Thread: help please, printing on plywood

Very nice, is this on the tables for the girls? I'll keep my fingeres crossed for you.

Looks good Fletty nice words also

Now where is it available?

A bit late, but here goes.

Do the print out reversed (mirror) on regular paper, glue the paper to the prepared (painted with a clear finish) ply, allow to dry fully, then repeatedly rub the back of the paper with a damp cloth & scrub away the paper. The inked text or design should stay behind on the ply surface - that is how most really old paper decals (and some 'temporary' tatoos) worked, before they developed the printable plastic film & glue (waterslide) transfer process.

If you have problems with the printed message being rubbed away, use a clear water proof glue - even Polyurethane finish - instead of regular PVA. You can also use clear spray on finish (like Estapol when it came in a spray can) to weatherproof/waterproof computer printed signs.

Thanks again all and BSR I'll try your suggestion through the week as well.
The first trial didn't go well. The graphic looked very good when it was transferred to the clear gloss finished ply. However, when I oversprayed it with water based clear finish, the clear film wrinkled although, surprisingly, the ink didn't smudge?
The next trial will be clear finished ply, attach the graphic on the clear film and then overspray with a spirit based clear finish hoping that the quicker drying time will stop the film from wrinkling.
CH, the graphics are to go on the tables for the girls. The flowers and 'blessing' will go on the base at the front of the 2 drawers and there is another message which is about the timber and the design it inspired which will go on the base of the secret drawer that can only be accessed by a hidden latch .... more later
wheelin, thanks for the comments on the tables and words but mostly for your support over the last year (GULP!!) and giving up your own share of the timber
BSR, if I get you right, print on normal paper in mirror reverse, spray with a clear finish (like Estapol), glue face down onto the finished ply with clear waterproof glue, dampen and rub away the paper? I thought you could still buy spray estapol and that was what I was going to use in the next trial?
fletty

(the original post was lost in the great forum fire of the fifth)

we have a result!
I prepared a few drawer bases on Monday and finished them with 2 coats of water-based gloss clear finish. When I got back from work (via bunnies) on Tuesday, I printed out a new graphic, attached it to one of the pieces of finished ply, burnished it down but protected it with a piece of paper on top and then 2 light coats of spray-on Estapol gloss ..... no wrinkling and no smudging of the ink!

so, a working solution is

• sand the timber substrate and finish with gloss clear
• print the graphic on Safmat self-adhesive printing film
• print the right way around and set the printer on 'photo paper'
• cut the film as close to the graphic as you can safely get so you minimise the ammount of clear film you need to hide
• peel the fim from the backing (with clean hands! DAMHIK)
• place the film and burnish it on
• spray with Estapol spray on clear finish

I will experiment later with satin finish rather than gloss as well.
I would show you a pic but the graphic applied so far is the message from me to my daughters inside the hidden drawer in the tables and I would have to post it under "touchy feely" ......or kill you!
fletty

Hey Fletty yes it was the 5th here

BUT it was the 4th July USA where server is based some form of revolution perhaps