Fabric Printing with Citra-Solv

Step 10 The End

Happy Printing. Don't hesitate to ask me questions, and please rate my Ible.

Comments

[xhudaman]

nice ible i was just wondering since i'd like to try this where can i pick up citri solv i've never heard of it before and i dont think i know of stores that carry it so please tell me where in toronto i can pick it up...and 1 more thing i have an hp photosmart if i use the scanner on it to copy the picture will it work?(the comments left me a little confused lol)

[Toaster Muffin]

Check out the Citra-Solv website to find out where to buy it in Canada. No, your printer wont work, you have to use a copy from a carbon based toner copier. If in doubt go around town and get copies made from machines that only copy in black and white, make notes of where you got the copies and see which ones work. 

[xhudaman]

k thanks a lot u helped i will check their site

[vcote]

Canadian tire usually carry it.

[Ninzerbean]

I didn't know my son had logged on before me and I needed to sign out and in again but that answer was mine (the author's) just so you know so it is right, just in case you were thinking just anyone answered you.

[magali1211]

any copier shop where they have these http://media.nbc4i.com/wcmh/gfx.php?max_width=300&imgfile=images/uploads/Cartridge.JPG machines would work? or do i have to ask for the machine brand? hope ypou understood my question! thanks

[Ninzerbean]

I am not familiar with that machine but as long as it copies in black and white and does NOT have the capability to copy in color it should be OK. Check out all the comments here to get an idea. Obviously when I wrote this I thought finding the right machine was the easiest part of this project, but technology being what it is and all I guess it is hard now to find a machine that just does one thing. It may take a bit of trial and error to find a decent old no frills machine that does nothing but copy in black and white.

[vcote]

Actually, color toner prints should work too. the image tends not to be as clear though and sometimes the 4 colors toners do not transfer equally so the colors are distorted. It still looks cool though.

But table top printers print can't work with solvent. It needs to be toner.

[alice4kids]

This is an awesome project thank you for making it so simple! I am looking for summer projects and this is a perfect one to use with young high school girls!

[Ninzerbean]

Take pics and post them! Practice doing it yourself first so you know you have the right copies to work with. Read all the comments for help.

[canciej]

i was so excited to find this post - i ran out and got the citra solve, got some copies of things made at staples, being sure to ask if the copies were made with toner like that of a xerox, which they said they were -but alas, i have had no luck.  nothing came off on to the fabric, even a little bit.  im super bummed.  has anyone figured out exactly why its not working?

[Ninzerbean]

The question to ask is if the copies are carbon toner based - most likely your copies were made on a laser copier because they want to give you the best resolution and quality. It's carbon toner you are looking for - it may help to ask if the machine just does black and white copies, if the machine does color it is most likely a big old wonderful expensive laser color copier (wish I had one for another project) but you want just a run of the mill carbon toner black and white copier for you copies. 

[canciej]

it worked!!!  found old school xerox copier and now i am printing away!  :)  havent mastered it even a little yet, but i am successfully printing my photos onto fabric.  thank you thank you thank you!! :)

[Ninzerbean]

Great! I was hoping to hear back from you, I am happy it is working now. Happy Printing!

[ronmaggi]

 I tired this technique to transfer toner to a copperclad board, the toner just smeared all over. The citrasolv just sat on top and the toner swerled about during the burnishing process. The good news is that the sitrasolv removes toner from the board like no one's business. Also, I tried a LASER-PRINTED image on cloth, and it worked fine. The toner that a photocopier uses is identical to a laser printer. The only difference between the two is a laser printer uses a laser to de-energize the drum whereas a photocopier uses light reflected off of the original document.

[iamchrismoran]

Unfortunately, I tried with a laser printed picture and spent quite a long time -got nothing more than a few transfers of undetectable shade. I was disappointed. Still haven't tried with a photocopy yet though.

[Ninzerbean]

I'm sorry you wasted your time, I say somewhere- either in the comments or the 'ible that a laser color copy will not work. I do believe that the toner will differ from copier to copier and some photocopies will or may not work either, a carbon photocopy works every time though. If it does not happen in 10 seconds it is not going to happen, the bottom line is that photocopies work, laser copies do not.

[iamchrismoran]

NOT AT ALL a waste of my time... it was a learning experience. I will attempt to do it with a photocopy.
It does seem like the laser copy SHOULD work the same way, but I do believe you did say it might not/won't work.

[redbaroness]

I need clarification. Is it true that an HP laserjet-type printout will not work with this technique? There is something about a photocopy machine's toner that is different from the office printer's toner?

