Acetone Transfers - Transfer an Image onto Wood
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ต.ค. 2024
- In this video, I go through the process of doing an acetone transfer. I find this to be a very easy way to transfer designs onto wood. It is good for graphics, or for joinery templates or carving templates.
Use a laser printer or a photocopy machine, because the toner is what puts the image on the wood. An inkjet will not work properly for this transfer.
Please make sure to use a respirator with the appropriate filters and good gloves that are rated to protect against acetone.
#imagetransfer #woodworking #diy #acetone #acetonetransfer
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Thank you so much! I Was trying to make a toner transfer on a printed circuit board, your tip about using not too much acetone did the trick!
Great!
@@BobsWoodStuff You showed the right way to do a proper toner transfer in this video.
Of the numerous ways to transfer to wood, this seems like the most practical and the only one I haven't tried yet. The method that left the darker and more detail for me was applying polyacrylic to the wood, placing the paper on it and rubbing it. Then letting it dry before carefully applying small amounts of water to the picture and rubbing it off. While it worked great, I think using acetone reduces the risk of a bad transfer.
I have tried a similar method to what you mentioned, using gloss acrylic medium and then rubbing the paper off.
I like the acetone method because it is fast, doesn't leave a mess, and you can still apply finishes to the wood.
Awesome idea.I will try try do my own project .Thanks Mr. bob's wood Stuff
When I was crafting for my wedding I tried a different method that I wasn't very happy with in the end. This looks SO MUCH better, so I hope to get a chance to try it in the future!
Yeah, this is my favorite method.
I have used one other method in the past, using Mod Podge to glue the paper to the wood and then rub off the paper with water. It came out alright, but it was harder to do and messy, and leaves a film that would interfere with some wood finishes.
Wasn't what I was looking for but I learned something new.
Thanks for the video! (;
You're welcome!
what a great video, thanks so much !! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Nice, I tried it, but it didn't work. Then I looksd on TH-cam, found your Video and saw that I forgot the part with the spoon
Superb👍👍👍what a great idea🔥🔥thank you🙏🙏
You're welcome!
3:23 I tried this and it does not come out smooth the words are barely legible. Is there some prepping you did to the wood prior to?
- I recommend sanding the wood first to get the surface smooth.
- Make sure there is no finish on the wood, as that will prevent it from absorbing the toner.
- Make sure you're using a laserjet and not an inkjet, because it needs to be toner instead of ink.
- Don't use too much acetone. It should be just enough to make the paper translucent. Too much acetone will make the toner pool and you won't get detail.
I hope one of those helps. Cheers.
Great work! I'll try this out for my TH-cam channel. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks!
Was the image you printed from a toner printer? I noticed it was a color image and my toner printer only uses black.
The image was printed on a color laser printer, which uses toner.
Hi, I use standar copy paper, it wrinkles, also crumble as I press it with spoon. What kind of paper do you use for printing?
Will the acetone ruin the glossy finish on an acoustic guitar
Yes, it will ruin it. This transfer process is only for use on unfinished wood. The finish gets added after the transfer.
Very cool technique, too bad I dont have a laser printer :/ thanks for sharing!
Photocopies use toner also, so if you can have a copy made somewhere, it should work with this technique.
Wow so easy
If I want to torch wood. Could I do an image transfer on it. I'd assume I'd have to do it before hand but I wonder if it'll last.
I'd do the transfer before torching. You might lose some of the image though.
@@BobsWoodStuff yeah I figured. I'll play with it.
Beautiful. Can tell me which print you accetone on wood? A normal machine print? Or some different print?
This was a laserjet print. It needs to use toner, not ink, so an inkjet won't work, but a laserjet or copy machine will work.
I have a question: can a pale color be transferred to a piece of wood painted black with acrylic?
This really works best when transferring darker colors to unfinished wood. The wood needs to absorb the toner, so if it has any finish or paint on it, it is likely that the toner will just pool on the surface and make a mess.
