Full colour first layers on your 3D prints part 2 - Laser and inkjet printers too! 

That 2D printer company withholding drivers and forcing you to buy a new printer is disgusting.

Having worked at a major printer manufacturing company for over 15 years and learning all about various processes, it still surprises me how inkjet printing is the typical household process. Inkjet printers HATE sitting idle. If you are not printing every day you can easily waste more ink in your printers hidden purge bin than in your actual prints. Laser is the way to go. Also, if using transparency paper on a laser printer, be sure to get sheets that are designed for laser. There is a difference.

If it's not already up there, might be worth uploading that driver to the internet archive so other people can continue using this model

I expected Sam's face to be sublimated onto the unused toilet seat cover.

I just love that there was literally nothing that actually prevented using that old driver, and unless you glossed over tons of trouble shooting it seems you didn't have any crazy issues getting it all to work, other than the company deciding they don't want to host the driver download anymore?? Truly dog doodie

There is a solution for your toner transparent film problem. I use the exact process and have had perfect results even with light colors without anything coming loose. The transparent sheets you are using are incorrect; you need ones made specifically for lasers! The all-purpose ones are not suitable. With the proper sheets, I could even wipe my finger on them without anything coming loose; only my fingernail can scratch it off, but it sticks perfectly on the print. Additionally, the quality improves significantly with a better laser printer and the right printing settings, so the stark contrast issues likely stem from your old printer, not the method. In theory, the combination of the transparent sheet and a laser printer can provide the best resolution and perfect color control. The only downsides are the shininess and the high cost of a good printer. To sum up how to achieve perfect results: use toner transparent sheets, use a good color laser printer, become familiar with the printer's software, and use a large double-sided tape sheet (helps on warping). If you need to precisely label something (with a tolerance of less than 2mm), make a dry run without the sheet and let the printer draw the outlines of the first layer. Then, stop the printer, align your sheet in place, remove the outline print, and hold the sheet in place with tape. Now you only need to restart the print, and you will have it perfectly aligned. I have made some nice gifts that needed to be aligned perfectly with this method, and once you get used to it, it becomes less of a hassle.

LOL the reivew on Sam himself is pretty solid.

The return of the body spray! I hope it makes its way into more videos

Rendering intent is basically you telling (in this case) the printer's driver how you'd like the out-of-gamut colors (that is, the colors that are present in the source color space - in this case, most likely sRGB since we're dealing with a photo from the internet - but are NOT present in the output color space i.e. the colors that the printer is able to reproduce for the specific combination of printer hardware + substrate) to be mapped to the output color space. "Saturation" rendering intent (also known as "Presentation" in other software) aims to make out-of-gamut colors pop as much as possible by applying a non-colorimetrically accurate (i.e. the original color is altered) transformation. Relative and absolute colorimetric does the exact opposite of this - prioritizing color accuracy over everything else, usually used when dealing with business logos or other color sensitive stuff. Finally, the "photographic" rendering intent aims to preserve the relationship between different colors when mapping them to the output gamut so as to ensure that the final result looks "natural" - typically used, as implied in the name, when dealing with photos. To potentially produce more vibrant colors with your current printer + paper setup, consider trying the following: 1. Changing the document profile from U.S. Web Coated to something like ISO Coated or GRACoL 2013 (whichever is available, doesn't really matter) 2. In the printer profile dialogue, select "Epson IJ Printer 07" (it is probably a generic output profile that was most likely installed on your computer with its driver, better than nothing and certainly better than using sRGB) 3. Before printing, visit the printer's driver page and look around for similar color management settings - there may be settings/presets that will increase print quality by trading off speed and you may get a bit more vibrant colors if there's any options asking you basically what you'll be printing. Finally, there are printers (usually professional grade machines unfortunately) that are designed to print very vibrant colors and cover a larger portion of the sRGB color space - you'll usually find these machines labeled as "high chroma".

So glad to see the 2d to 3d worked so well. Thanks for the call out and for trying it!

I think you've covered the good methods so I figured that I'd share a really poor method that I thought of: -Print a 1 layer thin print of PLA -Remove it and use it as 'paper' in your 2D-printer -Let the print inevitably melt and clog up your 2D-printer -... -Profit

Neat. We have 3+2 machining solutions in subtractive, and now we have 3+2 in additive!

This is brilliant! I was so excited about the previous video that I ordered an ecotank printer. It hasn't arrived yet but now thanks to this video I was able try the process immediately with the laser printer and transparency film I already had. After some faint results due to insufficient squish followed by blurred results from too much squish I hit on a z Value that worked great and was blown away by the colors and details I was able to transfer. The only issue was the corners lifting. I was taping the film down but there was enough movement possible to allow the print to deform while printing the higher layers. I switched to using spray mount and got better results but still not perfect and cleaning the spray mount off my build sheet was time consuming. Maybe next I'll try double sided tape. Thanks so much for these videos they are fantastic. UPDATE: I just tried using double sided tape to hold the transparency down and it worked perfectly.

