Can anyone suggest a good set-up for printing on to 21mm thick wooden plaques

[Si Da Signmaker]

Hi there,

Currently printing on to wooden plaques that we make ourselfs and coat with white acrilic paint, using dry rub transfer paper to print the image on to them, all a little bit too fiddly & unreliable with all the different layers that you have to stick on & peel off. Looked at lots of Heat press from £100 to £2000 and they all look the same to me:eek:. I`m a great [FONT="Verdana]believer[/FONT] in the old saying "You buy cheap, you buy twice" but I also don`t want something over the top for our needs. The plaques only measure 230mm x 100mm so I don`t need anyting to big. Also if anyone could suggest the right transfer paper to use.

Thanks in advance

Si

[socialgiraffe]

Hi there

How many are you doing per month as that will make a difference on the press you buy.

[WorthDoingRight]

Well I think we decided in a previous thread that to reliably press 20mm acrylic blocks you would probably need a swing arm press and not a clamshell press. However before you buy the press you need to work out what you need the press for, and that is going to depend on what method you intend in the future to transfer your image using. Dye sublimation is going to need we believe a polyester coating to adhere to so that would mean pre-treating your wood with such a layer. The Magic Touch does sell some hard transfer papers for lasers (which would need a heat press) and some water slide transfer papers which would not need a heatpress as you soak them and slide the transfer onto your item.

I think you need to spend some time looking at the possible methods you could use before buying possibly a redundant press.

[Si Da Signmaker]

Hi Socialgiraffe,

At the moment making about 500 a month due to the christmass demand, but that will slow down in the new year I expect. I have got some new ideas for next year so I would like to buy a heat press that has got a good reputation for reliability.

[Si Da Signmaker]

Hi WorthDoingRight,

I agree a swing arm press does look more user friendly (less burnt fingers from what i`ve read), What do you think of thr option of a Draw Heat Press it seems like quite a good way of saving space, as you don`t need to leave a gap to the side of the Heat press for the head to swing into? As far as paper is concerned I think water slide would be about the same as i`m using now, so hard transfer paper looks to me to be the way forward, which one do you think would be suitable?

[Ian M]

Si, I posted a video the other day showing how to print onto wood which might help you. http://www.dyesubforum.co.uk/vbforum/sh ... tural-Wood

The video below might also help you too.

[Si Da Signmaker]

Cheers Ian,

I will watch them both with interest, that`s my Saturday night entertainment sorted.:biggrin: