Struggling artist needs PnP printer advice.

[rachelrose]

Okay, I'm here because this is where I figure the very best advice will be. You guys know transfer resist. I'm a mixed media jeweler who wants to work with PnP blue to do chemical etch. I already know how to do the etch part (I work on brass and copper), I've done it using just a paint resist and scribe to scratch in a design. But I want to use PnP blue to transfer text and art. My problem is that no one down here (I'm in the Florida Keys) will let me near their photocopier with it. Office Max - no. Office Depot - no. Libraries, other public copiers - no,no,no.

So I'm committed to buying a laser printer to dedicate to this process. My question is which one? I don't want to buy one only to have it jam and be useless for the job. Can you help me? It would be best if someone has a recommend of a fairly new machine that they are using successfully; in other words, one that is still available.

I bought the PnP blue I have from Thompson Enamel. They have been no help, I called and they said "We've never had a problem," and won't make a recommend. Printer manufacturers are no better. The tech people don't seem to know what PnP blue IS.

I can easily buy a different brand of PnP blue from somewhere else, so that it will be the same as what you - whoever you are out there who can help me with this - are using. Cost of PnP is not an issue for me. When you make jewelry, you are working small. A 8.5 by 11 piece of PnP blue goes a long way.

Hope someone will have some advice for me on this.

Thanks
Rachel

I know it's not an electronics question. But can you help me out?

 

[Pommie]

I use a Samsung ML1710P with the blue PnP. I first print the board on a piece of A4 and then tape a small piece of PnP over the image before feeding it into the front of the printer.

Mike.

 

[rachelrose]

Mike,

Yes, that method is what I would do in order to save PnP when printing my imagery. But I'm looking around and not seeing that model listed anywhere. Is it a fairly recent purchase? Are you not in the USA and so perhaps the printer has a different model number where you are?

I appreciate your reply.

Rachel

 

[ParkingLotLust]

You might have a bit better luck searching for ML-1710 rather than ML1710P. I see a couple lots on eBay.

 

[Pommie]

I think I bought it about 3 years ago but, any laser printer with a manual feed should work fine.

I just had a quick look on the Samsung website and they don't appear to do any printers with the manual feed.

This is the one I have,
**broken link removed**

Mike.

 

[rachelrose]

Mike -
So a manual feed is desirable in order to prevent jams? Yours does not have a manual feed, but is working fine for PnP?

I did find the ML-1710 on Amazon (thanks PLL) and it does look to be the same printer as yours (thanks very much for taking the time to post the pic), but reviewers complained that graphics were not so good. Text better. I assume that has not been your experience?

Where are you getting your PnP?

Very thankful for your help
Rachel

 

[Pommie]

The 1710 does have the manual feed, that is what the slot on the front of the printer is. I was commenting that Samsung no longer do a printer with manual feed. As for whether it is better is really only a guess on my part. With the manual feed the paper only goes around one roller and with the PnP between the paper and the roller, if the paper was put in the bottom feeder then it first goes around a roller with the PnP on the outside and so I assume it would jam more easily. As for quality, I have not found any problems with it and it gets used lots due to the fact it prints a page in less than 5 seconds.

BTW, I'm not saying the Samsung is any better than other printers, I just found it worked well with the PnP. Maybe some other posters that have used PnP would like to speak up and give their experiences.

Mike.

 

[rachelrose]

Mike - what source do you use for your PnP? There seem to be many places do buy it, and I'm not sure that all are the same. Is yours a particular brand?

Thanks and thanks,
Rachel

 

[Pommie]

Mike - what source do you use for your PnP? There seem to be many places do buy it, and I'm not sure that all are the same. Is yours a particular brand?

Thanks and thanks,
Rachel

It doesn't appear to have a brand name except press-n-peel, I just buy it from the local electronics shop (Jaycar).

Mike.

 

[rachelrose]

Forgot to ask this -
I am running Windows XP. (Or Mac OS X Leopard, I run two laptops).

What operating system are you running?

Rachel

 

[Pommie]

I'm running XP Pro but the operating system is fairly irrelevant as far as printers go. Most people have problems getting the software to print at the right scale. This is probably less critical for you but for electronics, being out by a couple of percent, can be disastrous.

Mike.