If you spray some clear coat or polyurethane on the 3d print after washing off the paper it really helps hide the paper pieces left in the print and clean up the image.

For printing Sublimation Prints and the color settings, it is actually best to change the type of Paper in the settings to Premium matte Paper, then the printer thinks the paper will absorb more Ink so it will print more ink on the first print. This should really help.

Loving this tech this is awesome. I print mostly plugs for stretched ears and this is going to be awesome being able to put photo images onto them. I LOVE the glossy look the laser onto transparent delivered. Great videos thank you

Lithophane, man that was right on the tip of my tongue and I was googling trying to recall what the process was called - thank you for saving my sanity! :)

As soon as i watched this video i tried this with my canon selphy printer. its a 10x15 photo printer that works with sublimation from stock. It works like a charm! The result blew me away! On white PLA it looks like the same as the print. I think the photo paper helped a lot. Thanks, great video!

Aw, that was a such sweet review of your friend. Guys could do with being nicer to each other. Thanks for testing all the methods, I had no idea my regular inkjet could be used like this.

Well, didn't expect a side of "Printer companies are run by the worst humans on earth" in this video, but I probably should have expected that would be a relevant reality of this topic. Awesome process, thanks!

Like always, your videos are very thorough and provide step by step instructions on how to do things. Great work.

With sublimation ink, the ink manufacturers usually supply an ICC profile to use with your printer. If you don't use their profile, the images can appear washed out.

One thing about laser printing on transparent film is the film tends to deform dimensionally a little due to the heat that bonds the toner. The amount it deformed varied by brand, ran into that making two sided circuit boards. For this use case it's probably not really noticable though unless it really distorts when 3d printing on it. Sublimation seems to be the way to go if you're going to do a lot of this kind of thing. Interesting results, lots of variables come into play.

Many years ago there was a paper being sold to be used with colour ink jet printers. You printed your colour image reversed on the paper using an inkjet printer. Then you placed the paper on a white or other colour t shirt and using a hot iron, you ironed on the print. When the paper was removed the image was transferred to the t shirt which after a day could be washed. This technique I used on many a t shirt and the print lasted for years of washing. Only thing was you could not put a hot iron directly on the print. I did not see mention of this method in yr video. Don’t know if it will work with 3d prints but thought I’d mention it here as a different option. I think the paper was sold as t shirt making paper or such. Thanks for another interesting video.

There is transparent paper that is designed specifically for laser jet.

Neat! Definetly using this technique. Thank you for the video

Just tested this with a photo from my canon Selphy CP1300. This prints full colour gloss photos in a 4 pass system. Printing on to it at 10mmps 210c with a small amount of extra extrusion on the first layer gave a full gloss full colour image with the entire image transferred. Nothing left on the original print. Seems to actually melt the gloss photo to the print. Worked amazingly well. Does scrub off if rubbed with something abrasive while wet but have to be pretty rough.

Fantastic stuff! Thanks, Michael! 😃 Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

That is game changing! Awesome tutorial!

toner is polyester powder, and it's meant to get between the paper fibers and form a bond. So those results aren't that surprising.

people who make PCB with laser printer use magazine paper to print their tracks, then wrap the PCB and heat it. then they soak to break the paper down to leave the print.

The age-old cheat for doing custom models back in the day was using print-at-home decal sheets. They're not super durable by themselves, but work well under an matte or semi-gloss acrylic topcoat that works as a sealer. I have a particular Krylon variety I prefer, but not sure if it's available worldwide. As I've gotten older and my hands less reliable for fine detail, I turn to decal sheets a lot more than I used to.

Very nice follow up! Thank you

Thanks for the thorough investigation! A distinction between dye and pigment based ink would be interesting.

I love the exhaustiveness of this investigation! I'm most interested in color laser on transparency. I've heard some people talk about putting a little water between the transparency and the bed, then squeezing it out / letting it evaporate when the bed heats to get it kind of vacuum stuck to the bed before fully taping it, that way the vacuum helps prevent any parts of it from lifting or wrinkling. I forget the exact details about how it's done but might be worth looking into. Laser looks so good and I wouldn't mind taking a couple tries if I get unsightly splotches for that picture quality. I think if you experimented a bit with thickness, you could get a flat lithoplane with a good exposure level from sitting in a window - you could even add a printed ornate frame to the lithoplane so it looks like a miniature portrait haha. You could also use it to make more detailed backlit / shine-through dashboard / gauge cluster type displays. I really like the idea of combining lithoplane / shine-through prints with color graphics.

