Glass Decorating - Digicoat? Polygloss? AvianiX HydroPowder?

[trecenters]

Hello.

I have been looking for a way to decorate glass and came across Dye Sublimation techniques.

Has anyone tried the following? Digicoat, Polygloss, or AvianiX HydroPowder?

I was trying to powdercoat at first and was having a lot of issues with the finish on it.

Do any of you care to post results or experiences with these coatings?

Thanks,
Travis

[socialgiraffe]

Tried Digicoat.... never again....


Too inconsistent

[trecenters]

Tried Digicoat.... never again....


Too inconsistent

Can you give me more info? What substrate, glass? What was the inconsistency? Were some prints lighter then others or?

[socialgiraffe]

I thought the words "too inconsistent" might have given the game away on what the issue was

To be honest, it was so long ago that anything I say will be from a very dark place in my memory! However, given what I was doing many years ago I would assume I was testing it on ceramics, from what I can remember the inconsistency was in the take up of the print when sublimating. I was very careful when I coated the item to make sure it was well prepared and well covered, yet the print was blotchy at best.

Things may have change since then, the coatings on "professional" blanks are far superior to what they used to be, so who knows, it may be better now. Hopefully for your sake it is

[Andrew]

Dye sublimation is opaque so needs a base to print on depending on what finish you require. you can get the white coating in digicoat also and then respray with the sublimation coating. Also, as SG stated, getting continuity isn't easy. Don't know the other methods personally.

What type of glass are you trying to decorate and how much coverage?

[trecenters]

Do you have any experience with Ceramic toners and high firing?

[Andrew]

Small amount but don't do it personally. Got a local factory to me who does it and have run a few trials there on the lower temp organic inks. See them using various other methods.

[trecenters]

I will admit that I am new to all of this. I had recently got into sand-carving with UV processed film and have practiced until its sufficient work.

While engraving is beautiful and all, I really want to find a solution for decorating with color that will look professional.

Powdercoating might work if I had better conditions. It is quite humid here in Tennessee.

I found DYE sub, but it looks like any "professional" configuration for prepping glass is something that is not public knowledge.

I think I may look into frosting glass with the blaster, and then Hydrodipping with "One Hit Wonder" as a base.

[trecenters]

I do wonder how some Non HD textures would look. Maybe something like a marble pattern. Maybe some patterns out there that don't rely on consistency.

[trecenters]

What type of glass are you trying to decorate and how much coverage?

I am working with smaller borosilicate glass. The stuff they use in labs. Very small coverage is needed so that is a good cost effective part of whatever works. A lot of it is tube shaped also so that may be a problem finding a way to wrap it for pressure. I am willing to throw down some cash on it if I can find a sufficient way to transfer color.

It sounds like I just need to try different things.