@@BobsWoodStuff thank you!
Love the hinge method! Other videos I've seen they apply small amount of acetone to the wood 1st quickly.. what do u think? Im fixing to do some of these, hope u answer soon😊😇thank you!
Oh and do I need to sand wood to make sure super smooth??
I have not tried applying acetone to the wood before placing the printout on it.
It doesn't need to be super smooth. 120 or 150 grit is enough.
@@BobsWoodStuff Thank you so much, fixing tui start!
Bob's Wood Stuff Can this method be done on a painted table top?
Does the acetone damage or corrode the wood surface at all? I have a piece of bare wood that needs to maintain its glassy-smooth sanded finish.
It does not damage or corrode the wood surface. It might raise the grain a little, because of the moisture, unless you have already wetted the wood and sanded down the raised grain.
You can also use an old clothes iron from the charity shop....
have you tried this technique?
This looks like the way I want to do it, the only issue is the art I want to transfer is pretty big 36" by 24" and I can't find anywhere that has a laser printer that prints that big, any recommendations?
You can print it on several pieces of paper and tape them together into one big piece.
Usually FedEx has large format printers also, if you want to go that direction.
Thanks for the response. I tried it and it went well. I was wondering if you have
ever tried it on cedar? I would like to make a transfer to cedar as a gift if you
think it will work. Thanks
It should work on cedar. I would definitely try it on a small piece first though.
If anything, the oils in the cedar (and other oily wood species) might make it less likely to absorb the toner. If that is an issue, you can clean the cedar with the acetone shortly before doing the transfer. That will remove the surface oils for short period of time.
Hey, I know it's kinda old video, but can I use acetone like a template for wood burning? Is it safe? Have you tried it?
Yes, as far as I know it is safe to use for woodburning.
i know this video is old, but does the design fade away over time? should i put like a varnish finish on it or anything? cheers
The design does not fade over time. I've had this on the outside of my shed for 5 years, and the design is still there. I finished it with polyurethane, and probably should have reapplied at some point.
Poly or shellac would be a good idea to protect the graphic, after applying it. For outside I would use spar urethane.
I'm really looking forward to trying this. But I do have a question: can you put a clear coat of polyurethane on it?
Yes, you should have no problems applying a clear coat.
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Nice!
What if the board has been finished by polyurethane, will it transfered well?
No, this will not work well if the board already has a finish on it. The toner needs to be able to soak into the wood.
Does this work with pictures that have been drawn with sharpie?
Probably not. This technique works best with toner, which is used by copiers and laser jets. Since Sharpies use ink, it will not work well.
You would need to make a copy of the Sharpie drawing and then use that.
Can I transfer image or text onto a chalk paint finished wood?
Probably not. I think the acetone would dissolve the paint.
Can you use silicone parchment?
I'm not sure. I have only tried with paper.
yeah, that dangerous acetone! i see people in nail parlors wearing thick rubber gloves and full on respirators all the time!
Honestly, those people really should be wearing gloves and respirators.
is it possible on acrylic?
I don't think it would work on acrylic. The toner would pool up on the surface. It needs an unfinished wood to soak into.
I tried this, and for some reason, my print didn't transfer! The toner on paper became soft, but never loose enough to get transferred!
Were you using a laser jet printer?
Will this work for transfer to other materials other than wood? Like Task/Matte/Chip board
If they are porous, it might work. Usually matte board has a smooth finish on it, so there's a possibility the toner would just pool up on top and make a mess.
I used a bottle of what is called pure acetone from amazon looks like nail polish remover to me but it didnt work at all. DOes the printed image need to be just out of the printer or could it be from a image that was printed days ago?
The image does not need to be fresh; it can be printed a long time ago.
Are you using a laser printer? It needs to be a laser printer or a copier (Xerox style), since those use toner instead of ink.
Does the wood have a finish on it? It should be bare wood, so the toner can soak into the wood.
Another thing that can cause it to not work is if you don't press it with a spoon while the toner is wet with acetone.
