If you want a detailed write up you can see it here: fixthisbuildthat.com/print-on-wood-5-ways-diy-image-transfer/ Also, all prints were mirror image from a laser printer and normal multipurpose copy paper. I do not own an inkjet printer anymore so couldn't test those methods.
Hey Brad - I tried the acetone method (same brand of acetone you have actually) on walnut veneer plywood for a project and was completely unsuccessful - the toner didn't bleed at all. Curious if you had any thoughts or if you tried it on various types of wood. Cheers!
Fix This Build That Hi! It was a laser-jet printer from my office. Guessing that might play into it? I’ve done the technique before using inkjet to bleed logos but thought the way you did it was wayyy better and much cleaner. Cheers (and happy thanksgiving?!
Huge tip for anyone watching this. If you want a really clean transfer with all of the color transferred don't use paper. Use Label paper. What I mean is if you have shipping label paper laying around you will use the shiny backing and not the actual sticker. Print your image onto the shiny side. When you transfer it to the wood all the laser ink will transfer to the wood with none left behind. You do not have to wet it either. Just peel it off. It will work with inkjet as well. I still need to experiment with wax paper as I think it may work well.
I tried to have a image printed on label paper in fed ex on their laser jet printer but they said it would melt in the printer and ruin the machine. how are y'all doing this ? haha.
@@VictorPoulin I got a photo transfer medium by Modge Podge, and will do a test tomorrow. Hope it works! Also, did you use water or just peeled it straight off?
I could not simply move along without telling you how much I appreciate the effort you put into this for the benefit of others. I am working on an idea for a craft project and wanted a decent method of transferring a simple image to a piece of wood. The polycrylic method is MONEY! Thanks again.
Wow, a life time of craftsmanship information in about 10 minutes!! Thank you! You also presented it in a way that was to the point. Didn’t waste any time. Yet gave all the good tips. excellent video production skills!
Thank you for this video! I'm from the Philippines and I can say that woodcraft has been part of our culture even before our pre-Hispanic era. However, we didn't move forward to these modern methods and it's rare to find mentors that can teach new techniques. More power to you and your channel!
@@Fixthisbuildthat You said that you would have a link in the description for your machine in Option 5. There is not one. I was actually looking for it specifically.
Another method to consider if you're doing a thick clear finish is printing on rice paper and embedding it into poly. The rice paper becomes transparent and anything printed on it remains sharp and crisp. Look for other videos for Rice Paper Under Fiberglass, which is commonly used on skateboards and surfboards. You don't need to use fiberglass and resin, the same method works under poly but requires extra coats to make the finish thicker than the rice paper.
The clothes iron method is useful if you want to transfer an image that you are using as a guide or a sketch for pyrography. If you are into woodburning art I know some woodburning artists use that method for transferring images for that use.
I tried this method with no success on different type of wood, including plywood. What would be the best wood to use? Did I scrub to hard or used too much water. Most of the ink came off
The polycrylic was by far the best. You would have to have serious money for that Rockler printer, for that price and quality, you could have a branding iron
The polycryllic seems perfect for transferring letters for wood carving. You get the letters transfered, plus the surface is sealed so you get less tearout from the router. I'm going to try this. Thanks 👍👍👍
Thanks for the video. I have some experience with the heat transfer, and acetone method to metal. Laser printer (and some photocopiers) use a high temperature wax based ink that is very finely powdered. In the laser printing process, the toner is placed on the paper, then it passes by a "fuser". The purpose of the fuser is to melt the toner onto the paper. If you deactivate (sabotage) the fuser, the toner is clearly still powder and smudges easily. I sabotaged a used laser printer and would make transfers to copper plate. I heated the plate with a paint stripper hot gun from the back, and then latter used a large printmaker's hotplate that was 24" by 36" square and capable of temps over 400 degrees. After that I would etch the plate in ferric-chloride acid to etch the copper plate. Wash it all off with acetone, then rub ink onto the plate and run the inked plate and paper through an intaglio printing press.
Absolute garbage but he makes a shameless promotion for Rockler so he lies about the quality when we can obviously see for ourselves the complete garbage job that it did. He probably got the CNC Laser for free and his dishonest plug speaks volumes about his lack of integrity
Laser engraving works awesome if you use a homogeneous material. Pine wood have hard and soft parts, so the laser will produce uneven results. Using something like MDF, for example, will give you a better result. However, I will have to look for some acetone and try that method.
Thanks so much for giving me several ideas for a gift for a friend of mine. He is retiring from his construction business. I look forward to seeing more of your work and suggestions. THANK YOU!
That's EXACTLY the video I was waiting for ! Have been looking THE good process to do that, but never had a comparison between all of them. Thanks a lot and cheers from France !
