Has anyone color printed on thin styrene sheet?

[Bridgebuster]

Has anybody tried using a color printer on thin styrene sheet? I've been thinking about trying some decal paper with a color printer, but it brought to mind that I might rather print some things on very thin styrene sheet as well. To my mind, that opens a whole realm of other possibilities . Anybody had any experience with this?

Thanks,

Phil

[BKIN10SECS]

Hmmmmm....sounds interesting. Are you going to give it a go and if so....please let us know what happens

[charlie8575]

Remember, most printers can handle up to about 28-lb paper without too much trouble. Find a piece of styrene sheet that's about that thick, or a little less, and give it a shot. The plastic should still be flexible enough to not jam, but I question how it will feed in re: feed speed, etc., and whether the ink will stick to the plastic. I'd be sure to wash it thoroughly prior to use, just to be sure.

Charlie Larkin

[Foxer]

styrene doesn't flex like paper, so I'd try maybe .01 sheet. This could depend a lot on how much your printer bends the sheet around the roll. Defiantly clean well and maybe even some light roughing of the surface.

Let us know how it goes if you try it.

[Eric Stone]

I'd be surprised if the ink would stick, since it's not gonna soak in like it would on paper. I wonder if there would be any differences between laser jet, ink jet, bubble jet, etc... Interesting idea, I had never thought of it.

[Foxer]

A laser printer might have better luck with the "ink" sticking, but remember it uses heat in the process. It could be a bit sticky printing on plastic!

I don't know the answers, but some good questions going on here. Very interesting. I might have an old ink jet in the basement that wouldn't mind giving up it's life for an experiment.

Edited December 14, 2009 by Foxer

[Aaronw]

I'd be surprised if the ink would stick, since it's not gonna soak in like it would on paper. I wonder if there would be any differences between laser jet, ink jet, bubble jet, etc... Interesting idea, I had never thought of it.

I would think yes there would be a difference, Inkjet uses a liquid and the decal film has a coating to help the ink stick. Laser printers use a dry powder (toner) and heat so the decal paper does not have the same coating as the inkjet.

If you use laser decal paper in an inkjet it will run and smear (or so I'm told I haven't tried it), inkjet paper won't work in a laser printer either, I think the coating melts.

My big concern with running plastic through a laser printer would be the possibility it could melt, some laser printers get really hot.

[Guest]

I tried it in our ink jet printer, and found it printed nice, but the ink wouldnt dry even after 24+ hours.

[kitbash1]

I'd be surprised if the ink would stick, since it's not gonna soak in like it would on paper. I wonder if there would be any differences between laser jet, ink jet, bubble jet, etc... Interesting idea, I had never thought of it.

Good point. The inks in computer printers is a powder, and I don't belive that it will stick to the styrene. I know that large industral printers by HP and Canon, use a dye type ink system that will print on styrene and other plastics with out problems. The best thing to do is try it out and get back to us with what happens. Good Luck.

[Mike Chernecki]

Don't try it on a laser printer. I tried it at work once, I won't try it a second time. The fuser roller is basically a hot iron. The plastic stuck like glue and wound itself around the roller in a hot sticky mess. Took a few hours to peel off all the melted plastic.

[Bridgebuster]

I tried it in our ink jet printer, and found it printed nice, but the ink wouldnt dry even after 24+ hours.

Did you try coating it with clear acrylic? I notice most of the decal sheets say to spray on a "fixer" and they recommend Krylon Acrylic Clear.

Glad you tried it, though. At least we're getting closer to an answer.

Phil

[Eshaver]

Phill, two words Silk Screen ....... yep make the stencils , screen the sheets using enamel inks and you have a very attractive decal thats perminent . Ed Shaver