Pretty cool follow-up, I need to try this, but now I need a project idea for this. I could try out colour change foil which are used for film/tv/theatre lighting and cut it to A4. Isn't cheap but should withstand the heat much better

not the unused toilet

You've gone wild with your new sublimation prints

Sticker backing paper instead of transparency. Years ago, I tried that toner transfer method for DIY PCBs, neither paper nor transparency worked well. But the silicone coated backing paper (release liner) was much better. At least it worked for me, with the printer I used. But it's definitely not for that application, so be wary. I bet, bed adhesion at 3D printing will be an issue, tho.

try laser printer + photo paper? I know this combination used to transfer black into to copper to produce home made PCBs. ("laser iron method")

3:09 I have that same heater next to me right now

I am shocked to learn that you can't get the engineering plate anymore. Glad I have two of them - they're fantastic for ASA and ABS.

I still have no clue who this 'Sam' guy is but zs of today I'm a huge fan 😂

You should try transparency film with inkjet. I believe that will be the best result without needing to invest in sublimation ink or additional printers.

"He started it" at least he used a nice picture of you 😂😂😂

The Docuprint 205! I went on a deep dive for macos drivers for that recently too after updating my laptop. I actually love this printer, its colour handling is great. Mine has roller issues from me pushing cardboard through it, and I do wish I could restore them to their former glory. I have found not all transparency film is created equal. The best stuff was some sheets I bought from a newsagent for 10c a page, yeaaaars ago. I ran out of that and bought the same brand as you, and the results with that have always left much to be desired. I yearn for the old transparency paper I used... As for this technique, I ran into it by accident when trying to use transparency paper to create embossing. Perhaps I need to give it a shot as a deliberate process!

Hi and thanks for the great ideas.. There is transparent film for overhead devices for inkjet printers if you try it because it turned out a beautiful texture on plastic film. Today I have an old Canon printer for about $28 with the original cartridges left, which I fill with cheap ink from China. Is up to roughly 2000 prints right now on the same cartridges. Have a good time, Thore from Sweden

I've seen laser sublimation that has been printed on the shiny side of a label backing sheet after the label has been removed. I don't know if it would work better than the clear film but it shouldn't warp under the heat like the plastic sheets do. Also, use Windex/glass cleaner on the glue stick residue it's magic at reactivating the glue making it easier to remove or reuse. Found it out when I was using it on my glass print bed with the purple glue stick that dries clear.

Laser printer on transparency produced a really nice glossy finish though, even with the surface defects this might be an acceptable tradeoff (and with experimentation it can probably be improved).

Wow, never seen this channel going Lovecraftian horror, but here we are.

I once used that plastic films from Contact brand and if nicely incorporated to petg (my E5P print bed does not stick to petg). It might be a nice way to have a protective layer

Excellent as always! For enhancing contrast on filament colors that aren't white; I'm wondering if it's possible to use the double print method, only this time lay white (or something close for good coverage) on the second print. In this way the second print is a "primer" for your color layer when transferring to your print. Thanks again for everything you contribute. I'm absolutely going to try this for a retro gaming hand held. But now I'm going to need to buy a 2D printer...

I wonder how well photo paper would work. Projection transparency paper is almost extinct these days. Also some inkjet printers have water proof inks

I've always had the best luck with printing with my basic Canon TR8610a printer on Koala holographic sticker paper that I just stick to my textured pei build plate. The holographic part doesn't come through (which was the original intention) but whatever I printed is transferred to the bottom of the print when I peel it off the plate. Sometimes there is the image left behind and sometimes it takes it all. My best guess is that I am adhering a gloss film layer from the top of the paper to the bottom of my 3D print.

Well, that's a relief. My inkjet printer cost more than all my 3D printers combined; I didn't like the idea of it _somehow_ not working for this. 😏 btw, next time you encounter that bs with a driver or a piece of software, just copy the original page or download URL and throw it into the Wayback Machine. 👍

is a pass thru sublimation printer a thing? print directly to the print bed, then move it to the printer?

Just another thought but what about 2d printable stickers, they come in A4 sheets and they wouldn't need any tape or glue to attach to the bed. It's possible they might be too thin heat wise but that thinness may avoid the rippling experienced from the transparent film sheets with the uniform adhesion being a major advantage process wise.

Using a grayer filament might make the darks more dark. Something similar is used for projectors to get darker blacks

you need to open the printer settings, not illustrator settings, I'm only familiar with photoshop but I think its the "setup" buttom at the bottom left of the window. In photoshop theres a button right below the printer selection that says "print settings...", there I can change the setting from "normal" to "optimal", the setting should be called something realted to quality (mine's in spanish and it's an hp printer so it might be diferent), after that print time and ink consumption will increase.