This video is amazing! I was looking for something totally different (transfer ink on cardboard, not wood) but I stayed and watch your video until the end cos it´s greatly done. Either you´re a natural or a pro. Maybe both. Well done!
Thank you for this. I'm about to make some Christmas ornaments with wood and pictures and you just made things so much easier and you just saved me a ton of money.
Woa! I can't believe how good the polycryclic looks. I've been thinking about doing a transfer onto wood for a while, this was super helpful! Thanks for making this!
I use Liquitex liquid matte medium (instead of a gel). Whenever you use this transfer method it will always have a bit of a paper haze after the first "scrub". Just dampen a cloth, your fingers (or your toothbrush) and GENTLY rub in circular motions to remove as much of the remaining haze as possible. The areas that need the most attention, I find, are larger black areas. Finishing with a matte, satin or gloss varnish will bring the photo to life.
I must commend you on your presentation. Succinct in that you get straight to the point. Highly informative, again, you describe exactly the name of the medium you are using. It makes me smile, you didn't just mention polyurethane varnish but went further in its chemistry/solvent, water based of course. Imagine the sticky mess had an oil based poly been used if no mention had been made? And what a pleasure to know, great craftsmen are happy to share their secrets with the rest of us. From Great Britain, a fellow craftsman, thank you.
a little contribution...try printing an inverted image over waxed paper (like the back paper of Avery envelope tags) with an inkjet printer, then put the paper over the wood in the same way you show...the results are awesome, color printing on wood. I use this method to print the company logo and the image of new mechanical spare parts packed on wood boxes, the final look is absolutely professional... and...every waxed sheet can be used several times ( just clean the few remains of ink from the waxed face of the paper with a napkin before print again) ( on rough wood try with some fine grain sandpaper first, just a few )by the way...this method is a very basic version of Offset printing. cheers from the other side of the world !!! ;)
Wow, what a great video! I had no idea you could transfer images to wood so easily. The polycrilic does really look great and that will be my method of creating some really cool stuff! I thought I might try a iron buy using the printed transfer sheet that are used to iron color images onto t-shirts. Also, I wonder if laser printed color images would transfer onto wood just a cleanly as the black printed images. Thanks so much for the video!
Great video! I've done a few transfers to wood and I've found a great method to use with the clothes iron. Save the paper backing from shipping labels or any kind of labels you run though your printer and use the backing paper to print your images on. Then the high heat setting and the transfer will be a success! I've used both inkjet and laser to print the images and both have worked for me using the backing paper. I found pictures with an inkjet transfer really nice this way! Using wax paper as some suggest just introduces a wax film into the ink. Not good!
Print on the gloss side of an avery label sheet (sticker labels removed) and use with gel acrylic method. Easy peel off once dry and perfect transfer. No water or toothbrush required.
Wow!!! What a great video!!! Quick to the point and 5 different options and the results!!!! Love it, saved me a lot of trial and errors so I can get right to it. Awesome!!!
Fix This Build That Brad, one thing about the iron technique is that you need to print your image onto parchment paper or wax paper I stead of regular laser paper to facilitate the transfer. I love the polycrylic method though... Gotta try that one this afternoon!
I haven't read all the comments, but you might (or already might have) mention that the paper print should be flipped in a mirror image. Thanks for publishing this, I've been looking for a method to transfer wood carving subjects.
Acetone sounds like the cheap/quick/rock-n-roll option. You can also use lighter fuel to take images off newspapers, by first soaking the newspaper image, then rubbing it with a pencil onto the surface desired - added advantage of looking "hand-drawn" - SWEET
2 questions: 1. how long can you wait after you print the picture? (does the ink have to be hot, or could you wait until the ink dries?) 2. does this work with colors?
This is soo cool! Couldn't wait to try it! Tried the polycyclic method and didnt work well for me. I couldn't get all the paper off. If I scubbed too hard, the image came up. Followed his steps exactly and even used same products.
I tried this just now and had the same experience you did. Too much paper sticking to image and even with very gentle scrubbing with very soft toothbrush image began to come off. Have you tried any more since you wrote this a year ago? Thanks.
I've done a LOT of image transferring and I can tell you that in this instance, the poly will be just as good and cheaper per oz than the Liquitex. I'm also an artist and Liquitex is expensive! However ... the Liquitex (I haven't tried the poly) will also transfer inkjet images, though not as well because inkjet ink doesn't sit on the surface like toner. Same process, but works better if the image has been printed on magazine paper. The type of paper you use is also important. Must use high quality with inkjet so that it's a smoother surface you're printing on as well as a higher density of pigment. But now, all these years later, you can get waterslide paper and not have to worry about all that.
