Printing on aluminum questions for artisan 1430

Brendan

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I know about inkaid and dass which allow you to print on aluminum but buying precoated sheets seem to be fairly expensive and hard to find if you want to print panoramic pictures and coating them yourself seems to be hit or miss as far as quality goes. I was reading that dye sublimation printers and UV curable ink printers can print directly on aluminum, now I figure dye sub is out as it will eat away at the printer head but I haven't found much info about uv curable ink. Is it possible to use UV curable ink in the artisan 1430 or for that matter any printer around this size which naturally uses dye or pigment ink? Are there any other options out there to be able to do this?
 

Ink stained Fingers

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sublimation inks won't eat the printhead but won't do any good on metal, the dyes are interacting with polyester fibers in their gaseous state during the transfer process and are typical inks for textile prints. Uv curable inks require other printers, you find them only in the range of large format printers, the inks are cured directly after print with UV radiation and such inks require special handling and cleaning of the printer, all that is not available for small format printers and refill with such inks into other printers is not possible. Your aim is not clear with the aluminum sheets, it may be possible thata paper like a http://tecco-photo.de/datenblaetter/6852_ISG250_EN.pdf material which gives a silver metal look could help you out. Other paper companies offer similar specialized papers.
 

Brendan

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Thanks for the reply. I wanted to print my pictures on aluminum and have it so I wouldn't have to frame or matte them or wrap them. I have red river's polar pearl metallic does that paper have the same sort of effect or does it have more of an actual metal look? also I have the r2000 which of course uses pigment ink would there be a difference between than and dyes like the 1430?
 

Roy Sletcher

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I have red river's polar pearl metallic does that paper have the same sort of effect or does it have more of an actual metal look?

Hi Brendan,

Not quite sure I understand your question. I use Red River Polar Pearl Metallic as one of my "goto" papers.

It has a unique and special look, and in my opinion gives outstanding results when matched with a suitable image.

However, I would not classify the final print as looking anything like an image printed on aluminum. I think the key word "Pearl" is the indicator that it does not imitate an aluminum sheet.

Further, if you have a sample of the paper you can easily print a small image to verify the result which would be my recommendation.

I do have in my possession a sample pack of Moab papers which includes as sample called
"Slickrock Metallic Silver 300". The print side looks like a silver aluminum sheet backed on to paper. You could go to the Moab website for additional information.

For the record I have not used the Moab samples. I acquired them after being "crowd shamed" at a print workshop in Massachusetts about six weeks ago. Moral of the story - don't tell serious fine art print makers that you use RedRiver papers. :)

rs
 

Brendan

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Hi Brendan,

Not quite sure I understand your question. I use Red River Polar Pearl Metallic as one of my "goto" papers.

It has a unique and special look, and in my opinion gives outstanding results when matched with a suitable image.

However, I would not classify the final print as looking anything like an image printed on aluminum. I think the key word "Pearl" is the indicator that it does not imitate an aluminum sheet.

Further, if you have a sample of the paper you can easily print a small image to verify the result which would be my recommendation.

I do have in my possession a sample pack of Moab papers which includes as sample called
"Slickrock Metallic Silver 300". The print side looks like a silver aluminum sheet backed on to paper. You could go to the Moab website for additional information.

rs

I meant if the paper ink stained fingers was talking about whether it actually looked metallic or just the marketing of it. I like the polar pearl metallic and the effect it has I was just interested on doing a print on metal, that Slickrock Metallic Silver sounds like it might have the effect I'm going for and I may check it out either that or pick up a bottle of inkaid and try it out on some aluminum flashing or something.

Hi Brendan,

For the record I have not used the Moab samples. I acquired them after being "crowd shamed" at a print workshop in Massachusetts about six weeks ago. Moral of the story - don't tell serious fine art print makers that you use RedRiver papers. :)

rs

lol so they figured everyone who went there wouldn't notice and decided to give out different paper to make up for it, nice.
 

Ink stained Fingers

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just go for a test with these discussed papers, they may get your attention. UV curing inks are solvent based and won't work on your printer.
 

Ink stained Fingers

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if you don't want to frame your prints you may laminate them onto a carrier board - there are lots of different
types available, including sandwich style like metal sheets with a foam core
 

Brendan

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hmm that might work out, thanks for the suggestion
 

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These pearl metallic papers are effect papers and eyecatchers - I like them but don't use them very often, they don't fit to all types of motives. But if you are looking for effects - do some HDR like local contrast and color enhancement and print such image on this pearl metallic paper you can get a wow - effect - o.k. you see the strong effects and the actual image becomes less important but sometimes that's all what counts. Go ahead and test this and that to find the right combination to suit your needs.
 

Ink stained Fingers

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I acquired them after being "crowd shamed" at a print workshop
oops - is there anything the forum members could do to let you overcome any bad feelings .... or sue them for discrimination and get your course fees back or...I don't know - anyway - that must have been quite an elite club
 

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