PDA

View Full Version : Hot Foil Imprinting



steph brown
03-19-2013, 4:15 PM
Hi, Occasionally I get requests to put foil on things, which I don't really have a way to do - things like short runs of neck ribbons on medals. I had a brainstorm that maybe I could use the pantograph plates in my heat press somehow. They're not doing anything but sitting around as it is. Ideas? -stephanie

Dan Hintz
03-19-2013, 4:34 PM
I'm not sure of the best method, but I would try laser printing the design on paper first. Using the heat press, transfer the toner from paper to the ribbon (check the melt point of the ribbon you're using... acrylic ribbon could melt faster than the toner fuses). Then a second trip through the heat press with a cold foil. I can't attest as to the final quality, but it would be worth a try...

Mike Null
03-19-2013, 5:05 PM
The problem I believe is that the plates you want to use are engraved so that the stylus will follow the image. In other words there is nothing to press on the foil to the medallion. Another reason it's not likely to work is that the plate would have to be heated to about 220 to 250 degrees F. before the foil would be hot enough to transfer.

steph brown
03-19-2013, 6:09 PM
Yeah, I kind of realized that after I posted that it's not raised like typesetting. -stephanie

Dan Hintz
03-20-2013, 6:23 AM
Ah, my bad... I thought you were wanting foil on the ribbon itself, not the medal of a "neck ribbon".

Ignore my suggestion, then...

Mike Null
03-20-2013, 6:25 AM
Dan

Either way it won't make an impression of the image.

Dan Hintz
03-20-2013, 7:03 AM
Yeah, I completely misunderstood what she was attempting to do. Oh well, back to my cave...

Martin Boekers
03-20-2013, 2:57 PM
There are Dye Sub ribbons out there, you could put anything you want on, no metallic though.
Dye Sub worrks best with 1005 polyester, so see what your ribbons are made of. Problem is the inks aren't opaque.

Conde sells these I am sure others have something similar. About $.50ea

http://www.dyetrans.com/detail.php?item_no=LANMAT34