Something interesting I just ran across

[Mark Ross]

Ink jet printing on wood. My apologies if I am not supposed to post a link or put it in the wrong area, but I come to SMC for engraving.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zq2O66QGCwg&feature=player_embedded

[Bill Stearns]

Mark -
Yeah - that's what I need to alert my customers to - something anybody can do on their own. Can envision my Epilog collecting cobwebs - and, my photo engraving business going down the drain! (seriously - was kind' a interesting what you've learned; may have some application 'long the way; you never know. (given the price of ink jet cartridges today - well, 'think I'll pass - but, thanks for sharing ....

Bill

[David Somers]

Mark,

Some related techniques if they are of interest to you....
(close your eyes Bill! <grin>)

Transfer from a laser printer to wood or other materials using acetone, or an iron. Or spray lacquer. Or Matte Gel Medium and Mod Podge, or Mod Podge by itself. Or Xylol as a solvent. (nasty stuff though.) Combine that with a laser cut or engraving in various ways and you might have an interesting, if somewhat tedious technique? Searches on any of those will turn up articles and Youtubes about the techniques. Personally, I think the Mod Podge one is about the simplest and uses a pretty innocuous product. You can even make your own, home made mod podge.

OK Bill...you can open your eyes now.

Dave
<grin>

[Dee Gallo]

That's quite interesting, Mark. Gotta try that! That might be a good replacement for waterslide decals, in fact. And to think I have just been throwing that backing material away all this time!

[Keith Upton]

Yes, very interesting indeed! I which he would have shown his image on the computer first though. I can't tell if all of the "vintage" look came from just putting it on the wood, or if that was largely done in post processing the image.

[Dan Hintz]

I can't tell if all of the "vintage" look came from just putting it on the wood, or if that was largely done in post processing the image.

You can get plenty of images off of the web that have that vintage look (muted colors, playful art, etc.).

[Keith Upton]

Making the image look vintage is not an issue (I've got plenty of PS experience and am a published photographer). I was just wondering where that look came from... the image or the application process.

[Chuck Stone]

You can also get a cleaner image if you coat the wood first with digital ground or
some artist's acrylic gel medium. They'll hold the ink on the surface and the ink
will bond with it rather than wick into the wood.

[Rodne Gold]

I tried it with my large format printer , printing on the silcon coated release paper for our vinyl and some paper label liners in our inkjets. Terrible results on any medium , the inks bead on release papers and you get a very grainy result..not acceptable for resale..