Printing on veneers
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Printing on veneers
I have an old desktop printer and I am thinking of running 0.6mm veneer through it ... is this a really bad idea?
- MontuckyMadman
- Posts: 2395
- Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2008 9:41 pm
try it. sounds thick. The worst that will happen is it won't feed at all i would guess. Once it gets in there it shouldn't jam maybe. I might put like 2 pieces of heavy construction paper in there as a thickness test.
I guess t-shirt logos and jackets and such use a small sublimation press and ink so you could have a local shop sublimate on a veneer if they can just stick in a section and it won't cut or damage the veneer.
We are looking into this.
I guess t-shirt logos and jackets and such use a small sublimation press and ink so you could have a local shop sublimate on a veneer if they can just stick in a section and it won't cut or damage the veneer.
We are looking into this.
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- Location: Western Mass, USA
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True SD - might spray one side with water in advance and hope it makes it a little more flexible. There's no single sheet feed, so ... might need a saw
MM, everyone in the UK want an arm and a leg for what they do. People like this are helpful http://www.printerowners.co.uk/faq/12/1 ... vanced.htm. You might find this interesting http://www.digicoat.com/ probably expensive, but a source of information?
MM, everyone in the UK want an arm and a leg for what they do. People like this are helpful http://www.printerowners.co.uk/faq/12/1 ... vanced.htm. You might find this interesting http://www.digicoat.com/ probably expensive, but a source of information?
This was really difficult, but I will try and explain:
Step one:
Turn on printer
Step two:
Create document
Step three:
Press print
The only thing I will have to be careful about how the veneer exits the printer, as it will strike the top and get stuck. Gave one side a wipe with a damp cloth in advance.
This is the same piece with three results:
I think this older printer is a little less picky. Chose the photo settings initially, its generally thinker paper. Top result, font setting 26pt. The middle result, switched to 'Plain Paper' and 'Normal', quality was fine - 48 pt. Final result, 'Cool', increase ink setting to 'Fine', a little smoother around the edges and increased depth of colour. 78pt.
The veneer is not a great surface for fine printing, but maybe this is something digicoat has looked into?
Step one:
Turn on printer
Step two:
Create document
Step three:
Press print
The only thing I will have to be careful about how the veneer exits the printer, as it will strike the top and get stuck. Gave one side a wipe with a damp cloth in advance.
This is the same piece with three results:
I think this older printer is a little less picky. Chose the photo settings initially, its generally thinker paper. Top result, font setting 26pt. The middle result, switched to 'Plain Paper' and 'Normal', quality was fine - 48 pt. Final result, 'Cool', increase ink setting to 'Fine', a little smoother around the edges and increased depth of colour. 78pt.
The veneer is not a great surface for fine printing, but maybe this is something digicoat has looked into?
-
- Posts: 2337
- Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 3:26 pm
- Location: Western Mass, USA
- Contact:
I have another printer with UV inks ... maybe it won't work.
The printer I used was an Epson DX3800. There is a hack for banner printing, but I had not installed it: http://dahmerphotography.blogspot.com/ and http://www.alice-dsl.net/hgd/udps.pdf. I understand you need v.5 driver, other printers are listed within this hack.
SD, looking forward to hearing about your results! You might want to try attaching a piece of paper to the back of the veneer, with an inch or so sticking out. Might trick the printer into thinking that it is pulling through paper and it then pulls the veneer behind it?
Anyone else, please add to the list of working printers - we can work out the UV issue as we go. Getting great graphics on a budget is difficult to achieve, so spread the love!
The printer I used was an Epson DX3800. There is a hack for banner printing, but I had not installed it: http://dahmerphotography.blogspot.com/ and http://www.alice-dsl.net/hgd/udps.pdf. I understand you need v.5 driver, other printers are listed within this hack.
SD, looking forward to hearing about your results! You might want to try attaching a piece of paper to the back of the veneer, with an inch or so sticking out. Might trick the printer into thinking that it is pulling through paper and it then pulls the veneer behind it?
Anyone else, please add to the list of working printers - we can work out the UV issue as we go. Getting great graphics on a budget is difficult to achieve, so spread the love!