Thank you for saving me the hassle of trying acetone. I was going to buy some to label my desk project, but I remembered you made this video. I could not remember which was your winner so I just watched your video again. And on the plus side, I already have polycrylic in the shop!
engraving pictures is hard. this guy simply doesn't have his super high powered laser dialed in propperly. a lower powered laser with better control. (laser power resolution) would produce better results. speed and power also change the color. it could have been the blackest one of all for example. and the image prepperation required to get a decent photo engraved is insane. you need to be a veteran photoshopper. and a veteran laser engraver so you know what you want for your current material.
and if he was an expert in each method. then they would all look identical. with the added bonus of the laser engraving beeing actually engraved. so you can feel it and it's resistant to wear.
WHY IS HE NOT ANSWERING SOME QUESTIONs?!? ( maybe he has?!? 😌 But ive not seen any. IF an image is blurry or weak, .for myself its fine. I paint over the image, on the wood for my own artwork.... @ also use it as a help in Woodburning certain images that would take me a good while to hand draw. Too bad i did NOT learn these " tips " DECADES AGO. Saves ALOT of precious time. TY💓
Watching this again, still fascinating. Here are my thoughts on. #2: Use an ink jet. In my experience, it seems to transfer better. #3 & #4: Try using a stiffer brush to transfer after using the toothbrush. One method that I found is using printer label paper. Remove all the labels and then print on it. Use a credit card to transfer the printed material. Or do what I do. I went down to the library & asked them to save the paper after they use all the paper. Very cheap.
Excellent work. So much better than a drawn-out video I just viewed where some guy with a terribly inferior product kept telling us how much of a perfectionist he is.
"Get out there and build something awesome", what a great closing line. I'd like to keep typing this message but I need to get off youtube and go buil..................
Ink jet deposits ink droplets. Laser printer MELTS powder. Laser printers generate more heat than ink jets. Might be something to consider when using waxy label sheets (with paper labels removed)
You would have to use the Acetone method, for the poly or Liquitex will effectively seal the wood and you could not use oil or any other stain finish for that matter. If you use the acetone method you can finish it any way you like after it dries thoroughly, it also depends on the wood being used, for softwood you should use a pre-stain (wood conditioner) anyway, but the good part about using a prestain is it might allow a more even and complete transfer of the ink since it reacts only with the softer wood cells to harden them to more closely match the cells of the harder growth rings. I can only use the Acetone method, since I'm transferring chip carving patterns to basswood items to carve, but if I'm going to leave the item natural, I'll use the polyacrylic method since I would be giving it a light sanding afterwards, for you don't want to sand items before you carve them for the embedded grit will dull your carving tools. I am wondering if Lacquer Thinner would work the same as the Acetone, but I would have to think it would since you only need a solvent that will liquify the toner ink enough to transfer it to the wood. Another tip I've seen is to lightly brush the surface of the wood with the acetone first, then apply the transfer, then wet the back of the paper as shown, I was told it helps to get a more complete absorption of the ink into the surface of the wood. But awesome video, and great side-by-side comparison. VERY WELL DONE!
Greatly appreciate this video!! I did a few with the modge podge method and they turned out great (similar to the gel). A few times later I have had issues. Gave the polycrylic method a shot though, currently waiting for it to dry! ❤
Thanks so much for the tutorial! I was excited to already have the acetone, soft gel and polycrylic on hand and now I can't wait to try it out. This will be great for making tiny mural "replicas" for RUclips giveaways on my art episodes.
I haven't tried inkjet but my feelings Since Inkjet is ink, I would think both acetone and alcohol would work as both are solvents and would make the ink a liquid again and the pressure would force it into the wood. of course too much solvent would make for a blurred image. Just my feelings as I don't have an inkjet.
I have used the toner + hot iron method for transferring printed circuit designs onto copper-clad circuit board material for many, many years! The trick to making this work is to either buy the special paper designed specifically for making circuit boards, or to simply use the backing sheet from a page of labels (remove the labels, then print onto the shiny slippery side).
Glad I click on this video, thank you sir 👍🏾 want to do a cheap but awesome Valentine’s Day gift for my fiancé and my son, this was a well pro video. Awesome
for a flawless transfer, I recommend using a transfer medium (paint both the surfaces) and printing the image on one-sided waxed, translucent paper in a laser printer
I'm 75 now and my mother has passed but she was the best woodworker in the family! Her father taught her and she taught me and I have been working with wood since I was 8!
