Graphics on Wood

[John Caldeira]

What kind of paper becomes transparent when wet with epoxy or varnish? I want the paper to become a clear background for some graphics I will print on it. These graphics will then be applied on top of wood (a kayak), and covered with epoxy and/or varnish.

Thin tracing paper didn't work for me, and there seem to be so many types of "rice paper" on the web. If someone would kindly let me know the best paper for creating a clear background and possibly a source for the paper, I would be greatly appreciative.

Thanks,

John

John Caldeira Dallas, Texas, USA

[Doug Miller]

It seems that a better idea might be to transfer the graphics directly to the wood. There were a couple of threads within the last six months on various ways of doing this, most involving a laser printer to print the image, and an iron to apply it to the wood. It shouldn't take long to turn this up with a Google Groups search.

-- Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

How come we choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America?

[nevems2]

[Andy Dingley]

None of them. Best you'll get is translucency. OK to make lampshades, not enough for logos.

I'd use acetate. You can buy overhead projector acetates that are printable by domestic laser or even inkjet printers. Try somewhere near a college and you can buy individual sheets, rather than a full box. Somewhere like Kinkos can usually colour laser onto such sheets. A sign printer may have thinner or more flexible sheet materials.

I wouldn't use mylar. You can get it printed, but it's also a good release material for epoxy !

Another option is waterslide transfers (remember plastic airplane kits) .

Use 2" gummed paper parcel tape as a base.

Make a small stencil with a rectangular slot in it, bigger than the logo. Use this to spray a couple of coats of thin varnish (or even hairspray) to build up a clear substrate on the _gummed_ side of the paper.

When dry, draw your graphic onto the varnish.

Another couple of coats of varnish. Try to keep the stencil aligned with the previous coats.

When dry, apply as a normal water-slide transfer.

-- Smert' spamionam

[Eric Tonks]

Go to a store that sells supplies for Tee Shirt printing, some office supply stores carry the stuff. Get the transfer sheets that you print on with black and white laser, colour laser or ink jet. Print your image on it reversed as in mirrored. Then apply it to the wood and transfer with an iron set as per instructions that come with the sheets. Then remove the sheet. This way you will get a complete image printed on your wood.

[BRuce]

transparency film for copiers?

BRuce

John Caldeira wrote:

[Nova]

I haven't used it, but from what I've read I'd try translucent vellum tracing paper on some scrap to see if I liked the results.

-- Jack Novak Buffalo, NY - USA (Remove "SPAM" from email address to reply)

[Bryan]

Try the forum at clcboats.com. I used to be an avid reader there while I built my kayak and saw several conversations about doing graphics, many with pictures of the outcome. I do remember many of them using a paper under epoxy, but I can not recall what kind of paper it was. The CLC forum is an excelent resource for kayak building, an the people there are open to anyone whether you are building one of their plans or not. After all, you may end up buying some of their other products, and having you in the forum costs them nothing! Try searching the lgos, or reposting the question.

Good luck!

[Roy Neudecker]

Years ago we worked with an artist that was doing some R & D on a new product. Images were printed onto a sheet with a special ink. It was a reversed image onto a transfer sheet. It was planed to be used for the Skate Board Industry. It must have worked because I've seen the result of the product on the market. The end result was a very vivid color transfer to the object. You may want to contact some custom skate board makers to find out the process if you come up with nothing else. I'm sorry I don't have names or products but it had not been patented at the time.

Roy

[Jeff Gorman]

"Doug Miller"

: It seems that a better idea might be to transfer the graphics directly to the : wood. There were a couple of threads within the last six months on various : ways of doing this, most involving a laser printer to print the image, and an : iron to apply it to the wood.

Can anyone report that it satisfactorily works ? I've had a couple of tries, both unsuccessful.

Ditto, using tee shirt printing material?

Jeff G

-- Jeff Gorman, West Yorkshire, UK Email address is username@ISP username is amgron ISP is clara.co.uk Website

[John Caldeira]

Thanks, everyone, for the thoughtful replies. I'll experiment with the decal paper first, but the t-shirt printing and vellum paper are my back-up plans.

John C

"nevems2" wrote:

[Rob V]

John,

Please post your results as well as some pics if you can. Im going to be doing a bar top in the next few months and have plans to do a mural type design on the top. So im going to be something similar - but on a bit larger scale.

Thanks

[Victor Radin]

Coming into this one late, so not sure if this was mentioned- if you have access to a laser printer, you can reverse print the graphic and then use the plain paper as an iron-off transfer. Works better on wood than the t-shirt transfer papers or decals. You need a fresh printing- less than 12 hours from print to transfer. Surface must be smooth, dust- free, and dry. Iron should be hot, use a clean pillowcase as an insulator over the paper.

I've only ever used the plain black toner for this, but color toners MIGHT work also.

BTW- this is the powder toner, not liquid. The liquid toners do not work for this.

hope this helps, vic