"…I apply graphics which have been printed on transparency film with a lazer printer. Put a bit of epoxy on board where the graphic will go, squeegee the film down really well to remove air bubbles, allow to cure, then peel off the film to leave the graphic bonded to the board.
After that I apply a second coat of epoxy to make sure the graphic won’t scratch off, to ensure that the wood is properly sealed, and to make the board more durable."
I just tried this w/ a FedEx/Kinko’s color transparency with RR epoxy and when I peeled off the film, all that was left was smooth epoxy, not a trace of the image. Nada. Anyone still do this? I just called and double checked and it was in fact printed w/ a laser printer. Have the inks changed in the last few years so they bond to the film better? Or is was there an unwritten step I missed out on?
I’ve never tried it, but I’m guessing that the technique you described was originally done with toner not inks. Laser printers use toner not inks.
Toner is a colored plastic powder that gets transferred during printing from a drum that has the image on it to paper, or in this case a clear plastic transparency. The image is then fused (melted onto) the substrate on its way out the printer by a heating element called the Fuser.
Back in the mid 90’s before the quality of inkjets had improved, I used a black and white Laser printer to print on rice paper.
One of the biggest problems I had back then with toner, is that resin will soften it, and it wiil smear if your not careful when glassing the rice paper laminate. This is a problem that generally doesn’t happen with inkjet prints, which is why everybody now prints rice paper with inkjet printers.
If the transparency is printed with toner the resin should soften it, and when the resin hardens, the image is should stick to the resin.
Right. So maybe somehow image printed to the film with some other media than toner. When I called they assured me it was a laser printer but maybe it uses some kind of ink that is not soluble in epoxy. It is not at all easy to scratch w/ fingernail even.
Just a thought, the image would have to be mirror imaged when printed so it reads right when transferred to the board, since the side that gets placed on the resin is the printed side of the transparency.
Would it be possible that when you tried it, the image was on the opposite side of the transparency?
I did not use additive F but very hard to tell which side image is on. Could be the guy at Kinko’s boned me when he told me which side. I’ll have to try it flipped over and see what happens. Excellent idea!
Trent, do you do it w/ color or only b&w? To triple check I took my spare copy and scratched on both sides w/ nail head and I did have printed side down on the epoxy. Maybe there is difference between color and black/white toners? I do know people have done it w/ color in the past…
No, this is just “art work” photo, made into color transparency at Kinko’s. Like they used to use on overhead projector in elementary school when I would take my naps (heh-heh!). Idea is you put it “ink” or “toner” side down on wet epoxy and when epoxy cured, pull off the plastic film. What is supposed to happen is whatever was on the film stays bonded to the epoxy and is left behind on your board. No paper involved, done on outside of hotcoat and then just a thin sealer coat put over it ie the gloss coat
I have a friend who makes R.C. airplanes. He said they print backwards onto mylar. Put it onto the lamination as if it were peel ply, and vacuum bag it.