@@johnsanchez5414 You can also use Laser Ink spray, it's not cheap, but a little goes a long way, they also have the powder you can mix yourself, which would work great on the wood, but is a bit messy, I prefer a few light coats of the spray, but when you hit that with the laser it's basically doing what the acetone was doing, but the laser "cooks" the sprayed activator ink and will turn it a very nice black, and it's pretty permanent. Use it with laser for aluminum and stainless etching all the time, the engravings turn out SO much better than just the laser alone.
If you want a detailed write up you can see it here: fixthisbuildthat.com/print-on-wood-5-ways-diy-image-transfer/
Also, all prints were mirror image from a laser printer and normal multipurpose copy paper. I do not own an inkjet printer anymore so couldn't test those methods.
Hey Brad - I tried the acetone method (same brand of acetone you have actually) on walnut veneer plywood for a project and was completely unsuccessful - the toner didn't bleed at all. Curious if you had any thoughts or if you tried it on various types of wood. Cheers!
+The Cutting Bored what kind of printer was it? Laser or ink jet, home or commercial?
Fix This Build That Hi! It was a laser-jet printer from my office. Guessing that might play into it? I’ve done the technique before using inkjet to bleed logos but thought the way you did it was wayyy better and much cleaner. Cheers (and happy thanksgiving?!
Regarding polyacrylics method- do you think The polydacrylic that is the stain kind will work?
Fix This Build That what type of wood did you use?
Huge tip for anyone watching this. If you want a really clean transfer with all of the color transferred don't use paper. Use Label paper. What I mean is if you have shipping label paper laying around you will use the shiny backing and not the actual sticker. Print your image onto the shiny side. When you transfer it to the wood all the laser ink will transfer to the wood with none left behind. You do not have to wet it either. Just peel it off. It will work with inkjet as well. I still need to experiment with wax paper as I think it may work well.
I tried to have a image printed on label paper in fed ex on their laser jet printer but they said it would melt in the printer and ruin the machine. how are y'all doing this ? haha.
@Victor Poulin, which of the methods did you use? Acetone, polycrylic or gel medium?
@@Zaihanisme I used acrylic medium, made by Liquitex
@@shijimaorganites2893 They soooooo lied to you.
@@VictorPoulin I got a photo transfer medium by Modge Podge, and will do a test tomorrow. Hope it works!
Also, did you use water or just peeled it straight off?
I could not simply move along without telling you how much I appreciate the effort you put into this for the benefit of others. I am working on an idea for a craft project and wanted a decent method of transferring a simple image to a piece of wood. The polycrylic method is MONEY! Thanks again.
This is by far the BEST comparison video for what I was looking for! THANK YOU!!!
Wow, a life time of craftsmanship information in about 10 minutes!! Thank you! You also presented it in a way that was to the point. Didn’t waste any time. Yet gave all the good tips. excellent video production skills!
Thank you for this video! I'm from the Philippines and I can say that woodcraft has been part of our culture even before our pre-Hispanic era. However, we didn't move forward to these modern methods and it's rare to find mentors that can teach new techniques. More power to you and your channel!
MABUHAY! Im using his method here :)
This is when RUclips is at it's best. Thanks for sharing and teaching us this print method.
Thanks, James!
James Doyle it’s a stupid method
im going to do this
@@Fixthisbuildthat
You said that you would have a link in the description for your machine in Option 5. There is not one. I was actually looking for it specifically.
Can you use acetone yes but canyoy use alcohol ?
I like the acetone because it looks more rustic. Great video. Thanks.
Another method to consider if you're doing a thick clear finish is printing on rice paper and embedding it into poly. The rice paper becomes transparent and anything printed on it remains sharp and crisp. Look for other videos for Rice Paper Under Fiberglass, which is commonly used on skateboards and surfboards. You don't need to use fiberglass and resin, the same method works under poly but requires extra coats to make the finish thicker than the rice paper.
The clothes iron method is useful if you want to transfer an image that you are using as a guide or a sketch for pyrography. If you are into woodburning art I know some woodburning artists use that method for transferring images for that use.
Just used the polycrylic and it works amazing!!! The trick is to make sure the paper is real wet before rubbing. Thanks for sharing!!
Thanks for the tip! I’m going to test the polycrylic route and was wondering how it was working for people.
Did you use an inkjet or laser printer?
@@bratilicious73 I used a laser printer
I tried this method with no success on different type of wood, including plywood. What would be the best wood to use? Did I scrub to hard or used too much water. Most of the ink came off
I can’t tell you how many times I have rewatched this video or how many friends I have shared it with. Excellent lesson!!!!
Wow! The Polycrylic worked way better than I thought it would. Thanks Brad.
Yeah, I was really surprised too!
@@Fixthisbuildthat it's a A4 paper
Hey, how long do we have to wait for it dry/remove paper?
Do you know if I can use polycrylic on a painted surface?
