I just tried the "inkjet on transparency" method on some orange PZKut yesterday, and it worked PERFECTLY! I was SO thrilled, because I have had no luck with any other method. I tried ironing (hint: if you put something between the iron and the paper, make sure it ISN'T your hand). I tried acetone (is the fingernail polish remover SUPPOSED to remove the polish by removing the fingernail?). I even tried the Dixie method (don't worry, my eyebrows have almost grown back). I finally tried the transparency method. Well, more accurately, I didn't use transparency, I used a sheet of mailing-labels with the labels removed (leaving just the slick part). The problem, of course, is that now I have all these stickers stuck to various parts of my anatomy... don't really want to waste them... I suppose I should take this oportunity to actually LABEL all my body parts, just so I don't forget what is what.

Ok, that certainly went in a different direction than anticipated. But the transparency thing works on Orange PZKut, at least.

-wassamatta_u

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The problem, of course, is that now I have all these stickers stuck to various parts of my anatomy... don't really want to waste them... I suppose I should take this oportunity to actually LABEL all my body parts, just so I don't forget what is what.

Oh PLEASE post a picture of that! ;)

TG

So, let's say you have a portion of your image you want yellow....the remaining ink toner on the stamp doesn't make the yellow dirty or dingy? And, I'll take your word for it, but I guess the idea of that black ink mixing with the colors is what concerns me.

Thanks!

Jenni P McD

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Now, let me be devil's advocate and ask about the ink left on the stamp after carving. How do you remove that?

Okay - here's what I do for the iron transfer. First, I find an old printer or copier that uses toner (rather than inkjet or bubblejet) and make my print. Then, I put that face-down on the carving block and take a fairly warm (cotton/wool setting) iron and rub it over the back of the paper a few times and check to see if the toner has moved to the block yet by peeling up a corner of the paper and peeking underneath. If not, then I put it back down and iron some more. (repeat as necessary...) Once the image is on the block, peel the paper off and let the block cool before carving (put it into the refrigerator if you're impatient!!). :)

As for the toner that is left on the block after I have finished carving? I just leave it there! It actually seems to condition the stamp nicely so it takes ink very well. I also leave my pencil transfers on the block, though -- I don't really worry about what the block looks like, as long as it makes a good print!!

I hope that helps a bit! Ask away if anything is unclear!

Webfoot

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Now, let me be devil's advocate and ask about the ink left on the stamp after carving. How do you remove that?

Napalm ;)

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don't worry, my eyebrows have almost grown back

a picture of this one would be rather interesting as well!

JPMCD

Oh, and one more thing -- make sure that your iron never touches the block directly. (I know this from unfortunate experience...) I usually put an extra piece of paper over my image, if it's on a small scrap, just to make sure that the metal doesn't come in contact with the carving block. (Imagine a melted, sticky mess all over the bottom of your iron -- one that doesn't really want to come off...)

Webfoot

Sounds plain enough! I"ll be trying this one too.

Now the one Wass talks about with the regrowing eyebrows? That is apparently Dixie's method. What's that about, and do I dare even try it?

Hence, Wass's regrowing eyebrows?

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So, let's say you have a portion of your image you want yellow....the remaining ink toner on the stamp doesn't make the yellow dirty or dingy? And, I'll take your word for it, but I guess the idea of that black ink mixing with the colors is what concerns me.

Nope. The yellow will come out yellow. The transferred toner doesn't seem to come off like that. You could remove it if you wanted to with some more acetone, but you would have to be VERY VERY CAREFUL not to use too much. If you do, you will wear away the edges of your carving and ruin it. This is the voice of experience talking on this one.

Just to be sure, I took a stamp I'm working on, colored it with a yellow marker, and test-stamped it. Just yellow, nothing else. :)

TG

Definately good to know!

Thanks!

JPMcD

Cool Beans, and definately a good thing to know!

Thanks for sharing!

JPMcD

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That is apparently Dixie's method. What's that about, and do I dare even try it?

I didn't dare. Dixie will have to clue you in on that one. I figured that if acetone makes me sick, her napalm would probably put me in the hospital! ;-)

Webfoot

I hear ya, but her carves are really good. I finally got out to the cemetery and found her's here last weekend. Excellent carvings. So, she's doing something right! :-)

But, I don't know if I"m that brave. :-o

JPMcD

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if you put something between the iron and the paper, make sure it ISN'T your hand; is the fingernail polish remover SUPPOSED to remove the polish by removing the fingernail; don't worry, my eyebrows have almost grown back; The problem, of course, is that now I have all these stickers stuck to various parts of my anatomy... don't really want to waste them... I suppose I should take this oportunity to actually LABEL all my body parts, just so I don't forget what is what.

wassamatta_U,

You crack me up!

J
of JBBK2006

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... I suppose I should take this oportunity to actually LABEL all my body parts, just so I don't forget what is what.

*snickering*
please tell me you didnt have to use the Avery 5167.....

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please tell me you didnt have to use the Avery 5167.....

Ok, are those really big or really small? ;)

TG

Do you use an iron with that... or ust slap it down REALLY fast before it dries?

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Do you use an iron with that... or just slap it down REALLY fast before it dries?

I am assuming you are asking about the "transparency" transfer method, and NOT the labeling of body parts? Because I can assure you, I do NOT use an iron on the vast majority of my body parts, and in fact there are only a few that I slap really fast.

As for the transfer method - neither. No iron necesary, and the ink doesn't dry on the slick paper (or at least, not quickly). I would say it was at least 2 or 3 minutes between when I printed and when I put paper to rubber, and there was no problem at all with it drying out in that time.

I believe Kirbert's webpage goes into a good deal of detail into this method - you might want to look that over as well. (http://www.nettally.com/palmk/TransferringRubberStampImage.html ... go down to the "Inkjet Printers" section). Hope Kirbert doesn't mind me putting that link here, but since these Message Boards are where he pointed them out to me (and others) in the first place, I figured it was pretty safe.

Good luck!

-wassamatta_u

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As for the transfer method - neither. No iron necesary, and the ink doesn't dry on the slick paper (or at least, not quickly). I would say it was at least 2 or 3 minutes...

I've left it overnight, it still transfers, still wipes clean off the plastic when done.

I do recommend leaving it at least a few minutes before transferring. If you look at it, you can see the ink being sort of shiny when it first comes out of the printer on the plastic sheet, and in a couple of minutes it gets dull-looking. I think you want it dull-looking before attempting the transfer.

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I suppose I should take this oportunity to actually LABEL all my body parts, just so I don't forget what is what.

That might be a good idea after the acetone AND carb cleaner fumes.

Shiloh

with the pzcut i always iron it. just keep moving the iron as you do it and it only takes a fe second...stop and peel one corner slightly and do more if needed. my daughter always has trouble with this method too:-( i'm not sure why. this weekend i tried to reprint on a piece and the paper totaly stuck;-Z i had to scrape it off, but that was ok when i was done.