Well, since I posted last, I have done quite a few etching projects. I also broke down and bought a laser printer, since that seems to be the best way (that I can afford!) to get your images on metal. I got an el cheapo from New Egg for $35, called a Pantum! Also got a spare toner cartridge so the total for both was around $75, because I got a discount for buying them together. Not bad, as most printers alone are more than that! Apparently not all laser printers are good for etching, mainly because of the ink they use. Some have a higher melting point, for instance, and are harder to attach to the metal because of it. After digging around and finding a warming plate and my iron, I was a little annoyed with how much fiddling I had to do to get a good transfer.. It did work but it involved lots of waiting, burnishing, pushing the iron around, more waiting and lost time. Borrrring!
I decided to try using a laminator because I wanted one for doing some pictures in resin anyway and thought I'd kill two birds with one stone. Everywhere I read, they recommended spending quite a bit of money on one that gets hot enough to get the images to stick to the metal, but I didn't want to spend anywhere from $50 to $100 and up, so I was going to use a coupon at Joann's. While I was there, I remembered that I had seen a laminator at Target for around $20 and that worked out to be a little cheaper than the Joann's one so I went online and found out it was on sale for $15.99! Love it. Went right across the street and bought one!
My initial results were spotty, at best. I was getting discouraged and then saw someone on my etching Facebook group mention something called yellow toner transfer paper. It was very reasonable on Amazon so I broke down and bought some...a hundred sheets for a little more than $10.
And had spotty results with THAT too...AUGHHH!
Then I remembered what turned out to be the KEY to the system! The secret is: Rub a little rubbing alcohol on both the transfer and the metal and VOILA! Perfect transfer! UPDATE: I have now changed to only rub alcohol on the METAL and not the toner side of the printout, because I was rubbing off toner and got some pinholes! So now, just the metal side, then place your printout on the saturated metal, then rubbing alcohol on the BACK of the printout. That way, if any toner dissolves, it will just go onto the metal anyways. :) After reading some others attempts at this, I feel this is the easiest way! The only waiting is for your laminator to heat up! No more burnishing with a spoon! NOT NECESSARY! :)
Here's how I did it:
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These are the supplies I use. This all assumes your metal is scrupulously clean! So, you'll need a paper towel, 91% rubbing alcohol, your metal and your printout, on yellow laser toner transfer paper. It is very slick and reminds me of the paper backing on labels. I simply folded my paper around the metal since it was the perfect size to fit my brass sheet...
I have a delicate pattern printed to show how well this method works! |
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| Use your paper towel (I tear a smallish square and fold it, and get it very saturated) to gently rub some alcohol on the metal, then put your print on the metal, burnish it with your finger to get good contact and get any bubbles out, and use your paper towel or cotton ball/swab to totally saturate the back of the paper. You want it very wet, but not dripping. You ARE using it with electricity! :) |
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| Saturated. Even if you have it very wet, it will be quite dry by the time you get it to your preheated laminator! |
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| Here's mine running through the laminator. You can see that it's pretty dry at this point, already. Someone on my etching group said they used metal up to 18 gauge with this particular laminator. I run it through at least six times, although it seems stuck at 3! it isn't stuck as well as it could be at that point, though, so do at least six times, if not more! |
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| Here's a close up, after I took it out of the water. I put it in cold water to try to hasten the release and I probably should have waited longer. I had some residue on the paper, and theoretically, at least, it should come up completely clean. But click on the picture to see the detail...! You can see how tiny this pattern is on another picture, below...Now, those of you with eagle eyes may see that there are some pinholes I should have covered up... |
This is my latest etching set up! :D
The only problem with it is that the Shiatsu massager shuts off after a few minutes, so I have to keep turning it back on...:D.
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| This is my completed etch, in brass. I hope you can see the fine detail that this pattern has that was picked up by this method! For instance, the tiny dots on the lace, near the lower left by the penny...Yes, I got some dots that don't belong, but it's my own fault, for taking the paper off too soon, and for not using a paint pen to fix the pinholes! :) |
So, you can see why I think this method is much easier than doing the ironing! And the burnishing! There ARE other methods, like using a t-shirt press (another thing I've been wanting to buy!) but this is much less costly! (If you WANT to go the t-shirt press route, I was told on our FB group that they have them for about $100 on Amazon, btw!)
And now I'm going to put some pictures up of my latest etches. Hope you like!
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| This one was done with rubber stamps and Stazon, not laser. |
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This is our Yorkie Bowie, when he was a puppy. I've always loved this picture and wanted to put it on Zazzle...but settled for putting him in copper. :)
Here's the original. :) |
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| Here's the mermaid I love, with her printout remnant. you can see very little is left on the yellow transfer paper. |
And finally, my Tiny Trees. First thing I've ever domed with my trailer hitch! :D
Edited to add a photo of my finished bails, using the sheet I laminated and etched! :)
Thanks for looking and come back soon!
