transfer sheet/sublimination keychains

something basic you could do for conventions with a single color machine and a paper printer or two (or a Eufymake E1)

BOM + Machinery and software:

• PCTG, PCTG, ABS, or ASA filament if using a heat press. Just about any filament can be used if using sticker paper, waterslide decal paper or printing onto sublimation paper

• Inkjet (cartridge or bottled ink) and/or laserjet printer(for waterslide decal paper or sticker paper

  • or an ecotank style printer with sublimation ink for sublimination paper

  • or a UV printer like the Eufymake E1, Longer Eprint, or Morpho

• Waterslide decal paper (inkjet, laserjet)

  • or sublimination paper (ecotank)

    • Heatpress (if going that route)

  • or sticker paper

• clear acryllic spray (for some waterslide decal paper)

  • clear UV photopolymer resin or UV epoxy resin might also work. (is needed for sticker paper to preserve the sticker.

    • You'd need a UV lamp for this as well

• Drawing software (Krita is free and best used here, as instructions only cover that)

Setup:

1. The keychain images are in zip files with the pixels per centimeter (PPC) in the filename, as well as a number noting which model they're for. Take the keychain image for your chosen model and make a design on it (whitespace is unused on the model itself. Don't change the pixel density unless you know what you're doing there.

2. In krita, you need to make a image sized to your chosen paper size (A4 or US letter most likely) and set the PPC to the PPC of the image. Krita defaults to pixels per inch. Make sure to change it to pixels/Centimeter under resolution.

3. make a file layer with your design and add a transform mask, you can then copy and move instances around. Make sure to leave room between each instance as well as other images to cut them separate from each other. This can eat into your RAM as each instance is it's own layer. Make sure to merge layers as needed.

4. Calibrate your bottom and top layers to be as smooth as you can make it. The bottom layer is Z offset and bed dependent. The top layer can be calibrated by setting the top layer flow and line width relative to normal flow and line width. Monotonic seems to work best for smooth top layers. Ironing is recommended.

5. (For Printing onto sublimation paper) Print an alignment line model centered onto your bed (either before or during with a pause,) then cut the design out and glue it within the lines. Make sure it's completely flat.

Print settings:

• Material: PETG, PCTG, ABS or ASA if using a heat press. Just about anything if printing onto sublimation paper or using stickers.

• top layer: Monotonic or Monotonic Line.

• solid infill: Monotonic or monotonic line.

• Bottom Layer: Same as top unless printing onto sublimation paper. In that case, use Hilbert Curve

• Ironing:only recommended if your top layer is calibrated.

• Z offset: needs to be lower than usual for sublimation paper printing. (how to do this depends on printer.) leave unchanged otherwise.

• Speed: Bottom layer set to 5-10 mm/s for printing onto sublimation paper, unchanged otherwise.

• one wall on first layer/top layer: recommended, but not required.

Your 2d printer of choice should be set to color on its highest quality setting. Make sure to set paper type to what the instructions say in the instances of transfer paper.

Post work:

For waterslide paper, you need to follow the instructions that came with it as directed. some decal paper usually needs clear acrylic sprayed into it after, generally not needed for Laserjet versions. Clear UV resin of some kind can also work by coating the imprinted layers in it with a brush. One coat should be enough.

For sublimation paper that you didn't print onto, set the heat press to the needed temp and time before applying. If you did print onto it, nothing more should be needed.

For stickers, A coat of UV resin is needed to better preserve the sticker. This may also let you do the sides of the keychains as well.

For UV printing, the setup isn't much different from anything else you use it on.

Other Notes:

Press on vinyl may be feasible as well. I haven't tried to see if it works on plastics or not.

Drawing onto the keychain with Alcohol based markers (Such as Sharpies or Shuttle Art markers) or Water based (Crayola) then applying heat via something like the heat press will embed the ink or clay into the plastic. Normally some brands smear when rubbed when drawn on plastic. It may be viable to draw onto it but it would require a repeat process currently, but it does allow for metallic and florescent colors to be applied.

Completed keychains I haven't done yet. If you go off with this idea and make your own keychain models, feel free to contact me. If you made custom designs. Feel free to link me where you posted it (Store, DA, FA, Tumblr etc.)

I'll add more as time goes on.