SubliBoard Cut to Size/Shape

[MadeForYouGifts]

Hi Everyone, New to the forum so sorry if this has already been covered(did search but couldn't find anything)

I run a Wood and Plastic Laser Cutting Service in the UK, which also produces personalised wooden gifts for our own Gift Shop. We have just started offering Sublimation gifts alongside our laser engraved range and noticed a lack of customisable blanks that can be sublimated onto.

We are currently looking for a UK supplier of Raw Sublimation Hardboard / MDF that we can Laser Cut for our own applications.

We would be looking for a reliable supply of board, ideally in 600x400mm sheets, but we can work with larger. If we can find a consistant supply of raw material we can then offer a 3-day service on custom shape/size blanks if they are required.

[Andrew]

I found you don't need sublimation versions of the wood. Trial and error of the blanks stock available for laser cutting got us a decent print on the pale pine type of wood. No treatment, just standard stock already with the laser cutter did the job. MDF also did work but colours tend to be darker. Stuck with the wood as you get the textures through with the print which worked well

[MadeForYouGifts]

I found you don't need sublimation versions of the wood. Trial and error of the blanks stock available for laser cutting got us a decent print on the pale pine type of wood. No treatment, just standard stock already with the laser cutter did the job. MDF also did work but colours tend to be darker. Stuck with the wood as you get the textures through with the print which worked well

Thats interesting to know, I was under the impression that the surface had to be coated. We have ran some tests on our stock Laser-grade Plywood today and it seems to take a sublimation transfer perfectly at 190c for 60secs

[Mrteajunkie]

Can you post a picture of the results?

[Andrew]

It was something I found out around a year ago that you can get a great print without any special coating. Quite a few regular substrates can take a print but not many allow the heat or keep the print crisp. This type of wood does. If it doesn't move try and print it. You never know which is the next good find.

[Zoe]

What about something with a white coating? We need something for artwork that will show the colours.

[MadeForYouGifts]

Haven't got any in to test at the moment, but has anybody tried standard white faced hardboard?

[Andrew]

That doesn't really work. With the natural wood being slightly porous the ink can be absorbed enough to give a good image. As soon as you have a solid bonded finish, that would need to be off a polymer finish to work. Things like fascia board and window sills can take a print but not crisp and struggles under heat. Easy enough to spray the wood with a proper white sublimation coating or possibly even whitewash it with a water diluted paint first.

[webtrekker]

I've given up Googling properties of materials and just use the 'suck it and see' approach. I've found lots of things that will sublimate using this method, and also a lot that meltin the press, so be careful, and use teflon sheets when pressing.

Once you find something that sublimates well, THEN check out the material specs for dangerous fumes etc. For instance, PET and Mylar sublimate ok with no bad fumes, but PVC is a no-no.

[pisquee]

Although essentially anything porous can be sublimated to ... the catch is how well the print will last - over time they can/will fade/blur as the ink isn't trapped ... this can be seen to an extreme with cotton when you wash it, but other materials over time tell similar storeis - we keep test printed materials for weeks/months to see what happens before launching them as a product to make sure it works - especially on a product which will have wea/tear/usage where it will get rubbed.