Printing on Aluminum Sheeting

[John LeClair]

Hello,
I have just recently begun experimenting printing on Aluminum Sheeting.  Real beginner here so appreciate input from anyone who may have experience.   Using an Epson 9900 printer.
There are many challenges because the Aluminum sheeting must be prepared before printing in two steps. 
Use rolled aluminum sheeting purchased from Home Depot and then cut into 18 by 26 inch sheets.    Then thoroughly clean sheets with 409 cleaner and also Naptha (fast evaporating) or other similar turpentine.
Have also tried circular sander on sheets to remove any of the protective coating.   Have tried both scouring pads and soft sponges to clean surface.  Tend to like the shiny surface a little more than the
sanded surface.   Each method gives the surface a slightly different look.
Next step is applying several coats of fixative. Using a commercially available substance called INK AID.   There are several options with INK AID adhesive, followed by INK AID matte or Ink Aid Semi-Gloss.
Each coat applied with 3 inch wide foam brush.   Each coat seems to take at least 48 hours to set.   Have tried both 2 or 3 coats.   There is another surface prep product available called DASS (which I have not used)

My results have been mixed.
I have been slowly improving by changing settings on the Epson printer to widest platten gap and greatest suction.  Seems to keep the sheets flattest during printing and helps avoid exit rollers from touching the
metal.  Because the ink is still very wet  after printing ceases these little rollers will leave marks on the last 4 or 5 inches of the print making them throw aways.   Loading the metal is tricky because it needs to be
perfectly square with the printer and the metal can move around somewhat as the printer automatically moves it up and down to get it at the correct position.   It is different than a similar size piece of fine art paper. 

The wait time between the coats of Ink Aid is time consuming.  Small specks of dust that land on the applied ink aid spoil the metal for printing (INK AID and dust particles can be washed off throughly and start the coating process again.).

Once the print is finished in the printer it will stay wet for 24 + hours.  Handling the finished product carefully is a must.  (It is not like photographic papers or even Canvas which is mostly dry as soon as the paper comes out of the printer.     Even after 48 hours a single drop of water (sweat) will allow the ink to dissolve. 

After 2 days drying I apply 1 to 2 coats of Clear Jet  Type A2000 Solvent based protective coating.  this dries in 15 minutes between coats.     This coating helps keep the print from smudging.   

To summarize there are many stages of drying, smudging the ink can happen so easily and the finished product looks good, but I am not "wowed" by the result.

Curious if anyone has experience printing on metal they might share.     I know there are print houses like Bay Photo, Full Color, Image Wizards that print on metal and get great online reviews for their finished products.
Assuming their processes and printers are different.

Thanks,

John LeClair

[neile]

Hi John,

Dan Berg and I both spent a whole bunch of time experimenting with aluminum in the last six months or so. Here are some of my threads about it:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=52153.0
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=53100.0

Here's one of Dan's:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=53041.0

And here are some of my blog entries:

http://www.danecreek.com/blog/2011/03/12/my-first-aluminum-print.html
http://www.danecreek.com/blog/2011/03/12/second-third-aluminum-print.html
http://www.danecreek.com/blog/2011/03/13/two-more-aluminum-prints.html
http://www.danecreek.com/blog/2011/04/04/more-experiments-with-aluminum.html

In the end I gave up with coating my own sheets and just wound up using pre-coated Alumajet from http://www.horizonsisg.com/

Neil

[dgberg]

Neil,
Thanks for taking the time to repost the links for John.
I also agree that purchasing the pre coated aluminum is the way to go,especially if your selling them.
It is a fun process to learn using the Inkaid but just will not give you high quality results as you are finding.

[John LeClair]

Hello Neile and Dan,

Many thanks for the links and information.
This has been very helpful.

Attached is a print on aluminum.  Notice  splotches across the top center to right side.
Wonder whether this is insufficient InkAid, too much or not suffcieint drying time before printing ??
As I continue to experiment giving a full 6 to 8 days drying after final ink aid coat before attempting to print.
Working in a non-airconditioned (somehwat humid) environment  .... so I believe this may also be affecting the printing.

Also notice top left and right corners.   I used some painter's tape to temporarily hang aluminum print.    When removing tape it pulled off the coating of ink aid.

The Ink Aid can be 'tempermental'    .....   or   just plain tricky to deal with

Thank-you again for the references.

