What happens if......?

[pfpro]

I am about to embark on disc-dyeing, and am wondering if anyone has tried this or has thoughts on this.....

Can cut your vinyl to 8.5" x 11" and then print (with either a laser printer or inkjet) your design?

I appreciate the artwork that has been shown on the site. I have 0 artistic ability, so finding clipart and using cool fonts are about my speed. Just wondering if there's a way to not invest the time or money for a lightbox, and then the hand tracing.

Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[Askari]

You could but the ink in inkjet printers don't stick n dry on the vinyl.

 

[pfpro]

Thanks - do you know if a laser printer would? I don't want to fry my laser printer.

 

[MikePinchico]

What if you reversed your image and printed on the back of the sheet would the paper on the back take the ink from the printer?

 

[Oklahyzer]

I hadn't thought about this before, but I suppose you could get some full-sheet printer labels and then stick that page to the vinyl. It would make cutting and weeding more difficult but with a sharp new blade it should still work fine. At work I know we did have some sort of plastic sheeting pages that they ran through laser printers for a special project, but I don't know the particulars...they're large high-capacity printers, too, so that may affect the options available.

 

[Dsplayname]

The only short-cut in disc dyeing is having somebody else do the legwork for you.

 

[pacanova]

The only short-cut in disc dyeing is having somebody else do the legwork for you.

^truth
I tried the printer thing and it just got ink all over my hand while I cut it out. I was going to try the nice printer at work but my boss would kill be if the vinyl separated and wrapped around the inside parts. I decided it worth it to buy a cutter a dozen dyes in.

 

[NorthernDisc]

Tried that once, just gums up the printer, even when printing in the back of the sheet. I don't have a light table, I just use a clear lid for a large rubbermaid container and a goose neck lamp. Cheap and easy, just like me.

 

[SirRaph]

I've also tried it, and the ink didn't stay on the vinyl.

 

[WillGrrr]

Besides, 8.5" is too narrow.

 

[Dsplayname]

I don't have a light table, I just use a clear lid for a large rubbermaid container and a goose neck lamp.

I just use the screen of my laptop as a light table. I don't usually cut on it though.

 

[pfpro]

Thanks to the experts for weighing in! It will save me the frustration of a FAIL
:thmbup:

 

[MOON]

I've used bumper sticker paper that you can buy Office max. Works ok you just have to dye at lower temps like around 100 to 120 degrees and add 15 moor min to your dip. Lots of bleed issues make sure its secure on the disc.

 

[digital]

You could but the ink in inkjet printers don't stick n dry on the vinyl.

is that one of your dyes in that avatar? siiiiick!

 

[pfpro]

So, I started this thread a while back, and decided to try it out.... and was quite pleased with the results.

Original file

I ordered my Oracal demo sheets, and since you can only order one of each type, and I ordered the 651 and 641, I decided to order Orajet 3651 and 3850. I didn't really understand the whole inkjet printing thing, so I had hoped that this stuff would work with my HP. Well, needless to say, that didn't work, and a quick internet search educated me on the difference between commercial and consumer inkjet, between water based inkjets, and the stuff they use on vinyl signs. I had a few designs that I wanted to dye, so I figured - why not just print them on my laser printer (Brother MFC9840) and see what happens. The first one I did was on the 3850. It was a fairly intricate design, and I noticed the black printing tended to flake off as I cut. The next design I did was as pictured. I did black first, then came back and did the two shades of gray, finally the colors (then the marbeling). I printed the image directly onto the 3651 and trimmed out the colors as I went - so I didn't have to mask until I got to the colors - I just masked over the airplane, and used the original printed colors to cut out of the vinyl. The 3651 seemed to not flake as much. Maybe someone with a little more knowledge then me in vinyl can explain why this seemed to happen. I had already cut my 651 and 641, so I don't know if it's possible to print onto that vinyl. I can order more samples in a few days, and will try those out when they arrive. It saves the step of transferring the image to the vinyl or having to cut over a light box.

The sheets are 8 x 10, so you do need to augment your vinyl. I use the shaving cream painting method, so I don't have to worry about having the complete flight plate of the disc covered like the dipping method.