[Ninzerbean]

Clarification: A laserjet type printout will work to make PHOTOCOPY of on a COPIER. You can copy anything you want to (remember copright laws please) but you can't use that origional - you need the copy - the photocopy. The laserjet type printout will NOT work with Citra-Solv. You need a PHOTOCOPY made on a toner based COPIER to do this trick, I am sorry for the confusion. There must be something different about the toners and ink and what nots and I don't know what it is other than just plain vanilla copies work. I have a Cannon copier from Costco, works fine. All the thing does is copy. Copies from a copier store work great, better actually as they make a better copy to begin with than my Cannon copier. Hope this helps. My point is that it doesn't matter how you come up with the image you want to print - you can sit on a copier for all that it matters, a photograph, a laserjetenginhellicopter printout, none of that matters - it only matters that you make a PHOTOCOPY of the image and use that PHOTOCOPY to print with the Citra-Solv. Not the original. Phew, I'm really sorry I confused everyone about this.

[beamsta]

Hi there, i am currently busy painting a huge table cloth for a friend and have a wonderful photo of their family together that i want to have printed smack bang in the middle of the table cloth - and am i excited to come across this info!!! Thank you and God bless ya right outa yr cottin pickin socks my dear. Warm regards, Candy (beamsta)

[pxhughes]

If you want to print a really huge image on your tablecloth as opposed to a smaller one in the middle, go here http://homokaasu.org/rasterbator/. There are other programs that do this also. check wikipedia under "tiled printing". Awesome 'ible, ninzerbean.

[Ninzerbean]

You're the first to notice my socks - I think that pic should have been the original "got milk" ad, good luck with your table cloth - practice practice practice first.

[kiwi_fella]

I think people are getting confused by the word "copy" as used above... Im sure Ninzerbean is refering to inverting the image... so if people want to use a Laser printer - flip your picture around (invert it, like a mirror reflection) in photoshop before you print it. Thank you for this instructable... i will definately give this a go!

[Ninzerbean]

No, but thank you for the help, I mean copy as in an origional put on a copier (like a Xerox machine) and a copy is made, you then use the copy for this transfer technique. Sorry for the confusion, I think the 'ible is clear but the comments tend to make the issue of copies and copies from a copier vs a printer unclear, thanks again.

[macrumpton]

Using the generic term photocopy might clear things up as the word copy has too many meanings.

[Ninzerbean]

Brilliant, thank you, it seems so obvious now that you say it.

[denimangle]

Great Job on the Ible....If you goggle Citra-Solv and go to their home page you can get coupons for Citra-Solv

[Ninzerbean]

Wow, great to know, thanks for sharing!

[jensenks]

Wondering if you could use a foam board (you know, the kind that has interlocking puzzle piece sides so you can lay them out on the floor - about 2'x2 would be a good surface for burnishing. Thanks for a fun one!

[Ninzerbean]

No, it's too soft, the paper will bend - remember you are burnishing/pressing hard enough to get the ink to transfer to the fabric. You need a fairly hard surface with just a smidgin of padding, even a section of newspaper is sometimes all I use.

[f.l.u.x]

Thank you Ninzerbean for an excellent instructable! You genuinely inspired me this morning. In fact, I think I'll be going to Home Depot after work today to pick up a bottle of Citra-Solv. I have my fingers crossed that the copier/scanner/printer machines at my work (both color and B/W) that use toner will work with your technique. I already have a bunch of ideas for cool t-shirt prints floating around in my head... all thanks to you! :-)

[Ninzerbean]

No! Stop! I was wrong about Home Depot, so sorry, I changed the 'ible to reflect this information, Citra-Solv should be there but they are not, check out their website to find a store near you.

[gcamboim]

Can i make a color copy?

[Ninzerbean]

Yes, and no. The color laser copy I used did not print. If all you have is a color copy of what you want to print, you wil have to put it on a copier (like a Xerox) machine and make a black and white copy and then use that.

[sturmey]

I wonder if that would work just as well with color laser prints? I'll have to try sometime.

[digsretro]

The only printer I have access to that uses toner is a laser printer so I'm a little confused as to why you weren't sure if it would work with that. I'll try it anyway and get back to you. Good job!!

[Ninzerbean]

Your laser printer will be fine to make a copy from - but you must make a copy of your image from a copier. You can skip this by just making a copy of a photograph, but of course it is more fun to mess around on the computer, but however you print it out you must make a copy of it to use this Citra-Solv technique.

[tamira]

This is awesome:) i can't wait to try it out