I’m super impressed and surprised with the polycyclic, never seen that technique before.
Yeah, it's so attainable for woodworkers!
The polycrylic was by far the best. You would have to have serious money for that Rockler printer, for that price and quality, you could have a branding iron
Same, any thoughts on if it would work with other sealers like spar urethane?
I wouldn't use oil based just because of the fumes personally. But I bet it would work
Fix This Build That
If you do the polycyclic can you add a stain over it afterwards or will it mess it up?
Polycrylic is probably my favorite one to use. Simple and effective. Nice glaze coat and it looks beautiful. Thanks for this!
Can I ask, how long it will take to dry ?
Please reply
Thank you
How long does it need to dry?
The polycryllic seems perfect for transferring letters for wood carving. You get the letters transfered, plus the surface is sealed so you get less tearout from the router. I'm going to try this. Thanks 👍👍👍
How long does it need to dry?
Hello Brad, thx for the great video!I tested your method but instead of polycrylic I used wood glue, and the result was very satisfying
Thanks for the video. I have some experience with the heat transfer, and acetone method to metal. Laser printer (and some photocopiers) use a high temperature wax based ink that is very finely powdered. In the laser printing process, the toner is placed on the paper, then it passes by a "fuser". The purpose of the fuser is to melt the toner onto the paper. If you deactivate (sabotage) the fuser, the toner is clearly still powder and smudges easily. I sabotaged a used laser printer and would make transfers to copper plate. I heated the plate with a paint stripper hot gun from the back, and then latter used a large printmaker's hotplate that was 24" by 36" square and capable of temps over 400 degrees. After that I would etch the plate in ferric-chloride acid to etch the copper plate. Wash it all off with acetone, then rub ink onto the plate and run the inked plate and paper through an intaglio printing press.
Hi I’m back ur technique worked
I’m sooo happy that ur not one of those RUclipsrs that fake or lie
For example 5 minutes craft
I thought the CNC laser one was garbage! Am I alone here? Great video!
It's the wood choice, of course blank ink is going to be darker than burning though, if you want it burned in then the ink is cheating
Absolute garbage but he makes a shameless promotion for Rockler so he lies about the quality when we can obviously see for ourselves the complete garbage job that it did. He probably got the CNC Laser for free and his dishonest plug speaks volumes about his lack of integrity
I have a dirt cheap cnc laser...it prints great. It all about the design. You have to change stuff.
Laser engraving works awesome if you use a homogeneous material. Pine wood have hard and soft parts, so the laser will produce uneven results. Using something like MDF, for example, will give you a better result. However, I will have to look for some acetone and try that method.
@@alonsocambronero5663 it's all about focusing the laser....I engrave urns with mine. On all materials.
Thanks so much for giving me several ideas for a gift for a friend of mine. He is retiring from his construction business. I look forward to seeing more of your work and suggestions. THANK YOU!
Wow, this is so helpful! I've now made my decision for a Christmas craft, and it will be much easier than I thought it would be.
That's EXACTLY the video I was waiting for ! Have been looking THE good process to do that, but never had a comparison between all of them. Thanks a lot and cheers from France !
This video is amazing! I was looking for something totally different (transfer ink on cardboard, not wood) but I stayed and watch your video until the end cos it´s greatly done. Either you´re a natural or a pro. Maybe both. Well done!
Thank you for this. I'm about to make some Christmas ornaments with wood and pictures and you just made things so much easier and you just saved me a ton of money.
This is awesome! Going use the fifth method because I think I saw one under my blind grandma's bed. All seriousness, method is best! 👍🏼
Woa! I can't believe how good the polycryclic looks. I've been thinking about doing a transfer onto wood for a while, this was super helpful! Thanks for making this!
You're wellcome!
I use Liquitex liquid matte medium (instead of a gel). Whenever you use this transfer method it will always have a bit of a paper haze after the first "scrub". Just dampen a cloth, your fingers (or your toothbrush) and GENTLY rub in circular motions to remove as much of the remaining haze as possible. The areas that need the most attention, I find, are larger black areas. Finishing with a matte, satin or gloss varnish will bring the photo to life.
The polycrylic looks the best! I'll go buy me some right away. Thanks so much for this!
I must commend you on your presentation. Succinct in that you get straight to the point. Highly informative, again, you describe exactly the name of the medium you are using.
It makes me smile, you didn't just mention polyurethane varnish but went further in its chemistry/solvent, water based of course. Imagine the sticky mess had an oil based poly been used if no mention had been made?
And what a pleasure to know, great craftsmen are happy to share their secrets with the rest of us.
From Great Britain, a fellow craftsman, thank you.