I hope you do not fogot SOVOL SV08 impruvement video.

I can't say that I'm surprised about the inkjet colors washing off easily. Most inkjet ink is water based (it's the same reason why inkjet prints run when they get wet).

May try this with my black and white laser printer. Thinking it could be used to get some higher resolution graphics onto a front panel and/or custom key caps. Also, it may be advantageous over having to change filament to get some lettering onto a print. I do recall seeing some use glossy magazine paper for transferring toner to PCBs. I might try reviewing some of those videos.

Thinking I should try this with inkjet on inkjet-specific transparency sheets. Because you are printing to a coating on the plastic (that can be scraped off), I bet it would transfer more neatly.

would photo paper work any better leaving the plastic layer ? Oiling the paper Spread out a newspaper and then a blank piece of white paper on top. Place the photograph on top, face down. Using a brush or a paper towel, apply oil (you can use olive oil, sunflower oil, mineral oil or crisco light) to the paper to make it transparent.

This Senna Jersey... 💚💛

Ah, I was hoping it would be a bit more generally applicable, as I don't really have any reason to print Sam's face 😉

I'm surprised you didn't try inkjet transfer paper. that stuff is used similarly to sublimation sheets, but I think it can be torn off of cloth afterward. Might not be the case for melted plastic though

Some inkiet printers will print onto a flat board. Im wondering if you could put hairspray or 3dlac onto a glass bed and 2d print onto that with pigment ink, then 3d print. Would the ink stick to the part or the 3dlac?

I used to use this water-transfer paper with an inkjet printer to make custom water applied decals. I wonder if this would be a viable option? I think the same film that dissolves in the water to let the decal slide off could also allow for the print to be removed without any scrubbing and the film itself might bond to the filament.

Have you tried printing on a transparency film using an inkjet printer?

Nice one! But how about hydro dipping?

did you try an inkjet and tshirt transfer paper? also how about one of those shiny bed plates that are flat that transfer the graphic on it?

Was the driver not on the internet archive? Are there, driver databases for these kinds of things? If not, we should.

Xerox used to make some solid ink printers that I wonder if they'd work really well on. It's a resin-based ink that they'd melt and print via Howtek inkjet heads so it prints on plenty of media and I imagine would transfer pretty well since they printed at 125 C or so.

what if you print a sheet, maybe 1 or 2 layers thick. of a size the 2d printer can use. put that plastic sheet into the printer to directly print on rather than needing a transfer step. once printed you can print on top of it and then trim off the exccess around the printed part. if you want to get fancy you can probs use some jigs and macros to get the first and second print to align.

Ever thought about using water soluble paper or water transfer sheets?

try some high gloss photo paper with the inkjet printer

I think the overhead transparency with a laser printer will have a ton of variance depending on the quality of the transparency film. It's already a tricky thing because you need a printer that has a transparency mode, can't just use any old laser printer.

There is different transparency paper for inkjet vs laser printers. I'd be curious if it makes a difference.

Did you try any glossy photo paper? I suspect that might prove interesting

I wonder if photo paper would work

You can trick a printer into giving you a lot of ink if you lie about the paper. Tell the printer you're using the highest quality photo paper, on the highest quality setting.

10:02 I wonder what about glass bed as I can't remove it for cleaning. Using paper is probably not a great idea here.

Did you try toner transfer paper?

Was there a reason you didn't try inkjet on transparency film? There is a special transparency film for inkjet printers.

I have colour laser printer and sublimation paper.. but only textured beds!

the transparency inkjet print looked best to me I guess.

not sure if it was mentioned already... ... ever heard of inkjet water.slide decals ? thats like tatoopaper but for plastic to enhance colors... try to layer the "plastic tatoos/ water slide decals"

Standard inkjet ink with inkjet compatible transparency film?

Would it be possible to print thin enough to put into a printer?

I wonder how the print would look with white as the first layer then switching to a darker color?

Curious if photo paper or t-shirt transfer paper would work better than plain paper.... hmmm...

How about "tattoo" paper? Is it the same as transparency paper? It is a bit different.

Would a Direct to film printer work?

what about using an iron on transfer paper?

I just had an Idea. RICE PAPER. With a LASER Printer on RICE PAPER and then dissolves in water. I have to try that.

There is a way to get regular ink jet ink to transfer to the 3d print and it won't wash off.

2D+3D... So is that 5D then?

What about sublimation ink on transparent sheet?

I think you should print the image directly from photoshop or illustrator, NOT print the exported image as JPG or PNG, as that modifies the colors of the image with CMYK which gets soft to the digital image (RGB). I think there is a special printer to print more vivid colors.