Has anyone tried using iron -on heat transfers made for t-shirts on wood . Other than carbon paper ,what works for you.
Thanks.

[Captain_Bandaid]

Paul, I used a plain old xerox copy and a dry steam iron to transfer a pattern onto a piece of baltic birch to wood burn. It was 1/8' thick and still warped the board slightly. You can sometimes find real carbon paper (not the blue ink stuff) and it works well with less smearing. It's a lot more expensive than the blue stuff. You can make a transfer yourself by rubbing a #2 or HB pencil on the BACK of the pattern (just over the lines, not the entire sheet) and trace it as usual. I have no experience with the new hot transfer kit but it sounds suspiciously like a flat woodburning pen and xerox-type paper

[mdallensr]

Dennis Moor, the Canadian chip carver, is promoting a transfer system. Moors have a web site: www.chippingaway.com and a link:
http://www.chippingaway.com/DrawingPatternOnWood.htm. It's supposed to be the neatest deal since sliced bread.

I've used the iron-on heat transfer patterns. It worked ok, but I'd advise using a hot, dry iron (NO STEAM) for short period, without moving the transfer.

: I have one of the heat transfer irons...a little disappointed in it... You have to use it pretty quick after you turn it on as it gets hotter and hotter and will burn your paper copy...Whoever designed this thing wasn't smart enough to put a limit on the heat....But I will say, if you do it early when you turn it on, and go over your pattern several times and keep checking your work piece to see if all your lines were transfered, well it works pretty good. Still easier than redrawing everything.

I use the Zerox copies with the iron and I use a little steam sometimes.I use this for ChipCarving designs.What I have found it did not transfer to well from the copies made in Office Depot.I think it is because of the type of ink they use in their machines.But the older type copiers that are in the Supermarkets work fine.I imajine the little bit of steam I use helps free up the ink.Also use only the tip of the iron. No problem, tape the design down.

There is a 'pattern transfer paper' available which is used by 'sewers' (those who sew clothes & stuff) and available in seing stores. It comes in a variety of colors, including white, and is supposed to be easy to remove. It is more expensive than carbon or graphite paper, but it is nice to color code your designs so you know which tool to use in a particular place. A 'Carve by Color', kinda like the old 'Paint by Number' kits!
(Just kidding about the color coding.)

I have used the transfer paper .It comes in colors yellow.blue etc.it is good for reverse chip carving .if say your wood is stained or painted first ,you would use the lighter paper to show up the design onthe darker background.It is a bit expensive compared to regular carbon paper. But it does not smudge and easier erasing.

I have been using heat transfer tools for about 2+ years and have great success with them. All you do is take an original pattern, copy it on a machine that uses powder toner and you are in business. I does take a small amount of practice to get the pressure applied to the tool, but I have never burned wood no had patterns come out that were unusable. A good source for patterns to be used for wood burning and relief carving is kids coloring books.

I had no success with irons like the ones to iron clothes. I got my rool at woodcrafters.

Pete

One important fact about the photocopy-iron on method is that it produces a reversed image.

This is fine for symmetrical patterns, such as used in chip carving.

But ending up with a switch of left and right positions can be a problem for some patterns, where the cop's badge has switched from his left to his right side.

Relief patterns may also be affected. The road through the woods to the house usuall gots from bottom left to mid-right because this is the most pleasing artistic effect. If the pattern ironed onto the wood now runs the road from lower right to mid-left, it may not be what you want.