Transfer Paper Results

Transfer Paper Results

Danielle Black

6/27/2011

Hello everybody,

Let me start with a big thank you to everyone who took the time to respond
to my post about transfer paper. I had a few requests to post the results so
here's what I've got so far.

The preferred method of application seems to be waiting until the plastic
has heated enough to be molded then spraying the paper with silicone spray
and applying it to the plastic. Some people suggest rubbing it slightly to
help the pattern go on and one great idea was to roll the paper onto a metal
cylinder then unroll it onto the plastic from there. The amount of time the
paper is left on seems to vary slightly with some people preferring to
remove it almost immediately and others applying the transfer, putting the
plastic back into the oven, waiting for about 10 seconds and then removing
it.

As for fading, the general consensus seems to be that while there is some
fading, it is very slight and usually will not be an issue. On average the
transfers will last for a few years but the amount of fading varies from
person to person and occurs less when the device is properly cared for.

It seems that all transfer paper is not created equal. There are differences
in things like thickness and brightness from manufacturer to manufacturer.
Higher quality ink and paper yield a better result. I have had a request
asking where to get transfer paper. I know there are a lot of places to get
it from, Friddles and Fillauer were recommended to me, but I was wondering
if someone with experience could suggest a supplier. I also had a request
for blank transfer paper so that you could make your own custom designs.
Does anyone know where to get this? Please post an answer if you do.

Some other interesting bits of information that were passed along to me :
- For something different put a transfer design on the inside and the
outside of the device
- For when dealing with a solid color use two sheets of transfer paper
applied in succession for an extra bold hue.
-Shelf life for the paper seems to be about a year depending on the
conditions in which it is stored. After a year the image and colors longer
pop on the plastic with the same vibrancy as before.
- Transfers seem to come out clearer and bolder on PP than LDPE. So a larger
pattern would be better for LDPE while you could have better results with a
smaller image on PP.

Thank you again for all of the great responses to my question, the
information you provided was greatly appreciated. If anything else
interesting pops up I will be sure to share it.

Danielle