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How do you enlarge and transfer a pattern?

2K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  rwl7532 
#1 · (Edited)
I thought I would post here in the sign making sub-forum as lettering is likely be most difficult aspect of pattern enlarging and transferring to the piece to be worked.

Share your methods, YouTube video links, theory etc.

Myself, being a glass etcher, have used the following methods:
Opaque projector (borrowed the use of it, those devices are clunky)
Overhead projector (again borrowed)
Hand sketching (not appropriate for lettering)

I have not used the grid method as the other methods gave me better results.

i have also gone to the sign shop and had either cut vinyl lettering purchased or a pounce pattern made which is much cheaper and reusable.

I have used rub-on transfer lettering - the entire alphabet on a piece of Mylar the shape and size of a film strip. This was illuminated by a photo enlarger enabling my tracing of the letter combination needed (semi-dark conditions)

In the spring and summer of 1989, my main method was bulk rolling my own B&W film, taking closeups, developing the negatives and projecting the resulting image with a slide projector. This worked well when there were many many elements brought in from various sources. Mountains, hills, plane, trees etc. Bad picture attached.
 

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#3 ·
Very nice etching of the plane and mountains.
I like the opaque projector method for really large projects.
For smaller (wood) projects, I use a laser printer (reverse image) and either iron it directly on the project piece or moisten the wood with Acetone and lay the printed piece on it and use a credit card or J roller for pressure.
I've done a few glass etchings with a "Turbo carver". Just placed the picture under the glass and followed it.
 
#5 ·
Very nice etching of the plane and mountains.
Thanks!!
I included that one as it was an example of multiple sources. The mountains were from a photo taken from the customer's cabin on a lake in Washington. Three Fingers is the name of one of those mountains. The mountains' snow is exactly what it was on the day of the photo. The plane was from a different photo, the trees from another. Complicating matters was those various elements were on three different panels of glass (supplied by the customer I might add).

All those sources were then photographed with my SLR using a closeup filter set handheld. I developed the film myself and projected the images with the slide projector.

This method of enlarging is precise - I have not found an equal. Enlarging a small element using a copy machine's enlargement options I found to be futile.

The chemicals are pretty cheap, the setup minimal really. Craigslist, E-bay and pawn shops are full of workable SLR cameras and slide projectors. For my slide projector, I wired a light dimmer which allowed many hours of use before needing a new bulb. One hour photo is still widely available (Costco here in Everett), so you don't have to develop your own.
 
#4 ·
Ralph my friend,

Joy does a fair amount of "glass etching" using a much simpler method (that may not meet your standards). She has a machine known as the "CAMEO" made by Silhouette. She prints on vinyl an image of the letters needed in the font of her choosing and in a size of her choosing. She then sticks that image on the side of the glass to be "etched" to form a word, number, etc. The vinyl (for her) has done a PERFECT JOB of masking off only the region to be "etched". He then brushes on some kinda **** (I do not know the * name of it - but it chemically eats into the glass. After a short time, she removes the vinyl masking and has exactly what she was hoping for.
Joy often buys sets of nice glasses and transparent ovenware and etches people's names on them. Best thing since sliced bread for covered dish dinners to ascertain that each family leaves with their appropriate cookware.
One of my business partners' wife is very seriously involved in her own glass-etching business (she uses several methods), if you would like to reach her send me a PM.

Otis Guillebeau from Auburn, Georgia
 
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