@@BobsWoodStuff yes laser printer. Print was done a few days ago. It did soak through the paper appearing to look as if transferring but nothing just wet wood. It was a blank wood plank from craft store. No coating or finish on it. Tag says unfinished wood on it
That is strange. The only times this process hasn't worked for me are when I accidentally used alcohol instead of acetone, or when I didn't push it with the spoon.
I used Klean Strip brand acetone, which doesn't seem to be available on Amazon anymore, but you can get a quart of it from the hardware store for about $10.
I think that maybe the one sold as a beauty supply is a different formula.
@@dswatik99 did you ever get it to work?
Will this work on smooth wood surface?
Yes, it works best on a sanded wood surface that has no finish on it.
What kind of wood is that? Will plywood work? What surface finish do you transfer onto, I know it has to be bare wood, but like, how rough? Is 120 grit a good place to start?
I tried it on some very rough, clean plywood, and it didn't transfer at all, so I need to change something and try again. Maybe using a spoon instead of a flat scraper will give more point pressure, so I'll try that before messing with my surface
The wood in the video is plywood. Any bare wood surface should work. For best results, I would sand it to 180 and clean the surface with alcohol or mineral spirits before doing the transfer.
Are you using a laser printer or an inkjet?
@@BobsWoodStuff Laser printer. I got it to work using the round handle end of the scraper to press the page, also I found that pressing until all the acetone evaporates helps the transfer occur. Thanks for the help!
Does it work when wood is already stained
No, it would not work as well if the wood is already stained.
What kind of paper you use?
Just regular printer paper.
tried paint thinner mineral spirits didnt work dont have aceitone
So far acetone has been the only thing that worked for me. I accidentally used denatured alcohol once and it did not work.
I have read that toluene works, but I don't want to mess with that stuff.
Does this method smear if you want to stain after? Thanks
I think it will be okay with a stain, but I'd definitely test it on a scrap piece to make sure.
I used a polyurethane on top and had no problems.
Didn’t work for me, I’ve tried multiple times, I have a brother laser and acetone, the correct wood and used the spoon method and hasn’t worked.
Are you using acetone from the hardware store (like Klean Strip) or acetone from a beauty supply place?
and pharmacy acetone?
You mean like nail polish remover? I believe it would work the same as the acetone I used.
Bob's Wood Stuff Yes!
Can I use landscape photos? Can it be any type of paper? It's because I do not understand English.
You can use landscape photos. The paper should be non-glossy paper, and it needs to be printed with a laserjet printer, or a copy machine. It needs to be printed with toner, instead of ink.
Acetone is Acetone like water is water, there are no varying degrees of dilution, at least not in my country, you just pay a premium for it at pharmacies or if labelled "nail polish remover" compared to a big tin from the hardware store. I personally wouldn't be surprised if that big tin costs the same as my tiny bottle from the drugstore and you need quite a bit apparently, I'm through my little bottle and still haven't gotten enough to transfer to my wood.
InnSewerAnts idk about all nail polish removers but one I've seen wasn't as pure as the hardware store version. There was additives so it wasn't a good idea to use in chemistry. Dont think it would matter for this use.
We don't have laser printer
One option instead of a laser printer is to print the design on your inkjet printer and make a copy of it on a copy machine. Copy machines use toner, so that will work for doing this transfer.
How to remove an acetone spill from wood?
If it's just acetone on bare wood, it should evaporate pretty quickly.
@@BobsWoodStuff it’s white oak I believe! It left a large circle on it, which is now white. I saw on another channel it said use and towel and steam from an iron. Which didn’t work! Please assist my son ruin my table 😞
@@dr.mekaberrylpc-sasdmft2589 It sounds like there is a finish on the table that got dissolved by the acetone.
Do you know what kind of finish it has on it?
You should be able to do some light sanding with 320 grit, or with 0000 steel wool to buff out the damage, and then apply one more coat of finish.
