Photos On Sheet Metal

Create a Post
Shayla

Shayla

WOW Framer
Forum Donor
Joined
Apr 5, 2008
Posts
35,848
Loc
Washington State
Hi. Uta K. asked this question in the middle of another
thread, but it got lost in the shuffle. I'll paste it here
and see who might answer her:

I just saw photos printed on sheet metal at a gallery in New Hampshire and am trying to find out how to. Anybody doing this in-house? Is that possible? Does it sell? Is it expensive?
 
shayla said:
Hi. Uta K. asked this question in the middle of another
thread, but it got lost in the shuffle. I'll paste it here
and see who might answer her:

I just saw photos printed on sheet metal at a gallery in New Hampshire and am trying to find out how to. Anybody doing this in-house? Is that possible? Does it sell? Is it expensive?
Click to expand...

I do not sell them, I do know that they are not inexpensive when compared to on paper. Editions limited has a division that sells images printed on metal, plexi, and bamboo. You may want to talk to them to see prices and who in your area may sell them.
 
Kool Tack now offers Aluminum Composite Sheeting (ACS, similar to ePanel, DiBond, AlucoBond) with an excellent dry mounting adhesive. I tested 2 mm thickness, but I guess the adhesive could be applied to any standard ACS. It may be ordered from Kool Tack distributors custom-cut to any size, with smooth-finished edges.

Aluminum Composite Sheeting is better than plain aluminum sheeting because it is more rigid and durable, and one or both sides may be finished. Thin aluminum could be accidentally bent in handling quite easily, but 2 mm ACS is very difficult to bend by hand.

Mounting to ACS has some unique benefits. The surface is very hard and smooth, so orange peel is literally non-existent, especially if you use a Perma-Lon Release Board. The back of the ACS is finished aluminum, so it looks great if it is to be on an easel, leaned against a wall, or otherwise displayed unframed. The adhesive on this new Kool Tack product is good for the long term, but it is actually reusable, so it is perfect for temporary mounting/display of large digital graphics. You can dry mount a heavy-paper digital image to it, remove the photo, and then mount to the board again, repeatedly -- the adhesive stays on the board. As a consultant during its development, I used this Kool Tack product up to 20 mountings, and it still holds securely. It really is amazing.
 
Jim-

I don't think that printing on paper and mounting to metal has the same look. But the new Kool Tack products are a great resource for framers wanting to mount to metal.

What I think the OP is looking for is Dye Sublimation printing which is a wholly different animal altogether. First the image is printed using a dye sublimation printer onto a carrier. (Special printer and process). Then the carrier is put on top of metal (or tile or porcelain) and put into a special heat press (not our standard press) as it runs at 450 degrees. The image is "transferred" from the carrier onto the substrate.

All of these materials were demonstrated and examples were shown at the PMA/PPFA convention at Anaheim. Vendors were there who sold the software, inksets, printers and transfer media, presses, and substrates. You could see what is involved in "doing it yourself" and determine how much the investment would be to get started.

If you do not want to invest in the printing yourself, the software is available to prepare a file and then it can be sent to a service bureau that specializes in doing dye sublimation printing on alternative substrates. I am sure a google search will turn up several.

This is a perfect example of why attending the PPFA convention and the PMA Trade Show can provide benefits to a framer that are not available elsewhere.
 
You can buy metal already coated to accept printer inks. Go to this site to read about what they offer:

http://www.booksmartstudio.com/products/view/15_booksmart-fine-art-metals

You can also coat pretty much anything wit a product called Inkaid.

This is different that what Mark suggested. No special presses nor high heat. Just print and then spray to seal the ink.
 
Thanks, guys. I'll pm Uta to make sure she knows this thread
exists. While we're here, I have a question. Yesterday afternoon,
one of my artist friends brought in two paintings he had done
on aluminum plate. They're each about 9 x 17, and the shiny
aluminum shows through in places. His images are right up
to the edges, and a frame would cut them off in a weird way.
I suggested that he float it on a larger piece of aluminum
and then frame that. I called another artist to ask what to
use. He said there's something called Liquid Aluminum that
might work to stick the two pieces together without welding.
Any comments?

Also, I'm wondering it painting with acrylic onto aluminum
is okay for the long term, or if the two will react in some
weird way.
 
Shayla, check out www.PeterLik.com I first saw his work on metal at the gallery at the Venetian in Las Vegas while at WCAF show. I could not tear myself away from the color of his photography. At the first look of his work I was wondering how he got such richness of color on paper; then I was told he had developed this special process of mounting to metal and it was all a big secret.

So I am glad that Jim Miller has quoted the process and that there are new materials available from Kool Tack. I will be contacting my local suppliers next week to see if they carry these new items.

We are birders for a hobby and have some great images that I would like to try on the metal.

Thanks to everyone for the information.
 
I have a link on te computer at work to a company that provides this service. The photo is printed on a coated aluminum panel and then processed, probably much like Rob described. The resulting product doesn't need glazing.
 
There was a company that exhibited at the WCAF show in 2008 that is based in Walnut Creek, Calif., I forget their name. Spendy wholesale.
 
There are kits that allow you to treat a piece of metal to receive the ink. It costs just slightly less than the print and is 10 times as much work.

As a photographer I'm blown away by the look and the cost! WOW! It's pricey. I'm as frugal as it gets and a do-it-yourselfer but I would just pay to have it done for me.

Good luck.
 
Frame Lady said:
So I am glad that Jim Miller has quoted the process and that there are new materials available from Kool Tack. I will be contacting my local suppliers next week to see if they carry these new items.

We are birders for a hobby and have some great images that I would like to try on the metal.

Thanks to everyone for the information.
Click to expand...

What Jim described was not what you were looking at in Vegas. What Rob described was.
 
There have been a lot of advances in dye sublimation, but it is still tricky if you are not an expert. I have danced around with it as a result of my engraving business. As yet, it is not a good fit for an add on. It is fairly expensive to acquire the equipment and supplies to do it well, and there is a steep learning curve.

There have been some advances in the UV stability of the dyes, but they are still talking in terms of 5 years without fading in most cases. There have been some amazing things done with the facades of buildings using this process to print to tile.

If you are interested in pursuing it, it is an amazing process that gets amazing results. The best plan for now is to form a relationship with a supplier that can take your digital files and do the printing.
 
I don't know if dye sublimation printer is the same, but your can print directly onto sheet metal with a UV flatbed printer.

Most big sign shops will have this $60,000 + machine. OCE Arizona 350 GT seems to a popular model.

Most UV flatbed printers print on paper, film, glass, wood, sheet metal, acrylic and more. They also have options like white ink, for printing on dark materials and clear varnish.

I got a price from one of my sign shops. Printing on acrylic is $45/sq.ft. Printing on Dibond (aluminium/sheet metal) is $50/sq.ft
 
Yep, that is the process. There are some smaller printers out there, but they are in the $30-40,000 range. They are designed for folks in the awards business.
 
We have a sample kit from Booksmart Studio on the way. Odd - Kassandra and I were talking of adding this just a few days ago - and now I see this thread. Yes, it's a spendy item. BUT it's something noone else is likely going to do locally - it seperates US from THEM. There's a lady in TX (impelink.com) doing this on a fairly large scale. There are printers who will wholesale this (booksmart among them) but why if I have the printer, customer base and willingness?
$100 8x10s anyone???
 
Create a Post
Back
Top