I don't make comments very much but I have to said this is one of the best videos I have seen. Thank you.
a little contribution...try printing an inverted image over waxed paper (like the back paper of Avery envelope tags) with an inkjet printer, then put the paper over the wood in the same way you show...the results are awesome, color printing on wood. I use this method to print the company logo and the image of new mechanical spare parts packed on wood boxes, the final look is absolutely professional... and...every waxed sheet can be used several times ( just clean the few remains of ink from the waxed face of the paper with a napkin before print again) ( on rough wood try with some fine grain sandpaper first, just a few )by the way...this method is a very basic version of Offset printing.
cheers from the other side of the world !!! ;)
Wow, what a great video! I had no idea you could transfer images to wood so easily. The polycrilic does really look great and that will be my method of creating some really cool stuff! I thought I might try a iron buy using the printed transfer sheet that are used to iron color images onto t-shirts. Also, I wonder if laser printed color images would transfer onto wood just a cleanly as the black printed images. Thanks so much for the video!
Thank you for such a great video. To quote James Doyle (2 years ago), this is when RUclips is at it's best.
In Kenya we say "Asante Sams" to mean, "Thank you so much". This is a one semester course given absolutely free? May God bless you!
Good 5 ways, but No.3 is the best, It's brightly, strong color.
Thanks a lot for sharing us that ideas.
Great video! I've done a few transfers to wood and I've found a great method to use with the clothes iron. Save the paper backing from shipping labels or any kind of labels you run though your printer and use the backing paper to print your images on. Then the high heat setting and the transfer will be a success! I've used both inkjet and laser to print the images and both have worked for me using the backing paper. I found pictures with an inkjet transfer really nice this way! Using wax paper as some suggest just introduces a wax film into the ink. Not good!
Thank you! I think i want to try this as a method for getting my basic outlines onto wood for pyrography projects
Freezer paper works really well..Ive uses it for transfering manytimes :-)
Don't use Waxed Paper, use Butchers paper, which is not quite the same thing, but haven't tried it yet.
Print on the gloss side of an avery label sheet (sticker labels removed) and use with gel acrylic method. Easy peel off once dry and perfect transfer. No water or toothbrush required.
Thanks for the video! Every method is perfectly explained!
You're welcome, hope it helped!
Yes, I agree
Wow!!! What a great video!!! Quick to the point and 5 different options and the results!!!! Love it, saved me a lot of trial and errors so I can get right to it. Awesome!!!
Speaking as mixed media artist all the things you thought were cons were pros to me lol. Great vid and I enjoyed it, cheers!
Fantastic video! This will make it possible to move forward on an art project I've had the idea to do. Thank you so, so much for sharing this!
Interesting stuff...I never knew that polycrylic could do this. I agree with you...that was the best looking one.
+Bruce A. Ulrich yeah, and we already have it on hand!
Fix This Build That Brad, one thing about the iron technique is that you need to print your image onto parchment paper or wax paper I stead of regular laser paper to facilitate the transfer.
I love the polycrylic method though... Gotta try that one this afternoon!
Good tip, thanks!
This was great! This helped me know which one is the best to use on wood. Thanks!
I haven't read all the comments, but you might (or already might have) mention that the paper print should be flipped in a mirror image. Thanks for publishing this, I've been looking for a method to transfer wood carving subjects.
Not having any of those products I tried Weldbond, let t dry for about an hour. Worked fantastic. Thanks for the video.
Acetone sounds like the cheap/quick/rock-n-roll option. You can also use lighter fuel to take images off newspapers, by first soaking the newspaper image, then rubbing it with a pencil onto the surface desired - added advantage of looking "hand-drawn" - SWEET
@Dominic ohhh my goodness.
A second pass with the laser de-focused (1/16" to 1/8") will darken up the image very nicely.
That’s what I was thinking, if it’s laser accuracy, couldn’t a couple passes work to burn the image deeper?
2 questions: 1. how long can you wait after you print the picture? (does the ink have to be hot, or could you wait until the ink dries?) 2. does this work with colors?
Wondering the same thing.. never seen anyone answer.. does it need to be right off the printer?
Excellent assessment. I have to make several of these and was going with a completely different method before watching your video. Thank you!
Thank you soo much for this video! Was just asked to make something for someone and I wanted it to look “printed”. Exactly what I needed!!
7:05 Acetone makes the job more vivid and faster. And cheaper, definetely :)
Much better then mod podge. And every woodwoker has some water based laquer. Tyvm
If you're going for the antique look, I think the acetone looks best.
This is soo cool! Couldn't wait to try it! Tried the polycyclic method and didnt work well for me. I couldn't get all the paper off. If I scubbed too hard, the image came up. Followed his steps exactly and even used same products.
