT Bit and Spur]

I don't know the brand but this one wasn't a Brother. I did it with just acetone and it came out great.
Rod

 

[dlilazteca]

Could you post a picture of your transfer. .. I'm using a Samsung and the images transfer but very light, using just acetone

Carlos De La O III

 

[dlilazteca]

I use the Dammar/ Zippo fluid but I have manipultated the heating roll of the printer so it doesn't work anymore.
I print my image on a tranparancie sheet and rub the unburnd toner into the sticky layer.
It's the best transfer you can get i.m.h.o.
After transfering you can heat your metal a bit so the toner will stick or spray the image with hairspray.

Sorry the pictures are upside down and a bit blurry, done with my Ipad but it's only an example for the sharpness
of the transfer.

Where can I find info to do this ( eliminate the heating element )?

Carlos De La O III

 

[dlilazteca]

Changed from a monochrome laser printer tool full color laser printer I got great results just didn't align it right..
Same brand printers Samsung.
Parchment paper damar varnish combination.

Friend wants his name on multi tool I hope it's not too hard
Carlos De La O III

 

[Willem Parel]

Where can I find info to do this ( eliminate the heating element )?

Carlos De La O III

PM is send.
But I will post pictures later ( I am a bit short of time right now)