Here are short instructions for the first time rice paper laminate maker using an ink-jet printer. You can design your own laminates using pictures, desk top publishing programs, photo imaging software or even word processing programs. The tricky part for some is finding a source of rice paper and printing on the rice paper. Use images that are relatively simple. I like items like simple graphics like black turtles, Japanese calligraphy, etc. Remember that white graphics will be transparent when printed.
I use to purchase large sheets from fiberglass supply stores. I found cheaper sources on-line like EBAY or at a few Asian stores around town. Not able to read Japanese on the packaging, I asked a store clerk if calligraphy paper was rice paper. This clerk did not know either but the price was right for me to take chance. This was a great discovery for finding an inexpensive source rice paper.
The calligraphy paper measures about 14” x 11”. It needs to be trimmed to fit the standard letter size paper. Here are the steps I take to trim the rice paper. Again there are variations to this and this is not definitive.
1)Align one edge of the rice paper with the stiff letter size paper as backing. (Hint: photo paper is also great as a backing). I usually align the left edge from force as habit.
2)Off set the rice paper about ¼” below the top edge of backing paper. Place tape (see pictures).
3)Trim bottom and right edge of the rice paper. Tape as pictured.
4)Make sure no tape or rice paper extends beyond the backing paper.
5)Print
I hope this is enough to get the first time user started and get really creative designing and printing custom laminates. Please add your hints to this thread.
D
This is pretty good stuff and cheap too! I have no idea what the charactors mean on the packaging. This one comes in packs of 80 sheets.
This is one of my typical tape up job. Make sure to off set the top edge about 1/4" and make sure no rice paper goes pass the backing paper. I usually use scotch tape but used blue tape for illustration purposes.
Guess whose famous graphics is printed on rice paper. Great graphics Hinks!
I use exactly the same paper you use, (what do those characters mean anyway?), Oneula sent me a few packs last year, I don’t think I’ll ever run out.
I put mine straight into the printer, no backing, it’s how you balance the paper when it’s going in. Flop it over the back of the printer and don’t use the upright paper holder, this gives a little pull/weight on the sheet roller so it doesn’t scrunch up.
I knew that laminate would get your attention. I love that graphics. Perhaps I’ll stick it on the next SUP. If it wasn’t for this forum, I would not know what an SUP was.
Thanks guys for translating the rice paper packaging! I was hoping it was sushi paper and something good to eat!
The normal ink is ok, as long as you are covering it by something that is UV protected.
Poly resin is great, and if your using Resin Research, Aluzine or other non-yellowing epoxies, the logo will last for ages.
Can you get different inks for a normal printers? If you can then i’d use those as well, but the important thing is to use resin that can handle the sun, or you have to coat over the top with something else!
You want to get a system that uses pigmented inks. Dyes as a rule fade much more quickly than pigments. Epson has a variety of pigmented desktop options, and I have a HP Photosmart B9100 (12 ink colors, all pigments, and prints to 13"x19") that I love.
Any experience with the thermo wax printers and delam? I’m sure the colorant in those is a pigment, so the fade will be fine, but I would guess that the wax would interfere with lamination/adhesion pretty profoundly.
Howzit KKSurf, Most black ink is a pigment ink that won't fade but most colored inks are a dye ink and will fade in about 3 weeks if in the sun. I use the Epson C82 ( old but keeps on going) which uses the Durabrite UV resisitant ink which lasts for 40 years so it will last longer that the board.I think both Canon and HP have printers that use UV or Archival ink. Aloha,Kokua
I use an Epson C86 at the “Best Quality Photo” setting, but my colors still turn out more translucent than opaque. Is there any way to increase color opaque-ness? Also, how can do you get white on a lam? If you use paint, what type (poster paint?) and on which side of paper do you apply the paint?
White inks are notoriously expensive and hard to work with in inkjet printing, and are only available on high end large format machines. There are not any desktop sized inkjet printers with white inks as far as I am aware; the overhead to keep the pens printing well is just too expensive to justify in an inexpensive machine.
As far as opacity, I think that painting the media white and then trimming is your best bet. No inkjet machine or ink, short of those with white ink, are designed to be opaque on transparent media. If you have access to one of those high end machines, it would work like a charm.
Howzit Hicksy, Actually it’s better to paint the paper first and then print the logo since the white paint will come through the rice paper and show in the logo if white is applied after printing. Aloha,Kokua
