Dye Sub Acrylic

[Steve Clarkson]

Someone asked me to try to make these charms using white acrylic......

Are the colors put on using dye sublimation? Would it be waterproof?

[Gary Hair]

Dye sub won't really stick to acrylic. When you heat it up enough to stick then the acrylic will melt. That's probably an acrylic paint or enamel of some kind. Could also be screen printed.

CLTT would stick to acrylic but it's not durable at all, it will scratch off very easily.

Gary

[Steve Clarkson]

So you could screen print an image on acrylic and it'll stick?

[Gary Hair]

So you could screen print an image on acrylic and it'll stick?

I don't screen print but I think that their ink might actually stick better than regular paint.

[Steve Clarkson]

OK, thanks Gary.

[Dan Hintz]

I don't screen print but I think that their ink might actually stick better than regular paint.
Would this be because the inks are solvent-based?

[Gary Hair]

Would this be because the inks are solvent-based?

I'm not really sure. I do know that I have tried to repurpose a couple of screenprinted stainless mugs and there is a ghost image left on the surface that I just can't get out, not without damaging the brushed finish anyway.

If you used solvent based ink then you need to apply the ink first and cut later or the acrylic will craze!

Gary

[Dan Hintz]

If you used solvent based ink then you need to apply the ink first and cut later or the acrylic will craze!
Yep, that's where I was heading...