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I'm ready to purchase a printer for making my own decals, BUT I'm still not sure which one to buy.


I mostly make dichro jewelry in a jen ken kiln and I also have a microwave kiln.
1) I would REALLY like to be able to print off decals that will fire BLACK and not SEPIA. Is this possible?
2) I've read that I need a B&W only laser printer that has a high iron content, is that correct? If so, how would I find this information out?
3) Anything else I need to know before purchasing a printer for this? paper, etc.?

Good morning!
You will find incredible amounts of info on this, and many other topics via the search box in the upper right corner of the ""title " blue stripe at the top of every page. ( I know, it must have a name, but I don't know what it is....). Wide open questions, like most of yours, will get a full spectrum of answers/opinions from the site's history, regardless of who may or may not see the questions you posed today. You will find lots of discussion and info to consider. Happy reading.
Linn

From what I understand from the search, the iron oxide content of the laser printer toners is what produces sepia results. But I still am having trouble finding out if it's possible to print a decal that's still black after firing from home.

**ETA: Screen printing, from what I'm understanding from the search, is what is needed to make the decals stay black after firing. Does this sound right? (Going to research more now)

You would screen print rather than use a decal.

Dana W.

Take a look at Barry Kaiser's info and materials.

http://www.kaiserglass.com/

Thanks for your replies! I'm going to check out the link now.

I found these videos on youtube, it doesn't seem to hard to do and I should be able to do it with photos and texts, which is what I'm looking for, and different colors also. The way this guy does it, it appears there wouldn't be any firings after application. There are two videos, one showing how he creates the "stencils", but uses etching (which I'm not doing), and the other video shows him using those "stencils" for applying the ink (delta permenamel). Any comments on this before I decide to take the plunge?

video 1, creating the emulsion sheets, watch until about 4:15: http://youtu.be/t0oHXShD1Mc
Video 2, applying the ink to glass :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWqrQxrVb7k

No firing? Well, if you want to screen print paint to glass, sure. If you want to fire the stencil on the glass so it's there forever, you'll have to use vitreous enamels and fire. (Not trying to talk down to you, but not sure what you had in mind.)

If I understand correctly, this paint is air-dry, BUT you can put it in the oven at a low temp.

Yeah, but that's not binding the paint to the glass forever. You can get a razor blade and scrape it off. If you're cool with that, then go for it.

I see...so the method of applying my text and images with those homemade "stencils" is fine, but I need to use a different kind of paint and fire it to be permanent, and the paint you recommend is what you suggested in the earlier post. Correct?

Yes. Look into vitreous enamels. Not enamel paint you buy at Wal Mart. I have had great success using low fire pottery glaze I bought from a local glaze-it-yourself pottery shop. Many here mix their own enamels. I know... well I see the sponsor is no longer listed, but several of the board sponsors use to sell powdered enamels that you could mix yourself.

What would be the easiest way to acquire this kind of enamel? Are there brand names or online stores you can suggest? (Is Glassline paint vitreous enamel?) I'm not quite sure how to get started on finding this stuff. BTW, thanks so much for your help!

Is this the kind of enamel that people make my mixing fine/powder frit with some sort of liquid?

krccpht wrote:What would be the easiest way to acquire this kind of enamel? Are there brand names or online stores you can suggest? (Is Glassline paint vitreous enamel?) I'm not quite sure how to get started on finding this stuff. BTW, thanks so much for your help!

Is this the kind of enamel that people make my mixing fine/powder frit with some sort of liquid?

Jody Danner Walker published a book called, "Printmaking techniques on glass". Perhaps you should pick up a copy (http://warmglass.com/printmaking), give it a read, and then come back with questions once you start experimenting with the technique.

I think you could ask more helpful questions if you had a few of the basics down.

Dana W.

Thanks for the recommendation, I'm going to look it up right now. Hopefully there is an electronic version.

If you haven't already purchased a printer. HP 4000 series will work, just be sure to purchase high quality dark printing toner. Not a Remanufactured one.
This model has the highest iron content in the toner.

I have not purchased a printer, as I understand that all they will produce are sepia decals, and I do not want that.