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Building Tips and technical articles. => Building techniques => Topic started by: Howard Rush on February 25, 2014, 02:46:39 AM

Title: Transferring Laser Printer Drawings to Wood
Post by: Howard Rush on February 25, 2014, 02:46:39 AM
A cool trick I learned here awhile back is that you can take something printed with a copier or laser printer, put it face down on a piece of wood, and transfer the printing to the wood by rubbing the paper with a rag with a dab of acetone or MEK on it.  This worked fine with my HP laser printer, but not with my Brother printer.  I am pleased to report that toluene works great with the Brother's toner.  This may not be worth posting, but it's a big deal for me.
Title: Re: Transferring Laser Printer Drawings to Wood
Post by: Paul Smith on February 25, 2014, 06:29:35 AM
There is time-honored technique of using a hot iron to transfer photo-copied plans to balsa.
Title: Re: Transferring Laser Printer Drawings to Wood
Post by: Curare on February 25, 2014, 06:48:21 AM
This is also a tried and tested way of making balsa pretzels
Title: Re: Transferring Laser Printer Drawings to Wood
Post by: Mike Lauerman on March 25, 2014, 03:27:18 PM
A cool trick I learned here awhile back is that you can take something printed with a copier or laser printer, put it face down on a piece of wood, and transfer the printing to the wood by rubbing the paper with a rag with a dab of acetone or MEK on it.  This worked fine with my HP laser printer, but not with my Brother printer.  I am pleased to report that toluene works great with the Brother's toner.  This may not be worth posting, but it's a big deal for me.

Big deal for me too, Howard. (I also have a Brother printer) Tried the transfer method with a hot iron, nada. Dink. Zip.
Toluene sounds like the ticket. You have shot me out of the bag. Country music seems to have that word in it...

Livin' in Toluene time,
Livin' in Toluene time;

and:

Toluene, Toluene; Toluene, Toluee-ee-en,
I'm beggin' you, please don't take my man...

Yeah!  It oughta work!
Title: Re: Transferring Laser Printer Drawings to Wood
Post by: Curare on March 25, 2014, 04:10:49 PM
I use el cheapo lacquer thinners too. Not sure if that's available in all the states of the US though.

Title: Re: Transferring Laser Printer Drawings to Wood
Post by: Phil Krankowski on March 25, 2014, 08:18:31 PM
If it is a printout, I kinda prefer scissors and those new "no-bleed" sharpie extra fine pens. 

If a full size plan, or you need to copy many times, go to the fabric store for some template plastic.  Use the same sharpie to trace onto the plastic, then scissors, and trace to wood.

I won't do plywood templates again for how easy this plastic sheet is!

Phil
Title: Re: Transferring Laser Printer Drawings to Wood
Post by: Doug Moon on March 26, 2014, 12:32:54 PM
My wife and I tried a wood burning tool made for this very thing.  We went to a printer shop and had copies made on a laser printer but never could get the image to transfer.  Not even a mark or anything.  What gives??
Title: Re: Transferring Laser Printer Drawings to Wood
Post by: Andrew Hathaway on March 26, 2014, 01:53:03 PM
I print my part (inkjet, copy paper), then cut out oversize, spray the back side with 3M Spray mount, and stick it to the wood.  Then I can rough cut the part with the scroll saw and zip it down to the line with the disk sander.  Then the pattern can be peeled off and filed for reuse or tossed in the trash.  Makes for very accurate parts, assuming the plans are accurate. 


 
Title: Re: Transferring Laser Printer Drawings to Wood
Post by: Allan Perret on April 20, 2014, 06:11:19 AM
A cool trick I learned here awhile back is that you can take something printed with a copier or laser printer, put it face down on a piece of wood, and transfer the printing to the wood by rubbing the paper with a rag with a dab of acetone or MEK on it.  This worked fine with my HP laser printer, but not with my Brother printer.  I am pleased to report that toluene works great with the Brother's toner.  This may not be worth posting, but it's a big deal for me.
Will this work with inkjets also ?