Water Transfer Printing - Sooo Cool

[nh4clo4]

I must have been living under a rock. Just saw this video and I think this technology is way cool.

Perhaps it can be applied for odd shaped rocketry components like fin cans or nose cones...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKuXyeAGzEU

 

[Mushtang]

That's the coolest thing I've seen all day!!! My favorite was the flames on the gas tank near the end.

 

[GregGleason]

It is cool!

See this thread:

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?39616-DIGITAL-Nike-Smoke

Greg

 

[Gary Byrum]

That is pretty darn awesome. I have a graphics bud that would love to see this. Also looks like a great method for temporary tattoos. It looked great on the skin, although it might not be a very healthy/safe thing to do. Cool beans!

 

[lvgdgts]

This technique has so much potential and can be done at home. There are some videos showing guys using a bath tub for the dip. My question is what happens to the left-over material? Do you skim it out with a sieve of some kind?

 

[Luke]

This technique has so much potential and can be done at home. There are some videos showing guys using a bath tub for the dip. My question is what happens to the left-over material? Do you skim it out with a sieve of some kind?

Indeed you can do it in your bathtub.

I was thinking of doing it on my mile high project, problem is it has to be waterproof construction

https://www.hydrographicswarehouse.co.uk

 

[dixontj93060]

This technique has so much potential and can be done at home. There are some videos showing guys using a bath tub for the dip. My question is what happens to the left-over material? Do you skim it out with a sieve of some kind?

Of course your dog comes out looking like a zebra.

 

[Luke]

I imagine it's the same if not better in the States, but over here it seems cheaper to get a few parts done professionally for the price you would pay to 'get started' doing it at home.

 

[lvgdgts]

Now THAT'S a great idea!

 

[TopRamen]

That's been a pretty common Practice for applying a Finish to Firearms for quite some time now.

 

[halcro1]

My job makes the printing cylinders for this process. And when we do the proofs we use that film and get to see it in action. That film turns into a glue like material in the water alcohol solution. Pretty neat. Pretty hitech ink and film.

 

[Gary Byrum]

My job makes the printing cylinders for this process. And when we do the proofs we use that film and get to see it in action. That film turns into a glue like material in the water alcohol solution. Pretty neat. Pretty hitech ink and film.

OK, so do you know about the ware and water resistance on this application? I am curious because I did graphics applications for years. This is new stuff to me. I guess my bottom line would be, "How durable is it?"

 

[catman001]

Gary, it seems to hold up good. As TopRamen stated they have been using it on firearms for a while now. I had a hand gun done in camo about a year ago. They seal the printing with two or three thin coats of a hard clear finish. I had a matt finish put on the gun and it looks great. Can't even tell that it has a clear coat on it. It has held up good so far. The carbon fiber printing with a high gloss clear looks just great.

Mike

 

[TopRamen]

OK, so do you know about the ware and water resistance on this application? I am curious because I did graphics applications for years. This is new stuff to me. I guess my bottom line would be, "How durable is it?"

It's even a Popular Finish for Bows and things like Trail Cameras. It is fairly durable, at least plenty and then some for a Rocket or Rocketry Component.

 

[Sooner Boomer]

I saw someone do a motorcycle tank in dollar bill patterns using this technique.

Way back, somewhere around the dawn of time, folks used to make "microlight" airplanes (gliders and rubber-band prop planes) covered in "microfilm". No not the stuff with tiny spy pictures. This was a special lacquer that was poured onto a tub of still water. The solvent evaporated leaving a film on the water. The frame of the airplane was submerged and brought up from underneath the film, covering the frame. This made for incredibly light airplanes. Even props were made this way. Of course the planes could only be flown indoors, a strong breeze would crumple their fragile construction.

 

[cwbullet]

unbelievable.