I tried this just now and had the same experience you did. Too much paper sticking to image and even with very gentle scrubbing with very soft toothbrush image began to come off. Have you tried any more since you wrote this a year ago? Thanks.
I've done a LOT of image transferring and I can tell you that in this instance, the poly will be just as good and cheaper per oz than the Liquitex. I'm also an artist and Liquitex is expensive!
However ... the Liquitex (I haven't tried the poly) will also transfer inkjet images, though not as well because inkjet ink doesn't sit on the surface like toner. Same process, but works better if the image has been printed on magazine paper. The type of paper you use is also important. Must use high quality with inkjet so that it's a smoother surface you're printing on as well as a higher density of pigment.
But now, all these years later, you can get waterslide paper and not have to worry about all that.
Very slick. Wonderful video! Thanks for the side by side comparison!
thanks!
Amazing and helpful, thank you so much! Would this technique work with a color print?
I did the gel medium for a family picture and it came out really good. It's a pain to take the paper off but it does work.
No need to watch another video. Great job, thank you!
Thank you for saving me the hassle of trying acetone. I was going to buy some to label my desk project, but I remembered you made this video. I could not remember which was your winner so I just watched your video again. And on the plus side, I already have polycrylic in the shop!
You explain it so well and no beating around the Bush great job
If you ask me, the laser one isn't only expensive and cheating, but has also produced one of the worse results :)
Nice video, upvote is due.
engraving pictures is hard. this guy simply doesn't have his super high powered laser dialed in propperly.
a lower powered laser with better control. (laser power resolution) would produce better results.
speed and power also change the color. it could have been the blackest one of all for example.
and the image prepperation required to get a decent photo engraved is insane. you need to be a veteran photoshopper. and a veteran laser engraver so you know what you want for your current material.
and if he was an expert in each method. then they would all look identical. with the added bonus of the laser engraving beeing actually engraved. so you can feel it and it's resistant to wear.
Defenitely
what are the best kind of woods to use and could you have used colred images?
WHY IS HE NOT ANSWERING SOME QUESTIONs?!? ( maybe he has?!? 😌 But ive not seen any. IF an image is blurry or weak, .for myself
its fine. I paint over the image, on the wood for my own artwork.... @ also use it as a help in Woodburning certain images that would take me a good while to hand draw. Too bad i did NOT learn these " tips " DECADES AGO. Saves ALOT of precious time. TY💓
Do all of these methods have to be used on raw wood or can you use them on a stained or painted board?
Good question.
Watching this again, still fascinating. Here are my thoughts on. #2: Use an ink jet. In my experience, it seems to transfer better. #3 & #4: Try using a stiffer brush to transfer after using the toothbrush. One method that I found is using printer label paper. Remove all the labels and then print on it. Use a credit card to transfer the printed material. Or do what I do. I went down to the library & asked them to save the paper after they use all the paper. Very cheap.
Excellent work. So much better than a drawn-out video I just viewed where some guy with a terribly inferior product kept telling us how much of a perfectionist he is.
"Get out there and build something awesome", what a great closing line. I'd like to keep typing this message but I need to get off youtube and go buil..................
I'm sooo schocked !
Sooooooooooo easyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy !!!
arghhhhhh !!
;-)
Rémy (stll from France)
;-)
How about you run the CNC laser twice, would it make the image more even/darker/better?
Ink jet deposits ink droplets. Laser printer MELTS powder. Laser printers generate more heat than ink jets. Might be something to consider when using waxy label sheets (with paper labels removed)
I love these tip videos. I’m gonna try that Acetone trick this weekend. I had no idea you could do this. Kinda blew my mind. Lol
Hey, just wondering, does this work with coloured ink as well?
@Smarter Than You ....DANG !!! I have a laser printer and wanted to try this.
Do you think I could oil the wood afterwards?
I was thinking about a chessboard on a coffee table
And wanted to oil it for water protection
You would have to use the Acetone method, for the poly or Liquitex will effectively seal the wood and you could not use oil or any other stain finish for that matter. If you use the acetone method you can finish it any way you like after it dries thoroughly, it also depends on the wood being used, for softwood you should use a pre-stain (wood conditioner) anyway, but the good part about using a prestain is it might allow a more even and complete transfer of the ink since it reacts only with the softer wood cells to harden them to more closely match the cells of the harder growth rings. I can only use the Acetone method, since I'm transferring chip carving patterns to basswood items to carve, but if I'm going to leave the item natural, I'll use the polyacrylic method since I would be giving it a light sanding afterwards, for you don't want to sand items before you carve them for the embedded grit will dull your carving tools. I am wondering if Lacquer Thinner would work the same as the Acetone, but I would have to think it would since you only need a solvent that will liquify the toner ink enough to transfer it to the wood. Another tip I've seen is to lightly brush the surface of the wood with the acetone first, then apply the transfer, then wet the back of the paper as shown, I was told it helps to get a more complete absorption of the ink into the surface of the wood. But awesome video, and great side-by-side comparison. VERY WELL DONE!