@@BobsWoodStuff actual I don’t know I wish I could sent you pics. Thanks
Would this work on bamboo?
I have not tried this on bamboo, but I believe that it would work the same on bamboo as it does on wood.
Do you know any specific laser printer models which work/don't work for this ? thanks
It should work with any laser printer, because they all use toner.
Inkjet printers use ink, which does not work.
I bought a brother laser printer and did not work, buying a different one today so hopefully that helps. If you don't mind us asking, what brand printer do you have? Thanks!
Mine hasn’t worked either, I’ve tried multiple times, I have a brother laser and acetone and nothing
@@mattwager3401 Could just be coincidence, but I also have a Brother laser printer and had not a hint of toner transfer to the wood.
This is great to make a rustic Hnefatafl ( viking chess ) board :)
Good idea.
has anyone tested laser jet on normal paper vs laser printer paper vs freezer paper vs transfer paper ?
Hi I tried this method. Some people are recommending laser printing because it is toner based. It didn’t work at all. I’m going to try inkjet. I’m transferring images for chip carving
Yep, inkjet also didn't work. And I did use the spoon. Not sure what I did wrong!
Yes, laser printing and copy machines are both toner based, which is the preferred type of ink.
What kind of paper did you use?
@@BobsWoodStuff ---I used my laser jet (toner) and it works great. Thanks
Bạn dùng hóa chất gì thế
Axeton
@@BobsWoodStuff Tôi đã mua Axeton. Nhưng làm không được
@@loihoangduc Bản in của bạn được in ra từ máy in laser hay từ máy in phun mực?
@@BobsWoodStuff máy in phun mực
@@loihoangduc Nó cần phải là một máy bay phản lực laser hoặc máy photocopy.
I'm sorry...but I think these kind of videos are just making fun of me. I got absolutely no results from these experiences.
I'm sorry to hear that. Maybe I can help out. Are you using a laser printer?
@@BobsWoodStuff thanks for being so helpful. And i'm sorry for my tone. It's just so frustrating. So, first, I tried out with an old inkjet printed paper. A little ink got into the wood but it wasn't good enough. Then, today, I went to my local print store and got some laser prints. It just so happened that it was even worse than the inkjet experience. There was absolutely nothing getting into the wood. I'm using that acetone that ladies use to remove varnish from their nails. Are there different types of acetone? I don't see any other reason.
Do you think that diluent would work?
Double check and make sure the nail polish remover uses acetone, since there are some non-acetone versions.
Rubbing it with the spoon is pretty important part of the transfer, so make sure you are rubbing the paper where it has become translucent to transfer the toner.
Other potential problems I can think of is that maybe the nail polish remover has other stuff in it or is not strong enough, or there might be a finish on the wood that is preventing it from absorbing the toner.
I tried a color printout from a laser printer, and your spoon technique. But for some reason my page is sticking on to the wood and tearing apart when I try removing it. Any idea what could be going wrong there?
What kind of paper are you using? I used a pretty thick printer paper, but I have had success using a normal weight printer paper as well.
Bob's Wood Stuff I can see it is 80gsm 100% recycled paper, but I really don't know anything else about the paper apart from that. Does that help?
Maybe switch to a heavier paper, like at least 120gsm.
What species of wood are you using? Does it have a finish on it?
Bob's Wood Stuff I am using a wooden cutting board from kmart... It should not have a finish on it but its very smooth to touch. Its wasted now anyways... Both sides... LOL
Sorry to hear that. You can probably sand or plane it down to fresh wood.
I'm not sure exactly what would cause the page to stick to the wood, other than there might be a finish on the wood.
I suggest testing the process on a different piece of wood to see if you experience the same issue. In the video I am using plywood.
does this work on finished bamboo? would it damage it?
I don't think it would work well on wood or bamboo that has a finish on it. The acetone turns the toner into a liquid, and it needs to be able to soak into the wood. I think with a finished wood (or bamboo) the liquified toner would just bead up on the top and smudge, like writing with a fountain pen on something non-porous.