Transfer pattern to wood?

[Riverrat999]

Need advice as to how to transfer an original drawing pattern to wood. I have a few ideas but wanted to ask the readers how they transfer patterns. Riverrat999 aka PatrickQuestion

[mark yundt]

I just use carbon or graphite paper. Get it in bulk at Staples. Cheap and easy.

[Mottles]

Hi Patrick, like mark I use regular carbon paper to transfer my pattern to wood.
Kathy

[Claude]

Me too! One suggestion, though - make a xerox (photocopy) of the original drawing, and then use that to trace the pattern onto the wood. If it's going to be a pattern you use more than one, trace it onto a piece of card stock or posterboard, then cut out the card stock with an exacto knife to have a sturdy pattern you can re-use.
Claude

[carvendive]

I use multiple methods depending on what I'm doing.

Flat surface - For "one off" I sometimes use carbon paper. For "one offs" and repeats, I usually photocopy the original layout with a lazerjet. The print in the lazerjet is heat sensative. Then I place it print side down on the wood, and iron it. When you heat it with the iron, the print transfers.

(As a side note, I also use the iron to lift out dents. I've had pieces dented and have been able to get the wood to plump back out. Just add water to the wood, let it soak and iron it. Do it repeatedly until it lifts back to it's original surface)

I also have a pentograph but it's primary use is for reductions and enlargements - to a specific scale.

Repeats on moldings or rounds - construction paper templates work best so far. I also use a home made duplicator where I do a limited length of carving and use it as the master. I've tried pounce pads and wheels but don't like the work and the re-drawing.

One of the best ways with repeats is with the chisel's themself. Using this method requires that you design to your chisel's sweep.

[carvendive]

Originally Posted by Claude

... trace it onto a piece of card stock or posterboard, then cut out the card stock with an exacto knife ...Claude

I know it's a small point but I'll throw this in also.
If you use chisels (as opposed to power carvers), use the chisels to do the card stock cutting and write the sweep/mm and a starting and ending point onto the cardstock. Then when you do the carving you'll already have the stopcut or releaf information documented. (Sorry, I'm drawing a blank on the cuts actual name - it might also be called the "set in" cut?)

This comes in as a REAL time saver when you need to do another piece 6 months later.

On cardstock, when I do my layouts I usually also do the mirrored side. This allows me to do exterior lines on (lets say) the left side and interior lines on the right. Being that it's mirrored I first do the exterior lines, flip the card over and then draw in the interior lines.

[Eddy-Smiles]

RiverRat.... Try to shy away from carbon paper. It leaves a waxy or greasy film on the wood that can often get into creases, cracks and crevices and mar a finish. I use graphite paper which is manufactured by a couple of companies....i.e. Walnut Hollow and Susan Scheewe (Weber)... It's not as cheap as the garden variety standard office carbon paper but it's a lot easier and cleaner to use and work with and it will very easily wash off with dish soap and water. If you live near a JoAnn's or a Michael's you can use one of their 40% or 50% off one item coupons and really get a bargain. The last package of Susan Scheewe I purchased which contained (6) 8-1/2"x12" sheets I got at Hobby Lobby during one of their fine art's sales.

[lorax]

I use tracing paper (not carbon) for basic designs. For mor eintricate details, I make a reverse image of the design printed with a laser printer, and use a pattern transfer tool. It is a little brass disk that attaches to a basic woodburning tool.

[Riverrat999]

Thanks for the suggestions. Frankly, I did not know carbon paper was still being manufactured. Talk about being technologically challenged!!

Have a good week, fellow carvers, whittlers, et al
Riverrat999 PatrickThumbs UpExclamatio

[doris]

since my method is not mentioned yet, i add this too, since very easy and no extra cost ... i use a very soft pencil and blacken with it the backside of the paper which has the pattern drawn on. then i place the paper on the wood, now black side is down, and trace the lines of the pattern with a hard pencil or such... ... if i need lines on the wood to stay longer, i trace those again with a thin feltmarker.

and, to speed up things, i often not blacken the whole backside, but instead hold the paper against a window (at daytime!), backside up, now i can see the pattern shine through, and can blacken only the areas where patternlines are...