Well I guess it is time for me to put out some suggestions and solutions that work and can be experimented for your own use. Since the end of the Epson transfer film production it seems to be a big problem.

I have been watching the treads for months, in my tutor I touched on Bryan Bridges Chisel Whiting transfer solution but did promise him I would not give it out and I will keep that promise.

It seems that since that thread everyone has tried to have a method to color the transfer solution to get it to cut glare. Same reason Bryan’s solution was developed over 40 years ago and is a valid reason to develop a solution.

A word about that Bryan’s solution and why it was not given out. It has to be mixed just before use and it has a shelf life of 2-3 days before it separates and has to be remixed. He has made the mixing easier but it still has to be mixed before use for best results.

If you get the opportunity to take a few classes with Bryan Bridges I am sure he will give you the formula and much more.

I have since been working on a solution that works almost as well and is stable for weeks if not months. It is mainly for parchment paper/laser transfer but with the proper transparency film (I will talk about that at the end) will work also with ink jets most likely. I do have a Epson and dura brite ink (pigment ink) but just have not tried it to date so anyone who has time is welcome to give it a try.

Here is a solution that I developed from hours of research and it works well. You have to perfect it to your liking but it works.

3 simple solutions that do not separate and will transfer from parchment/laser print almost 100%. Yes there are laser printers out there that do 1200x1200 dpi. (Lexmark and a few other companys made them).

3 solutions are.

Denatured alcohol (hardware store)

Bulls eye shellac (hardware store) Made by Zinsser http://www.zinsser.com/product_detail.asp?ProductID=31

BIN Primer (hardware store) Also made by Zinsser (this is a Shellac based primer. It contains shellac, and alcohol with a white pigment)
http://www.zinsser.com/product_detail.asp?ProductID=10

Now you have to mix it so here is a suggestion that I have used and it will work it also will not (or shouldn’t if mixed right) chip when cutting.

Since I use syringes to mix this it is by volume in CC.

Mix: 10 CC of Denatured alcohol
10 CC of Bulls Eye Shellac
5 CC of BIN primer

So there you have it. Let it tack (about 1 minutes) and transfer with your parchment.

A Second solution is denatured alcohol and Gum Arabic (also called Maskey or Mastic) and is used in baking. It is water soluble and alcohol soluble (denatured). And a few drops of BIN.

This solution also works and does not separate.

1 oz Denatured Alcohol
1 gram or gum Arabic (granuals)
5-10 drops of BIN

Gum Arabic is found in a granular form (if it is a powder it was ground with a additive since it is sticky if ground). Note this was used for centuries as a gum when it was mixed with wax and chewed. It is also used in baking.

I can only suggest options for the transfer film problem. (inkjet with pigment type ink)

1. Sincere Epson had Hammer hill make there transfer film maybe the Hammer Hill transfer film will work as good as the Epson film.?? (didn’t try this but it is a logical step). Hammer Hill transparency film is on Ebay.

2. Any transfer film put a few drops of silicon fuser oil on a rag, rub it on the transfer film and scrub it off with a clean cloth. (this will leave a very silicone oil film on the media and maybe print (inkjet ) on it. Again I never tried this but it seems that it might work. Silicone oil is used in many copy machines and color laser printers.

3. The last suggestion I will try at some point. I take x-rays almost daily since I am a physician and can take and read them. The other day I ran a 8x10 unexposed film through the processor and a very nice piece of chemically treated clear (blue tint) film emerged to give me the idea of using this for a transfer media. (Expensive and hard for most to get but I will give it a try anyway).

Ran it through the laser and it will transfer with the first mix and a laser will burn it in the film. Inkjet should work fine for transfer using X Ray Film (developed).

Note: This information is for educational purposes only and in no way is intended to divulge secrets of individuals or take food off anyone’s tables as some have suggested in other treads.

These are my discoveries of messing with transfers for awhile and is intended to help the engravers and the art.

Sorry had to put that in since I do not want anyone to get upset with this information being put into print. I think it is time to give this information out and let other’s see how it works and modify the percentages to suit your needs.

Anything that is discovered or different percentages of these components please feel free to add to this thread to see and hear your results..

AirAmp






Michael Showah
3/23/2009 3:11:00 AM