Color laser-etched discs

[Martin Boekers]

Has anyone seen or heard of this business?

I haven't had a chance to phone them to check about the process.

http://www.hourpowerwatches.com/watch-accessories/photo-etched-discs.html

Marty

[Dan Hintz]

I think their use of the term "laser etch" is extremely loose... as in "color laser toner transfer" loose.

[Bill Cunningham]

Is that like a sublimation thing Dan?

[Dan Hintz]

That's my thinking...

[Martin Boekers]

Dan that was my thougts exactly, some really try to make things something that they are not.

Bill, Color laser transfer is similar to sublimation only in the way it does use a heat press to transfer the image.

The process uses a release paper (see Magic Touch USA) that is printed with a laser printer (Oki, Xerox etc) The toners bond to the release paper and when heated under pressure the toner adheres to the subtrate with a stronger bond then the release paper, so in effect transfers the toner to the substrate.

Advantages; Cheaper process, easier color management, substrates don't have to have special coatings, If you screw up a tile say, some solvent will remove the transfer, so no loss of material on a mistake.

Disadvantages; toner is transfered to the surface as opposed to sublimated into the coating, may want to protective coat spray for additional protection.

These are basic pros & cons, I'm sure they may be more.

CLTT is a cheaper alternative to get into full color transfer than to start up a dye-sub process, as most of us all ready have a laser printer and many have a heat press.

Marty

[AL Ursich]

I called and talked to the very nice lady. She said they sent it out to be done and it was a very nice selling product. I would call it a "Value Added" product turning the watch into keepsake.

Good For THEM....

As for the Process.... CLTT or Sublimation would do the same. Not sure about the laser process but some mystery could be a good thing...

I was the 2nd call today about how they did it.....

AL

[Martin Boekers]

Al,

We must have them wondering!;)

I just called and talked with Marie, and as you say a nice lady.

She said they send them out, and the company that does them has a patented process. No one there could answer my questions on it, she said
if I emailed her she would forward it the company that does it for them.

I know we have had quite a few discussions here on color etching.
I think it was a company called Atomic Art or something similar that
was working on a process.

I didn't know if they are actually out there producing things on a commercial basis yet, so I guess that's why I posted this to see
who was doing it and if it was them or not.

Marty

[Dan Hintz]

I thought about the Atomic art stuff, but I discounted it due to the cost, particularly for such a small object. the time would hardly be worth it unless they were charging $100/face.

[Doug Griffith]

in a nutshell, where does the white come from?

I'd go as far as to say it's done with a higher end UV flatbed inkjet with a white ink cartridge. They are not very common.

To sublimate INTO metal you need a coating. The coating would need to be clear for the metal to "shine through" in the non printed areas. Ink is inherently transparent so if there is not a flood of white behind the printed areas it will print transparent. Sublimation transfers from the printed substrate as a gas and doesn't have the opacity to print white.

To do it with an inkjet you'd first print the white which is UV cured and then the color is printed on top and UV cured. This is done in one pass with a "flying" UV print head. I forgot what they are called.

I've printed using a lot of different processes and that's my best guess.

[Martin Boekers]

Looking closer it looks like they added a background to the portraits as the the highlights are out of focus and "starred" in the same spots. That could still be dye sub or CLTT as white discs are also available.

On the the printing possibilities Doug, that to is possible. Esp. if the background is just used to simulate the silver.

Dan I agree with you about Atomic Art, too intensive of a process to
be priced as such.

One thing that has me wondering is that it can be etched on sterling silver or an alloy metal, so each would have to be treated for dye sub or even for CLTT to get a "white flood" for the transfer.

Then the bigger question why silver if it's only on an inserted disc? You wouldn't be able to tell what the disc was made out of after inserted?

Also, I haven't worked with Cermark much, will it work even as a marking agent with the laser on Sterling Silver?


Marty

[AL Ursich]

Good Discussion.... This is a GREAT PLACE....

AL:D

[Martin Boekers]

I recieved an email this morning from Marie at Hour Power Watches, she said the manufacturer was in the process of patenting this process and she would update me as they proceed.:p

I'm sorry I have to laugh a bit as this all seems a bit of deja-vu with chasing "illusive" color lasering methods.

Marie has been very nice and has followed through on her part so I really do give her kudos on that.


Marty

[Dan Hintz]

Someone should offer Marie 10% lower price than whatever she's currently being charged to do the same thing with their dye-sub machine... it sounds like she's being "had" by this other company.

[Martin Boekers]

I venture to guess that it must have surprised that company when she requested info on the process.

I'm sure they didn't expect that!:D

[Roy Nicholson]

I thought that these were going on the face of the watch but it looks as if they are going in a compartment at the back of the watch? Looks like the front of the watch swings open to reveal the disc at the back.

http://www.hourpowerwatches.com/men/traditionalist.html

Sublimated we could do these for about $2.50 Aus each on a white disk which would allow the white to show through or on a gold or silver background when white would not show through the background ofmthe diskm would show through in the white areas.

This could be done on sterling silver if the diosk was prepared for sublimating with a coating. All of the sublimateable metals are coated.


Regards


Roy N.