Does any know how to print onto shrink plastic

[Davina]

I have tried to print onto shrink plastic with no=joy. Can anyone help with setting etc mines alwas seems to be all smudged.

Thanks in advance

[Phree]

You can't unless you have specially coated printable shrink plastic. Printer inks are usually water based and won't dry on non-porous surfaces such as acetate and shrink plastic and this can include card stock too such as some kinds of pearlescent card, glossy card etc. To get round this there are clear coatings that manufacturers apply that react with the ink making it set - this is what is used on things like printable acetate etc.

Try Once Upon A Stamp for printable Shrink Plastic - they don't seem to have all the optins in stock right now, but there is a reasonable choice including a variety pack showing.

http://www.onceuponastamp.co.uk/ccp51/cgi-bin/cp-app.cgi?rrc=N&affl=&cip=65.55.105.219&act=&aff=&pg=cat&ref=shrinkplastic

[Davina]

Thank for the quick reply Phree. I thought I was just being a bit silly not having it set right. Not sure what i was going to do with the shrunk image after just wanted a go lol

[LoobyLou]

It is possible to print onto non printable shrink plastic, but you need to be uber careful when trimming it, and obviously printable would be much better.

I have done it and coloured it in, but it was very hard work not smudging it.

[sheilaj]

crafty computer paper also do printable shrink plastic among other goodies...free image and card downloads too

[Davina]

thanks everyone i will go and investigate

[GL4PAL]

I have used ordinary shrink plastic in a printer, I gave it a light sanding before hand (gave a good dust off) and once it was printed I heat set the ink before attempting to colour it.

Gail :)

[craftycat]

I've got an HP printer, one where the paper/card rolls back on itself during printing - sorry I know there is a proper techie name but can't remember t! Anyway, has anyone tried the shrink plastic in this type of printer. My thoughts were it would have been a bit thick and would jam

[JanTheNan]

I have been wondering that too CraftyCat as we have HP printers, I thought it would snap going round the roller but if there's such a thing as printable SP I suppose not, hope someone comes and tells.

Gail, if you heat set the ink didn't it start to shrink?

[sheilaj]

yes there is printable SP, mentioned higher up the thread, I get mine from crafty computer paper

[JanTheNan]

Hello Sheila,

What sort of printer do you have please?

[GL4PAL]

When heat setting the ink I hold the heat gun much further away than normal, it doesn't shrink and doesn't take long to set the ink.

Another thing to remember when printing on shrink plastic if you are using a fully coloured image rather than a stampie image is to reduce the colour intensity because the colours will become darker/stronger when shrunk.

Gail :)