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Image Transfer Methods to Wood/Cigar Box Face

Posted by Barsymes Cratchnee on December 18, 2013 at 1:59am in Other stuff - off topic, fun stuff, whatever

Hey all,

 

Newbie CBG builder here who is currently attempting to transfer an image I found on the internet to the face of my cigar box which I have sanded clean.

 

I'm looking for a method that actually puts ink on wood, no decals as I would like the option to "work" with it after, sanding and giving it an aged look, stains etc...that said...I'm open to any suggestions on this discussion even for a clean transfer using gel medium and such.

 

I've been experimenting with some scrap wood and you tube videos including:

 

Ironing on from a laser printout on normal paper -- Pretty terrible transfer, definitely not acceptable, i think my lack of success with this is due to the fact I had to print out at another location.  This is likely better if you can print it out and get it ironed on before the ink totally dries.

 

Attempted some iron on transfers using freezer paper with and without gel medium -- not a terrible transfer, but left a milky film on the wood from the freezer paper.

Long story short, have tried a lot of different variations with little or no success.

Anyway, I thought I would try here and see if anyone has had luck with this.  I do have an inkjet printer, but not a laser printer.

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Replies

  • Mark Lindsay March 12, 2014 at 4:41pm

    I know this is an old thread, but for those who were interested and don't have access to a printer like Greg Potts posted a pic of, here's another option, offered by Steve Ramsey of Woodworking for Mere Mortals (an excellent woodworking YouTube channel, BTW.)

    He uses an ink-jet printer and a sheet of shipping labels, with all the labels removed. He prints on the shiny, slick side the labels come stuck to. Well, here - I'll let Steve explain it...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zq2O66QGCwg

  • John Sawyer January 23, 2014 at 12:58am

    Th reason a clothes iron doesn't work is the toner melts at a very high temperature.  Some toners are really just polyester powders with dyes...   Most HP laser printers operate at 390 degrees . . . which is why the wood burner works, it's probably just under 450 degrees, if it's not burning the wood...

    I never though to use a wood burner, that's a great idea!

  • Mark Lindsay December 23, 2013 at 5:02pm

    I just found this method posted online today and thought I'd share it here. Again, you need a toner based laser printer or photocopier, but it looks promising - even for my Brother printers...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEdmQRduUww

    EDIT: Apparently it works with color laser prints too...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0oK1CEQRM0

  • Greg Potts December 20, 2013 at 3:25pm

    Find a local sign making company with a large UV inkjet printer. UV printers can print directly to substrates and many models can handle materials up to a few inches thick.

    I used the printer in our demo room to print on a license plate, which was then installed onto a resonator guitar I built.306205517?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024306205579?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024306206674?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024

  • Mark Lindsay December 18, 2013 at 2:47am

    Here's a method used by John Heisz over at ibuildit.ca

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kj3X0vLWtEY

    Keep in mind that it requires a laser printer, or a toner based photocopier - not an ink jet. Also, do know that if the printer or copier is a Brother or Ricoh, the method won't work. Something about those toners - they just refuse to transfer, and I've tried every solvent I can come up with.

    Hope it helps!

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