John

[neile]

You've hit on exactly the issues I encountered with hand-coating the aluminum. It's bascially impossible to lay down a flawless coat. I eventually decided it wasn't worth my time and switched to using beautifully pre-coated sheets manufactured in a controlled environment.

http://www.horizonsisg.com/ sells a sample pack of their product in the 8.5x11". Order it, give it a try, and you'll never go back to hand coating again

Neil

[Sunny Alan]

Sorry if intruding....

As experienced in Screen Printing technology, I can guarantee flawless, very even, thinnest possible coating by adopting simple and cheap screen coating method, when you print with a machine rather than hand painting.

If adamant to coat by yourselves as hobby, best contact nearby screen printing supplier for advice, you can even get them coated by nearby screen printer too.

Best is buy coated, but cannot get the satisfaction from doing something self, though with flaws...

[dgberg]

Sunny
The emulsion screen coater may simplify the lay down process.
The problem with Inkaid comes with dust in the drying process.

[RFPhotography]

I also print on metal and have had some conversations with Dan about the process (he's further along the learning curve than I am).

Rather than buying the rolled flashing, try to find a metal supplier locally that offers aluminum sheet.  This is what I do now.  I was buying the Booksmart pre-coated stuff but it's horribly expensive.  It's also very thin which makes it quite prone to damage from bending.  The aluminum sheet I get is thicker (.020) but will still fit through the printer (using a 3800).  The supplier will custom cut it to size for very little cost.  Cost per cut piece is a fraction of the Booksmart.  I'd have to check an invoice to be sure but it's on the order of $3 or $4 per 13x19 sheet (vs. abt $75/sheet in Canada for the Booksmart).  The stuff I get also comes with a pastic, peel-off protective coating that prevents the metal from being scratched during handling (this is important).

I've used DASS and it works fine.  Drying time isn't that bad.  It also has no smell, unlike Ink Aid.  Several coats (of either DASS or Ink Aid) aren't necessary; however.  Two coats should suffice.  If you're having to wait a full day to recoat then my guess would be you're applying it to thick.  It only requires thin coats.  I'm using Ink Aid (Clear Gloss Type II) now on some other 'alternative' printing that I'm doing and a thinly applied coat dries fully in a couple of hours.  It will scratch or pull off though because it doesn't soak into the metal substrate.  It simply sits on top. 

Neile, what's the cost of the AlumaJet?  There aren't any prices on the Horizons site nor the listed U.S. or Canadian suppliers (the Canadian supplier doesn't even show it on their website). 

As far as the dust, yeah it's a pain.  But in the end this is a manual process so is prone to flaws.  Were collodion prints perfect?  Is any manual process perfect?  Was film perfect?  Did you spot every speck of dust or whatever off of negatives or wet prints?  I'd venture the answer to that is no. 

[Gemmtech]

The price for the Aluma Jet is naturally based on size and color

.005 Matte Sivler  8.5 x 11   10 sheets $66.00 / box  10+ boxes $58.00  A3 is 5 sheets same price

.012 Satin Gold     8.5 x 11   10 sheets $91.00 / box  10+ boxes $79.50

Just to name a couple.

Gary

[framah]

I kept trying to see the flaws but was distracted for some reason!!

[leuallen]

John LeClair

Love the image and the effect. Reminds me of a tintype. I would say to hell with the flaws - embrace them. Process images with antique look, toned blue or amber. Vignette and then print. Print small, about tintype size. Everyone else is printing big so a well done small image will have impact by virtue of being different. Flaws will add to the effect. Heck, I spent a good part of an afternoon adding flaws to an image I wanted to look antique.

Larry

[RFPhotography]

Thanks, Gary.  That's only marginally less expensive than the Booksmart.  I'll keep 'rolling my own'.

[neile]

The Alumajet pricing is at http://customers.horizonsisg.com/products/pricing.asp. It's worth ordering their sample pack to try, you'll be amazed at how pristine and beautiful the sheets are compared to rolling your own.

Neil

[RFPhotography]

Thanks, Neile.  You have to be a registered user to see that page.  I've used the Booksmart metals in the past.  I'm sure these are similar, if not the same.  Just can't justify the cost.

[Gemmtech]

Bob,

Certain parts but not the alum jet

http://customers.horizonsisg.com/design/include/AlumaJet_Commercial_English.pdf

[RFPhotography]

That pricing is a bit better @ about $20/sheet for ~ 11x17.  They only have the brushed in .020 and not in the sizes I want for my printer (3800).  The .012 is just too thin and too prone to bending damage.  I much prefer the .020 and since the STP cuts about an inch off each end of the sheet you need 13x19 at a minimum to get a decent print size.