Printing around the handle......yep, that again!

[Justin]

So I wanted to open this old tin of worms again I know we'd all like to be able to print under the handle, or at least right up to it!

I have a mug here that I bought on holiday last year. Sublimation print that goes 360 degrees, under the handle with no obvious join. OK, I know , they're must be a join but I just can't see one. I'd 'assumed' this must have been printed before the handle went on but that wouldn't explain the gaps around the sections where the handle joins....and surely the coating at these points wouldn't be perfect?

I guess this still intrigues me....maybe even annoys me!

I saw this press a while back, whilst I can see it'd for products without handles it did start me wondering if this type of machine could start to shed any light.
http://www.sun-fly-sublimation.com/full ... c4-55.html
A press with 2 elements, coming together around the handle to meet in the middle....possible.

Also, there are patents where folk have tried to solves the issue, here for example...
http://www.google.com/patents/US5944931

Again, this might be an avenue worth pursuing but getting the transfer paper cut correctly and hiding a join sufficiently would be tricky.

Surely this can be solved? Just printing right up to the handle really shouldn't be that difficult....should it? The 3D machines and ovens print a fair bit nearer with wraps but still not close enough for me to be satisfied.

[soulclaimed]

Could it be possible that it is done as you say the print may have been printed with voids to allow for the handle to be attached and the white space is bigger as it's blended down to the mugs body for stability thats a massive guess

[mrs maggot]

I cannot see the handle being added after, as that would mean the firing was a double process, and the problem of putting a handle onto fired clay. can you do a panoramic of the mug, so we can see the print all the way round, and see if it helps to better work it out, my guess would be its more of a transfer applied than a paper sub

[JMugs]

Ok I have had a few wines but....
silicon wrap, one side has three fingers which goes at top of mug, through handle and bottom of mug. End of each finger is a barrel. The other end of the wrap has 2 fingers and 2 barrels on the end. All barrels line up, sling in a pin. Then place in oven.

Have I missed something in my simplicity?

Janners

[Justin]

^Mrs. M......I agree, I just can't see how the handle could be applied afterwards. It's definitely a sublimation print as it's blurred ever so slightly at the bottom edge, they've mirrored the print to fit but I still can't see a join!

^JMugs.....Maybe there is a simple solution, I think the wrap may be the key, but getting the transfer right as well.

[mrs maggot]

instead of looking for a straight line cut how abut diagonal ?? I agree with Janners about the wrap

[Justin]

Checked all around the mug, only thing I can see is possibly a join under the handle, the background image is quite washed out/blurry which lends itself well to hiding the line Still very well hidden if that's it though, and the paper must have overlapped a little.

[FutureProject]

the way the transfer process works I guess it would hide a line much better than other methods as the gassing would fill in a gap (like the shading when you get at the top / bottom of a full wrap, clever image selection would also help and I can see it being difficult to spot at any point round the handle.

on the face of it it doesn't seem that difficult a problem assuming you've got the fabrication stuff to make the wrap (I don't so I could be totally wrong here) which I assume would consist of a rubber wrap and a 3 part metal clamp to hold it all together (top, middle, bottom)

Then although your mug supplier would have to be producing to a consistent spec and you'll need an oven / 3d / halogen method of applying the heat and probably a boat load of trial and error to find the temp/time sweet spot.