Transferring Plans to Plywood

[Jerry Thompson]

I have searched for carbon paper to transfer plans to plywood to make templates. I can only find the carbon paper in 100 sheet packs.
Could I achieve satisfactory results is I copied the plan(s) and printed them using an ink jet printer and then iron the onto the plywood?

[Lee Schierer]

Ink jet probably won't work. Laser print might.

[Jerry Thompson]

I have not even tried to iron on a print. I have a laser print but I do not know how to scale the print to the right size. I'm just going to bite the bullet and get carbon paper.
Thanks.

[Red OLeary]

Check at Joann Fabrics or similar store, they have something like carbon paper for transferring patterns to fabric. I've never done it, I just know the stuff exists... might work, might not.

[Charles Lent]

If you go to print shops that do business printing, they have large (about 3' X 3') sheets of single use carbon paper in stock for printing multi copy business stationery and most of these shops will sell you single sheets of it.

Your laser printer should be capable of printing the correct size. I use an HP and have no problems if the printer driver selections are made correctly. Take the time to make the right selections just before printing and you should be able to get the results that you want. You should even be able to make mirror image copies so they come out correctly when transferred to the wood using an iron.

I frequently use "Applique Film" instead of paper, but it costs about $0.80/sheet, so I only use it where I need to keep the surface of the project easy to clean up after removing the pattern. It's a clear mylar film with a sticky backing that takes laser printing very well and it's available from stationery supply stores (but it may need to be specially ordered). I arrange multiple copies of my patterns on a sheet to fill up the entire sheet using Photoshop or other photo software and then print them on the applique film. I then cut out the image that I want and peel the backing off, then stick it to the wood. It can be lifted and re-applied to clean wood several times before the stickiness fails, so it's easy to get the image positioned perfectly. The beauty of this applique film is that it is easy to remove after and leaves no glue or residue or toner on the wood.

Charley

[Michael Moscicki]

I have purchased this, but have yet to use it. It should be what you need. It is only 12 inches wide, but it is 144 inches long.

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=32818&cat=1,42936

This high-quality graphite tracing paper has several advantages over regular carbon paper when you are transferring patterns for fretwork, lettering, or carving.Specifically made for woodworkers, it leaves a dark, clean line on paper or wood that won't smudge. Can be reused several times. With no wax or grease, it is easily painted over and will not bleed through. The paper comes in a 12" x 144" continuous roll.
Made in USA.

[Dave Cav]

Rather than transferring your pattern using carbon paper, try printing your pattern full size and then glue the paper directly onto the plywood using a light spray adhesive. When finished, peel off the remains of template.

[Greg Sznajdruk]

Matthis has a program for printing full size patterens. I've used this numerous times without problems. The program is $20.00 or so.

http://woodgears.ca/bigprint/

Greg

[Robert Engel]

+1 Big Print ;)

[Prashun Patel]

Rather than transferring your pattern using carbon paper, try printing your pattern full size and then glue the paper directly onto the plywood using a light spray adhesive. When finished, peel off the remains of template.

+1. Spray adhesive is the easiest. To remove, soak the surface with mineral spirits. The paper will peel right off.

[Mike Schuch]

Rather than transferring your pattern using carbon paper, try printing your pattern full size and then glue the paper directly onto the plywood using a light spray adhesive. When finished, peel off the remains of template.

Yes, but with rubber cement. With rubber cement the paper just peels off and then the residue just rubs off.

[Tom Howarth]

I've used a sheet of plain paper that I scribbled the whole sheet with a pencil. Use a soft lead like a #2 pencil.

[ian maybury]

A good dark print from an old style xerox photocopy would iron, but whether there's another type of modern print that works i don't know. It's not always a great method, as depending on the optics/software there's the potential for some distortion to be introduced.

Legibility depends a little on the surface, but a useful technique is to tape the drawing (or an accurate copy of it if you want to keep the original - best again to check the scaling of the copy) to your material and whizz around it with a pricking wheel - there's lots of choices: http://www.sheridanleather.com/11_C_S_Osborne_Pricking_Wheel_p/dt-451-d.htm There may be cheaper ones about from other suppliers. With a bit of care to ensure accuracy they work very well - i have an old one my grandmother had in sewing classes from probably the late 1800s, and have been using it since i was a kid building model aircraft.

Sheridan by the way are the guys that do the horse butt leather in large/economically sized pieces that's reckoned to be very good for making hard/fine surface strops...

[Bill Adamsen]

That Lee valley graphite paper looks like the ticket! Thanks for posting that.

I have used that approach creating my own graphite by simply drawing or rubbing with a pencil which will transfer and leave enough trace to follow when cutting. 17# vellum makes it easy to see your progress (though on some printers it does not print well). Print on the vellum then turn it over and trace with pencil, invert on the wood and rub the lines. The pencil readily transfers. If you have rubbed on the pencil you will have to "redraw" the lines.

The modern corollary is of course CNC.

[Lee Schierer]

+1. Spray adhesive is the easiest. To remove, soak the surface with mineral spirits. The paper will peel right off.

Put down a layer of painters tape and apply the spray adhesive to the tape. Stick on your pattern and when you are ready the painters tape will peel right off. No need to use solvents.

[Walter Plummer]

Craft stores have this. https://www.michaels.com/martha-stewart-crafts-transfer-paper/10198146.html Or yo could go "old school" and use one of these. http://www.leevalley.com/us/Wood/page.aspx?p=32817&cat=1,250,43298,43305&ap=1

[Tom Giacomo]

You can get it at your local Wal-Mart just order it on line and they will send it to your store. It's not carbon paper anymore it's graphite paper. I ordered it online for my local Wal-Mart got it in black and white.