Make your own Waterproof Maps by Printing directly on Plastic Film...garbage bag film. This is not simply laminating paper maps.
The end result of this simple project is a 100% plastic map that is thinner, lighter, and more durable than paper.
Sure, plastic paper can be purchased for printing water resistant maps however, it is expensive, and usually thicker and stiffer than regular paper; making it difficult to fold into a pocket sized, ready reference.
This process produces a map that is only slightly thicker than a garbage bag; that is waterproof, and best of all, can be folded (or crumpled) without damage for stuffing in a pocket.
The end result of this simple project is a 100% plastic map that is thinner, lighter, and more durable than paper.
Sure, plastic paper can be purchased for printing water resistant maps however, it is expensive, and usually thicker and stiffer than regular paper; making it difficult to fold into a pocket sized, ready reference.
This process produces a map that is only slightly thicker than a garbage bag; that is waterproof, and best of all, can be folded (or crumpled) without damage for stuffing in a pocket.
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Water is the nemesis of printed paper maps. It creates a pretty rainbow effect as the ink bleeds into the paper.
Nice abstract art but, useless for orienteering.
I like to print my own maps of an area when we go hiking. A trail map, and maybe a topographical (Topo) map, and a road map for directions to the trail head or pick-up point.
The approach used for years, to keep hiking maps from the elements involved storing them in a zip top plastic bag. Folded into quarters, it looks like the map on the left below. It keeps maps dry, however, the folded baggie only seems to fit in the square shaped pockets of cargo pants, and eventually, the folding and unfolding takes its toll on the bag and the paper inside.
Also, There is always a chance the maps will get wet every time the bag is opened. And many times, the bag has to be opened to shuffle through multiple pages for various sections of the trail.
For the most part, this method works, and I will probably continue to carry master maps in this fashion. But, sometimes, especially when traveling in familiar areas, all that is needed is a quick glance at a map to confirm the trail you want is to the left or right ahead.
This is where this Instructables map technique excels... A ready reference thin enough to be stuffed in a pocket, durable enough to survive multiple crumpling and best of all...weatherproof.
It is important to understand the limitations of this process.
Plastic film shrinks when heated so, the map scale will no longer be correct (i.e. a 1/4 inch will no longer equal a mile, etc.)
The fidelity of fine map details may be difficult to discern. Printer ink does not absorb into the plastic film so, the surface tension of the ink will will blur small text and fine details.
Despite these drawbacks, this process will produce a reusable map suitable to tuck in a shirt pocket for reference on the trail in the worst weather, or as a very compact emergency back-up map tucked away in a survival kit.
Nice abstract art but, useless for orienteering.
I like to print my own maps of an area when we go hiking. A trail map, and maybe a topographical (Topo) map, and a road map for directions to the trail head or pick-up point.
The approach used for years, to keep hiking maps from the elements involved storing them in a zip top plastic bag. Folded into quarters, it looks like the map on the left below. It keeps maps dry, however, the folded baggie only seems to fit in the square shaped pockets of cargo pants, and eventually, the folding and unfolding takes its toll on the bag and the paper inside.
Also, There is always a chance the maps will get wet every time the bag is opened. And many times, the bag has to be opened to shuffle through multiple pages for various sections of the trail.
For the most part, this method works, and I will probably continue to carry master maps in this fashion. But, sometimes, especially when traveling in familiar areas, all that is needed is a quick glance at a map to confirm the trail you want is to the left or right ahead.
This is where this Instructables map technique excels... A ready reference thin enough to be stuffed in a pocket, durable enough to survive multiple crumpling and best of all...weatherproof.
It is important to understand the limitations of this process.
Plastic film shrinks when heated so, the map scale will no longer be correct (i.e. a 1/4 inch will no longer equal a mile, etc.)
The fidelity of fine map details may be difficult to discern. Printer ink does not absorb into the plastic film so, the surface tension of the ink will will blur small text and fine details.
Despite these drawbacks, this process will produce a reusable map suitable to tuck in a shirt pocket for reference on the trail in the worst weather, or as a very compact emergency back-up map tucked away in a survival kit.
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The real advantage of this instructable is that it produces a map that can be stuffed in a pocket without the bulk. Folding will not create dammaging creases or delamination. The map is as thin and flexable as a plastic baggie.
Thanks :-)
-Cory
Freezer paper is also a good substrate for running things through the printer. I think you would still want to pre-shrink the garbage bags, but if you happened to have some other non-shrinkable plastic you wanted to use, you could stick it to the freezer paper. Just iron it, same way - the shiny side is wax, so put something underneath it to avoid mussing your ironing board. It won't delaminate until you pull it off.
Using tissue paper (stuck to freezer paper) plus the baggie idea would yield a lightweight map without the hassle of smeary ink. Do baggies laminate to themselves? I'll have to try that... many applications if so. I know you can use them with a heat sealer, so maybe if you run it through the laminator on super-hot. (Or just iron it to melt it.)
There's also a substance called "bubble jet set" which will allow you to inkjet print onto fabric and it will be waterproof. I've used it myself and while I wouldn't necessarily trust it for a long-term T-shirt, it should work quite well for a map. Men's hankerchiefs would be lightweight and still have enough thread to produce enough detail.
Cool instructable!
http://www.bryerpatch.com/faq/bjs.htm - bubble jet set
Great Idea! Will try it out on NOAA's Booklet Charts for help Navigating
Coastal Waters.
I will certainly try this one!
However I have been printing Astronomy maps for years for nighttime usage by printing on plain copy paper(Cheap)!!!! and spraying with quick dry clear lacquer , then let dry for 10 min in the oven and it is permainately waterproof and fold-able.
bullfrogs
http://www.glcscouting.org/camping/d-a/index.html
What that accomplished was to prevent the toner from fusing to the paper. Make sure to choose a printer that spits the paper out face-up, because the toner will just be sitting on the paper. You can blow on it or brush a finger across it and the toner will move around like a sand painting.
What it's good for is you now have a loose layer of toner held onto paper by nothing more than static electricity. If you print the image reversed, and then lay the paper on a piece of wood, the toner will transfer to the wood. The guy I saw make the best use of this technique would then carve a person's likeness, or their dog, or a favorite design into a desk sign or plaque, or whatever you wanted. He couldn't draw a lick, but he could sure trace the lines of the printed image!
This is also good for making the name 'chops' like the Chinese use to sign documents. (I worked in Taiwan for a while.) When you're carving the little stone stamp, you don't want to get done to find out that a character is backwards, so some of the shops that make them have the hacked printers. They print the design right-ways, and pick up the toner on the bottom of the stone. Then when they are done carving, they know the design will be right.
How it could be used here is that you could transfer the toner to the white plastic, add the clear and then make one sandwich to iron. All the shrinkage would occur to both pieces of plastic at the same time, so distortion should be minimized, and it keeps you from running plastic through your printer.
I think for inkjets, the ible is the best possible way. I thoroughly agree that using pre-shrunk plastic is good. I am mainly bringing this up to tell people about the toner transfer capability of a hacked laser.
Also, how well does your map react to being repeatedly folded and refolded?
Fantastic ible!
I'm going to try this ible this afternoon. I know I can find something that needs printing!
An awesome example of an instructable done right.
Clear photos, with notes as to what to be looking for in important ones.
Clear instructions with the important points and possible "gotchyas" clarified and in bold to make sure they are not overlooked.
I look forward to sharing this with a local hiking club!!
I would not recommend...however, that is what experimentation is all about....maybe even better results.