-
- Posts: 2337
- Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 3:26 pm
- Location: Western Mass, USA
- Contact:
Assuming I get the veneer to run through the printer, I'll have a problem of printing on a 6 foot long piece of veneer. I don't have any large images at this point to print, just small logos. But would still have to run the entire piece of veneer through. So I figured I could create multiple blank pages to feed the veneer through.
Then there the problem of printing on dark veneers....... What veneer did you use?
Then there the problem of printing on dark veneers....... What veneer did you use?
-
- Posts: 1354
- Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2007 7:37 pm
pretty cool.
Remember, you can run small pieces of veneer through and lay them up with bigger pieces, just use masking tape to tape the veneer together. Same as in the swell panik video.
I would make sure that the ink isn't gonna run when you put epoxy on it, if you plan on using a top sheet as well.
Remember, you can run small pieces of veneer through and lay them up with bigger pieces, just use masking tape to tape the veneer together. Same as in the swell panik video.
I would make sure that the ink isn't gonna run when you put epoxy on it, if you plan on using a top sheet as well.
SD - contact hjfast, he threw up that post offering help with graphics. He's a nice guy. Serif DrawPlus is available as a free download. Its 'copy and paste' for me so far. Original work to follow
Not sure I understand 'So I figured I could create multiple blank pages to feed the veneer through'. Are you saying you won't be able to banner print?
The veneer is Walnut - I agree, but I'm not put off by this. The veneer was available cheap, so it go used. I don't want to blank out the veneer and lose what it has to offer. I think it is a matter of working with the veneer and the limitations of the printer - there's no reason why I can't put the veneer through twice to get a different effect/intensity of colour. It like watercolours, your using the paper as much as the media.
DBS - Thanks for pointing that out, I will double check. This is a bit of a 'do and publish thread' and see if we can push it forward. Have thrown a little varnish on this test piece - gloss looks good. Will do a test piece with topsheet, once the press is up and running!
Not sure I understand 'So I figured I could create multiple blank pages to feed the veneer through'. Are you saying you won't be able to banner print?
The veneer is Walnut - I agree, but I'm not put off by this. The veneer was available cheap, so it go used. I don't want to blank out the veneer and lose what it has to offer. I think it is a matter of working with the veneer and the limitations of the printer - there's no reason why I can't put the veneer through twice to get a different effect/intensity of colour. It like watercolours, your using the paper as much as the media.
DBS - Thanks for pointing that out, I will double check. This is a bit of a 'do and publish thread' and see if we can push it forward. Have thrown a little varnish on this test piece - gloss looks good. Will do a test piece with topsheet, once the press is up and running!
nice experiments!
Natural bamboo veneer is a nice looking veneer and also a paler colour for printing on.
eg.
FYI
I am getting some topsheets from CODA sent to Australia. US$40 per topsheet. I talked to Chad about shipping USPS priority mail international and he is happy to do this rather than FEDEX. He can fit 5 topsheets rolled in a box and the box is about US$50 for postage (postage in the USA for the same 5 topsheets is $20 or so). So if you are keen on wood veneers that's great and they look great. If you are looking for printed plastic topsheets the price isn't too bad and if you get several shipped at once the shipping isn't too bad either.
Natural bamboo veneer is a nice looking veneer and also a paler colour for printing on.
eg.
FYI
I am getting some topsheets from CODA sent to Australia. US$40 per topsheet. I talked to Chad about shipping USPS priority mail international and he is happy to do this rather than FEDEX. He can fit 5 topsheets rolled in a box and the box is about US$50 for postage (postage in the USA for the same 5 topsheets is $20 or so). So if you are keen on wood veneers that's great and they look great. If you are looking for printed plastic topsheets the price isn't too bad and if you get several shipped at once the shipping isn't too bad either.
Don't wait up, I'm off to kill Summer....
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- Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2007 7:37 pm
Serif is a great program. It's what I have done all of my graphics on. You can get revision 8 for ten dollars, and it's more than worth it.Richuk wrote:SD - contact hjfast, he threw up that post offering help with graphics. He's a nice guy. Serif DrawPlus is available as a free download. Its 'copy and paste' for me so far. Original work to follow
GIMP is also free and has lots of photoshop like features.
Fighting gravity on a daily basis
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