T-shirt transfer for box graphics, how to?

[vanessa]

I was doing some searches on working with t-shirt transfer paper for using t-shirt transfer for graphics on boxes. It looks really cool and I would like to try it out.

I'm not finding a tutorial in the archives or what's better dark t-shirt transfer or light?

Would I use the light transfer if I wanted people to see the metal like a clear water decal? And the dark for a white background similar to white water decal paper?


:roll:

[jimbob]

id like to know too and i hate using the search cause everytime i try it lists all the recent posts of anything and then lots of pages of nothing that relates..Maybe Im doing it wrong?

anyways, im looking for this info as well..

[sean k]

I've been doing after seeing Ezankers results which were pretty inspiring.Search for his posts because he basically took me through it but all the instructions are in the packet.I just do a whole bunch of designs at once to fill up the sheet,place them on the top and put the iron on top.No moving the iron,I just press on it and hold for about a minute or so then its done.Check the edges though and maybe roll the iron over then if any parts slightly go over the rolled edges of the box.

I would surmise you're right about the white t-shirt transfer and opacity.

The trickiest part for me was getting the pictures inside the printing edges of the A4 sheet.Copiers don't cover the whole area.Its not a biggy though,at all,just a matter of testing a bleached out grayscale version of what you wanna do on regular cheap paper.I only have ended up with one stuff up and that was the first test but it showed me where the copier borders were so no failures...oh,except my very first ironing when I moved the iron like you do on clothes.

Go to it!

[vanessa]

Has anyone used the ones for white t-shirts?

It seems stange that the dark transfer would be the one with the white background.

I wonder if the ones for white t-shirts are even clear?

[robotboy]

It's pretty straightforward. First get yourself some Avery Ink Jet Dark T-Shirt Transfers. They're at Office Max and a bunch of other stores as well. Make a layout in your favorite graphics program that's the same dimensions of the enclosure you'll be decorating. I kill two birds with one stone and include drill holes on my layout as well. First I print out a regular paper copy, tape it to the box and use it to get all my drill holes knocked out. Then I prep the box by sanding off the top layer of crap and getting it really clean with some acetone. Once the box is prepped, print another copy of the graphic on a piece of regular paper (low quality and grayscale to save ink). Then cut a piece of the transfer paper slightly larger than the size of the graphic. Tape the transfer paper to the regular paper so that the transfer lines up clean with the printed image and print it on highest quality. Please note that you must use an inkjet printer. After that, you can pretty much follow the instructions included with the paper. Get your iron on the highest cotton setting and don't use steam. Peel the backing off the transfer and place it on the enclosure. Use one of the included cover sheets to make the ironing go a little smoother. Pay attention to the edges because you don't want them to peel. Once the transfer seems good and bonded to the enclosure, let it cool, and then clear coat it to your liking. I had great results on the first try using this method. It seems to be one of the easiest ways to get great results.

[jimbob]

robotboy- your awsome!!!


thats just what i was looking for and appreciate your time spent writing it all down!!!!!

[vanessa]

Is there a clear version of this stuff?

I would like to just have black letter showing through to a nice sanded aluminum finish.

[markr04]

See my pic and info in this thread. It's what you're asking about.
http://www.diystompboxes.com/sboxforum/viewtopic.php?t=34662&start=0

[robotboy]

Is there a clear version of this stuff?

I would like to just have black letter showing through to a nice sanded aluminum finish.

You could use PNP Blue for that and then just clear coat over it. I've been etching my hammond boxes lately, and that's my favorite way to decorate so far. Of course there's also the obvious approach of waterslide decals.

[markr04]

My bad, vanessa. I missed the "transfer" part of this topic. Sorry.

[jimbob]

You could use PNP Blue for that and then just clear coat over it.

I have some of that that ive never used. How would that work (pnp blue)?? for decals??

thanks