Full Version: Paper Bonding
From: Linda (LINDAG) [#1]
29 Oct 2005
To: ALL
Can anyone help me with a problem with paper sticking to my metal disc's? I'm following the instructions, however the paper doesn't want to peel off once I'm finished. I've tried letting it cool, but that seemed to make matters worse. Could it be that I am heating it too long or not long enough? Should I peel the paper away immediately? (it's very hot to the touch!)
thank you!
From: Lee (LEELANDERS) [#2]
29 Oct 2005
To: Linda (LINDAG) [#1] 30 Oct 2005
From: logojohn [#3]
29 Oct 2005
To: Linda (LINDAG) [#1] 30 Oct 2005
I had a problem with the paper sticking very badly mostly with the satin copper plates(real, not aluminum).
I thought that was odd. I had just done some 2 inch round discs of the same material.
Then I noticed the 2 inch round disks were darker shade of copper on the back side. Going through the stock I found some 2 inch round ones that matched the lighter color of the back of the 1x24 sheet stock. I tested them and the paper stuck to them also.
My guess is that the one run had an insufficient amount of laquer on them or something else went wrong in production.
I went through all our different metal stock to test whether it could be sublimated. Some would look better with less press time.
I had the most problems with real satin nickel silver and real satin copper. I was able to get most everything else to work including the gold silver and copper aluminum. All the metal except the white is from ID Plates.
One of the white sublimation metal I had got splotch marks very easily.
Not colored ink just transparent marks not as shinny as the metal.
I tried various cleaners around the shop. I finally used the novus 2 acrylic scratch remover. It removed all the marks very quickly.
From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#4]
29 Oct 2005
To: Linda (LINDAG) [#1] 30 Oct 2005
I suspect it is not anything you are doing.
The major possibilities are:
A coating that will not release paper, a poor coating or a soft sublimation coating for the wax transfers.
Too high a press temperature.
Way to high a press pressure.
Best guess, bad or wrong coating.
I have just taken the temperature of my label press again. With a digital contact thermometer it was within 2*. New controller board and a laser IR thermometer it shows 25* hotter than the setting. I now know why the people on DSSI say that the IR thermometers are a must for serious sublimaters.
From: Linda (LINDAG) [#5]
30 Oct 2005
To: ALL
From: John (JOHNRMONTG) [#6]
30 Oct 2005
To: Linda (LINDAG) [#5] 30 Oct 2005
From: Linda (LINDAG) [#7]
30 Oct 2005
To: John (JOHNRMONTG) [#6] 30 Oct 2005
Thank you John,
I'll give it a try.
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#8]
30 Oct 2005
To: Linda (LINDAG) [#1] 31 Oct 2005
This may not apply to your situation, but some people may find it helpful.
If using ink jet sublimation, even with the worst of sublimatable metals, the transfer paper should release very easily.
With laser toner sublimation, there are two methods of pressing. Both have their tradeoffs.
1) Direct burn, wherein the protective plastic masking is removed from the metal before pressing.
A direct burn will render a crisper, more opaque image, though, if the transfer paper isn't separated from the metal, soon after pressing, it can become difficult to remove.
A direct burn also requires that excess toner residue be removed with a citrus solvent, then requires another cleaner (i.e. stainless steel cleaner) to remove the remnants of the citrus solvent.
No matter how you look at it, a direct burn amounts to a lot of extra labor.
Tips: If the transfer paper seems hopelessly stuck to a metal plate or disc, all is not lost. If you apply some citrus solvent to the transfer paper and allow it to sit for a few minutes, the paper will release fairly easily, with little, if any, harm to the image.
If you're using plain bond copy paper as transfer paper, a heavier color copy paper, such as 28 lb. (96 brightness) will release the metal from the paper much easier.
2) Indirect burn wherein the protective plastic masking remains on the metal, during pressing, and the toner actually goes through the plastic and images the metal.
During pressing, the plastic melts to the transfer paper and the metal plates are generally removed from the transfer paper after completely cool.
This method is certainly less labor intensive, but here are the tradeoffs:
a) The image is more diffused, meaning, slightly more blurry than that of a direct burn.
b) Less toner is transferred to the metal, causing, not only a less opaque image, but if performing full-color laser sublimation, as opposed to monochrome (single color, usually black) your colors will be much different than those achieved with a direct burn.
For that reason, if you plan to switch between a direct and indirect burn method, you should create a range of color swatches (on metal) using both methods.
Identical RGB or CMYK color values will not render the same finished colors. :-(
EDITED: 30 Oct 2005 by DGL