Printer ink transfer method not working

[Orion]

Hi everyone! I'm new here, and new to the world of jewellery and metal working in general, so please bear with me as I ask an utterly newbie question!

I've been trying to use the printer ink / acetone transfer method to stencil images to be engraved onto metal, mainly copper and reticulation silver. But. It's. Not. Working.

I have tried copiers at newer print centers, the old copier at the library, the old (and really bad) printer at the corner convenience store. I've tried full strength acetone, nailpolish remover, etc.

I've burnished the image with a spoon while the paper is saturated with acetone.

It just won't transfer, not one trace, not one iota. :(|

Can anyone think of what I'm doing wrong here? I suppose I could choose another transfer method, but they all seem more difficult than this one... except this one is turning out to be way more difficult than anticipated!

The next method I may try is printing out the images onto transfer paper and then applying acetone to that.

This is annoying because the transfer method is the only thing that stands between me and starting my first engraving project.

Any help would be most appreciated!! :o

[ps_bond]

I know some people have said that toner transfer is very machine dependent, but I've not had any issues with any laser printer or similar copier when using acetone-based nail polish remover (the acetone-free stuff definitely doesn't work). That you've tried a bunch of different printers and not had any success is surprising - I'd expect at least one to be suitable (and they're definitely using toner and not ink, I hope?).

Is the metal clean, and have you matted the surface slightly? Sometimes the transfer is easier with a slight tooth on the metal. If you place a sheet of greaseproof paper/baking parchment/tracing paper or similar on top of the image and burnish that, you won't rip the paper while it's wet.

Press'n'Peel Blue also works well, although obviously it's more expensive (I don't use whole sheets - I use Kapton tape to place a small piece on the paper in the correct position, then feed that in)

Failing that, there are a number of different ways to get a pattern onto metal that are still pretty simple - https://www.engravingschool.com/private/transfers.htm
Not an exhaustive list - it doesn't cover the use of clear acetate (+ scriber + Plasticene + graphite), for example.

[Dennis]

Print it onto acetate sheets intended for overhead projectors, or onto PnP sheets (better for delicate lines), then transfer it by ironing it on with a domestic iron at less than full heat, retracting the iron as you peel back.

You will get a good image but any fine detail that is broken can be touched up with a fine Steadtler Lumicolour pen. Dennis.

[china]

As Peter mentioned the printer must be toner based "not inkjet" sounds to me like that is your problem, in fact using a LASER printer you can transfer the image use a clothes iron

[Orion]

I've tried several other methods since my last post.

I tried the transparency method, and I tried getting photocopies from different copying centers.

I mixed up a transfer solution of 8 parts 90% ethanol to 3 parts acetone. I applied this to both the transparency method and to the standard photocopy method.

The transparency method had the best results, *some* ink vaguely transferred, but it wasn't enough.

Could it be the reticulation silver I'm working with that's the problem?

I'm at a total loss here. I just want to practice engraving, but I can't get past this step. It's been weeks of trying!!!

[Orion]

I'm going to try varnish and transfer paper next. Could anyone please tell me if the kind of transfer paper for transferring to clothing will also work for metal? It seems like all the transfer papers on Amazon and other sites are for clothes.

[art925]

Could it be the reticulation silver I'm working with that's the problem?

I'm at a total loss here. I just want to practice engraving, but I can't get past this step. It's been weeks of trying!!!

To transfer an image via any method it needs to be touching the metal you are transferring to. If the metal is reticulated, the fact that it is not flat plate it will be almost impossible to transfer any image. Have you tried on just plain flat metal first to test your method? when you have a method that works then move to the variable of reticulation but you will need loads of patience here I think.

[Orion]

To transfer an image via any method it needs to be touching the metal you are transferring to. If the metal is reticulated, the fact that it is not flat plate it will be almost impossible to transfer any image. Have you tried on just plain flat metal first to test your method? when you have a method that works then move to the variable of reticulation but you will need loads of patience here I think.

I never actually considered that it was the metal itself that was the problem. The person instructing me online has done laser toner transfers to reticulated silver before, using just acetone. She believes that it may the type of photocopier I used. Apparently the newer photocopiers produce images that are less likely to transfer.

I'll try repeating my methods on the copper plate I have. If it works for that, then I know it's the silver. Will update again!

[Orion]

I have a video to post but I need one more post to do it. So forgive this superfluous message...

[Orion]

Could someone please tell me what kind of transfer paper is being used in this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahDLlyE_BaI)?

If I can figure it out, I will try that method.

[ps_bond]

I *think* that it's one of the inkjet transfer methods rather than laser; I've never tried inkjet transfers. However, the link I gave you earlier details the use of Damar varnish; there's some specifics here too - https://www.engravingforum.com/showthread.php?t=3141

Even more here - https://www.culverart.com/Engraving%20Transfer%20Process.pdf

As for transfer paper - it seems to be a term that means different things to different industries, which isn't entirely helpful. I note from the comments that he has to experiment with different brands...