Tandys Printable Tracing Sheets. Whats The Best Type Of Printer?

[JuanMotime]

I have used them with a Canon inkjet and now a Brother inkjet. Yes, you must let the ink dry, but didn't take very long. Also it is hard to tell, but there is a correct side to print on and its not easy to tell the difference. The glossier side goes toward the leather. I use them sparingly because the price is rather steep IMHO. Has anyone used overhead projector transparencies? They would have to be cheaper. The nice thing about using a computer and printer is that you can enlarge or shrink to get your design just the right size.

[JMWendt]

I trace my art onto 3 mil plastic and then trace again onto the leather.  Use it once and then tack it to the wall (or discard).  Everything I do is freehand anymore.  I like it better.

http://www.amazon.com/Clear-Lay-Roll-inches-wide-feet/dp/B0027A3HKG?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

This stuff could potentially be used in a plotter printer, I assume.  Might be able to cut it into small sheets for a laser printer or equivalent also.

[billybopp]

Overhead projector film will work fine.  Just be sure to get the right type for your printer.  Inkjet film has a slight roughness on one side for ink to adhere to, and LaserJet and plain film are too smooth.   LaserJet film tolerates the heat from a laser printer, while other types will melt into a very expensive mistake in a laser printer or copier.  Inkjet and laser ohp films are cheaper than Tandy's film, but paper is far cheaper and works well for many situations.  

 

Bill

 

[Toddo]

I have tried a couple 2 or 3 different printable substrates. Originally, I simply traced from plain paper printed in an inkjet printer using a pencil as a stylus which worked pretty well. I got pretty accurate and decent defined lines onto the leather. Then by suggestion I tried the Overhead Projector Transparencies For Inkjet Printers. Those things are a big no-go. The projector transparencies are so hard/dense that even a sharp stylus cannot make a well defined line in the leather. Last I got some "Tracing Film" from Tandy but ran into the problem of how to make inkjet printer ink stick to the plastic film. I came upon this product that you paint onto the tracing film that makes inkjet ink stick to the plastic called Golden Digital Ground For Non-Porous Surfaces. It's an ink aid that makes ink stick to slick surfaces. That was a big pain in the neck but it did make the ink stick to the plastic without smearing the ink. Then only to find that the image and digital ground compound will actually peel up in sheets from the tracing film when pushing a stylus onto it. 

Today I think I finally found the optimum setup for tracing onto leather. Tandy Tracing Film combined with a LaserJet Printer. The Tandy Tracing Film and a sharp stylus will actually make the most well defined impressions when compared to plain 20lb printer paper or the overhead transparencies. Here's a comparison photo:

 

Here's an image printed onto the Tandy Tracing Film using a cheap HP LaserJet Pro 15w printer that I got today for $80:

 

I was worried that the LaserJet Printer might melt the tracing film but it did not. It turns out great and it's dry to the touch as soon as it exits the printer! No smearing. Just what I was looking for. When you push the stylus onto the film with the toner ink on it (which is not really ink at all but melted poloypropylene) it actually etches the ink up when you run your stylus over it which lets you know that you've traced that line:

 

Here's the stylus I use which is pretty sharp: