Iron-on patterns

[Tom Dacon]

I read somewhere, quite a long while ago, that you could take something that you'd printed on a laser printer or an inkjet, place it on a piece of wood, and transfer the image to the wood by ironing it on with a dry clothes iron.

So I tried it both with a laserjet image and an inkjet image. Ironed away, with no idea of how much heat to use or how long to do it, and absolutely nothing got transferred to the wood.

Anybody know if that actually works, and if so just how to do it?

Yes, I know that you can buy iron-on transfer paper, but what I remember, or think I remember, is that it would work with just plain paper.

Thanks, Tom

[Doug Miller]

"Tom Dacon" wrote in news:kgr2p3$tft$1@dont- email.me:

That is incorrect. This works only with laser-printed images. It will *not* work with an image printed by inkjet, unless you make a copy of it on a laser photocopier first.

I'm guessing that either you didn't use enough heat, or the printer that you thought was a laser printer, isn't.

Or perhaps you laid it image side up?

Yes, it does work, I've done it before -- and the way it works is you use some type of image- editing software to make a mirror image of what you want to transfer, and either (a) print it on a laser printer, or (b) print it on an inkjet printer and then photocopy it with a laser copier. Then lay it image side down on the surface you want to transfer the image to, and iron the image onto the surface with an ordinary household iron. Use the highest setting (cotton), and press firmly.

Yes, it does.

[FrozenNorth]

What Doug said, realize that the paper is warm when you image it in a laser, with high speed lasers it can get very warm, what you are doing is reheating the toner to transfer it to the wood.

[Puckdropper]

"Tom Dacon" wrote in news:kgr2p3$tft$ [e-mail]:

I've read about the technique for masking PC boards. They've got some specific recommendations about not only what iron setting to use, but how long and what kind of paper works best. Keep in mind that this is for etching copper boards, so the traces need to be crisp and clear and the copper can act as a heat sink.

It might be a good starting point for your project.

Puckdropper

[Leon]

I have done it with an inkjet and T-shirt image transfer paper. IIRC the paper is available from HP and Canon for sure and normally available at the office supply.

Print the image in "reverse" on the t-shirt transfer paper and then iron on the t-shirt and or the surface of your choice.

[SonomaProducts.com]

hat you'd printed on a laser printer or an inkjet, place it on a piece of w ood, and transfer the image to the wood by ironing it on with a dry clothes iron. So I tried it both with a laserjet image and an inkjet image. Ironed away, with no idea of how much heat to use or how long to do it, and absol utely nothing got transferred to the wood. Anybody know if that actually wo rks, and if so just how to do it? Yes, I know that you can buy iron-on tran sfer paper, but what I remember, or think I remember, is that it would work with just plain paper. Thanks, Tom

I think they sell special inks for this. See

o r for instance

[Doug Miller]

"SonomaProducts.com" wrote in news:fca13036-5fc7-4449-966c- [e-mail]:

wood, and transfer the image to the wood by ironing it on with a dry clothes iron. So I tried it both with a laserjet image and an inkjet image. Ironed away, with no idea of how much heat to use or how long to do it, and absolutely nothing got transferred to the wood. Anybody know if that actually works, and if so just how to do it? Yes, I know that you can buy iron-on transfer paper, but what I remember, or think I remember, is that it would work with just plain paper. Thanks, Tom

for instance

Those inks are for use *only* with heat-transfer paper. They will *not* work with plain paper, which is what Tom is asking about.

[Cliff H]

I have heard of this, but you need to figure out how to turn up the darkness of the laser printer to put the max amount of toner on the paper.

Print it reverse, which you can probably setup in the printer driver, turn it upside down on the wood.

You will probably have to experment on how much heat to use but I would think pretty high.

[CW]

I read somewhere, quite a long while ago, that you could take something that you'd printed on a laser printer or an inkjet, place it on a piece of wood, and transfer the image to the wood by ironing it on with a dry clothes iron.

So I tried it both with a laserjet image and an inkjet image. Ironed away, with no idea of how much heat to use or how long to do it, and absolutely nothing got transferred to the wood.

Anybody know if that actually works, and if so just how to do it?

Yes, I know that you can buy iron-on transfer paper, but what I remember, or think I remember, is that it would work with just plain paper. ======================================================================

[Doug Miller]

"Cliff H" wrote in news:kgra4i$g4t$ [e-mail]:

I have actually done this, and I already responded to the OP telling him what he needs to do to make it work, with comments based on my actual experience, rather than uninformed and erroneous guesswork.

The "Reverse Printing" setting tells the printer driver to print the pages in reverse order. To reverse the image on the page, you'll need some sort of graphics software.

OK, *that* part you did get right.

As I noted in my first post in this thread, the iron should be set on its highest setting.

[EXT]

Yes you will need the iron at its highest setting, but results may vary according to the printer/copier as the melting temperature (and the fuser temperature) varies considerably by brand and model. Only testing your particular brand of printer/copier will tell you how well it will work. I know this because I used to work with a number of toner machines, and needed to know which one could print on the other's output without damaging the image or contaminating the fuser rollers with melted toner.

[mungedaddress]

[Leon]

wood, and transfer

both with a laserjet

or how long

that actually

transfer paper, but

paper. Thanks,

with plain paper,

Maybe not, he never specifically mentioned plain paper, I think he was wanting to know how to transfer "something" from either type printer to wood. There are numerous types of paper designed to go through an inkjet and at least the t-shirt transfer paper will transfer an image to wood or what ever.

[Bruce]

On Fri, 1 Mar 2013 14:23:43 -0700, Puckdropper wrote (in article ):

Use 'thin' paper, like a page torn from a semi glossy newspaper ad. Thin helps the transfer of heat better.

-Bruce

[tdacon]

OK, thanks for your comments, folks.

To be a little more specific about what I was doing, I used my CAD software (TurboCad) to draw the profile and flip it left-to-right so that it would come out in the orientation that I wanted to display it in. The profile was drawn with heavy lines, so that it would be more prominent than the usual single-weight lines that the CAD software normally draws in. I printed it on a HP LaserJet, on normal everyday printer paper - basically copier paper. Then I taped the paper, ink side down, onto the piece and used a dry iron and medium temperature for my tests.

Looks like all I need to do is turn the heat up on the iron and I'll be good to go. After another test or two I'll let you know how it came out.

What's this for, you might be curious? I made and drilled a block to hold a set of router bits that are used to make a particular drawer pull profile, and I wanted to show the profile, along with the sequence of cuts, along the side of the block, so that all you needed was the router bit kit and you'd have everything you needed to know to make the piece. No piece of paper with drawings on it to lose. Then the plan was to spray the block with polyurethane.

Thanks again for your suggestions, Tom

[Cliff H]

Sorry I bow down to your superior knowledge OP please ignore my post.

Whats the word I'm now looking for plonk you know the one where you add some one to an igore list. I'm sure you will correct me but I'll never see it.

Sorry the proper term is *mirror*. Some printer drivers have it in the print setup dialog.

[Doug Miller]

"Cliff H" wrote in news:kh0nsa$qoc$ [e-mail]:

Best advice you've given yet.

No problem, I'll put you on mine too. Seems like a good place to put someone who gives uninformed advice based on "I have heard of this" -- especially *after* posts by someone who has actually *done* it....

And some don't.

[Dave]

On Mon, 4 Mar 2013 03:37:46 +0000 (UTC), Doug Miller

by someone

Yes, only you frequently plonk people the moment you see that their comment is about to trump your own.