The ladies are showing how to transfer to wood on long videos. This guy shows five ways on a short video. Good job.
EXCELLENT tutorial. Clear and to the point. Well filmed too.
Greatly appreciate this video!! I did a few with the modge podge method and they turned out great (similar to the gel). A few times later I have had issues. Gave the polycrylic method a shot though, currently waiting for it to dry! ❤
Let me know how the polycrylic works! I’m going to be starting my project in a couple days
Did it work?mine didn't
Yep, polycrylic all the way!
Definitely!
hi, thanks for the video! how can I buy this product? thanks so much
Is it a kind of water based varnish?
and how much time do we need to start removing the paper?
Thanks so much for the tutorial! I was excited to already have the acetone, soft gel and polycrylic on hand and now I can't wait to try it out. This will be great for making tiny mural "replicas" for RUclips giveaways on my art episodes.
How did it go? Which method was best for you?
هل يمكنك قول اي نوع من الاسيتون يستخدم فانا استخدمت اسيتون مسح طلاء الاظافر
What type of polly, matte, glossy, semigloss?
Thanks
its nice to know the acrylic medium worked because as an acrylic painter I have some already haha
Thanks for sharing these great ideas and for inspiring a newbie here! All but the last method look very simple and inexpensive too.👍
i really loved that but can we print colored ink on wood by the third solution
Yes! Works with color from what I'm told
Fix This Build That only color from a laser printer?
Same question here.....all this is cheap - so let's just go try it!!
does the poly work with w/inkjet?
How about ink jet prints? Would they work also or does it have to be a laser prints?
Ink jet will work for some but almost all will be worse quality I believe
I use an ink jet to transfer logos without a problem
Guess we’ll have to try it.
With what way?aceton;
I haven't tried inkjet but my feelings Since Inkjet is ink, I would think both acetone and alcohol would work as both are solvents and would make the ink a liquid again and the pressure would force it into the wood. of course too much solvent would make for a blurred image. Just my feelings as I don't have an inkjet.
I have used the toner + hot iron method for transferring printed circuit designs onto copper-clad circuit board material for many, many years! The trick to making this work is to either buy the special paper designed specifically for making circuit boards, or to simply use the backing sheet from a page of labels (remove the labels, then print onto the shiny slippery side).
Glad I click on this video, thank you sir 👍🏾 want to do a cheap but awesome Valentine’s Day gift for my fiancé and my son, this was a well pro video. Awesome
Great video thank you so much for sharing!!!!
The iron method would produce some nice grunge effects.
Ted Weddell Was thinking the same thing. I bet there’s still a lot of applications for more “distressed” pieces.
what type of paper is used to print the image on? 😯
for a flawless transfer, I recommend using a transfer medium (paint both the surfaces) and printing the image on one-sided waxed, translucent paper in a laser printer
Thanks so much. Perfect for transferring patterns to wood for scrolling and wood burning!!
Would a fresh-off- the-printer image work better than an older print with the polycrilic method?
Thank you for acknowledging that there are women woodworkers (iron reference.)😘
Absolutely!
This was also something I noticed and really appreciated! Thanks!
I'm 75 now and my mother has passed but she was the best woodworker in the family! Her father taught her and she taught me and I have been working with wood since I was 8!
I also noticed this and appreciated the neutral sex statement
Also that men can iron clothes too 😂
Uuuuh, hello custom holiday presents !
+Makett yes, you could do really cool ornaments too!
I agree. I like the polycrylic best... I'm going to try one myself. Thanks...
Thank you for showing many different ways to transfer photo on wood, for comparison.
For #2 just call it the "distressed" look
+cardsfanbj yes, very distressed 😃
What if you printed the Laser twice, would if be darker?
Yes
@@johnsanchez5414 You can also use Laser Ink spray, it's not cheap, but a little goes a long way, they also have the powder you can mix yourself, which would work great on the wood, but is a bit messy, I prefer a few light coats of the spray, but when you hit that with the laser it's basically doing what the acetone was doing, but the laser "cooks" the sprayed activator ink and will turn it a very nice black, and it's pretty permanent. Use it with laser for aluminum and stainless etching all the time, the engravings turn out SO much better than just the laser alone.
The laser stinks! Gimme the polycrylic any day.
THE POLYCRYLIC LOOKS AMMAZING AND BETTER THAN THE LAZER MACHINE !