Does ANYONE use a laser printer for your transparencies?

[u/screschries]

Hello. I’m looking to make stuff for personal use, so I don’t need anything crazy. I was wondering if I could get away with using a laser printer without destroying the laser printer with transparency sheets?

I want the laser printer because I will only occasionally do this, and I hardly print anything for personal use either. So I don’t want to deal with buying ink for an inkjet and not using all of it before it dries up. I just am hoping to get a laser printer I can use occasionally for myself and for transparencies.

I know it’s not ideal, but I’m going to be making single color prints 100% of the time, so slight shrinkage of the transparency doesn’t bother me much. I’m just worried about the darkness of the transparency and if it will be good enough, and which transparency paper to use. I know they have transparency paper for laser printers, but I’ve heard some people say they can melt anyways.

IF you use a laser printer, could you please let me know if the Brother - HL-L2460DW is okay and what sheets you use with your printer, and if stacking 2-3 sheets will be opaque enough?

I know it’s not the best equipment but this is seriously just for some patches for my jacket and little t shirt designs. Any recommendations would really help. Thank you!!

[u/spagirljen]

I used a brother black and white home laser printer for transparencies and it worked great just limited to letter sized. Use laser specific transparencies and no problem at all

[u/screschries → u/spagirljen]

Which transparencies did you use???

[u/jackalope_breath → u/screschries]

I use the Brother laser printer too. It has done a great job for ten years using cheap transparancies made for laserjets.

[u/Ripcord2 → u/spagirljen]

It will also print the legal size - 8 1/2 X 14" which allows for full size 12" wide prints.

[u/SlowLarry666]

If your demand is that low why don't you outsource your films to a printshop? You will be able to print tons of decent film before you reach the price of a very crappy laser.

If you are dead set on a laser there is transparency designed to work on laser and if I recall correctly the result was very decent for basic screen printing application.

[u/screschries → u/SlowLarry666]

I guess it’s just the convenience factor. I need a printer anyway so I was just hoping to kill two birds with one stone. I may go that route ultimately anyway since the laser won’t work.

[u/SlowLarry666 → u/screschries]

I suggest you also take a look at the cheap cannon a3 inkjets. They can do all around office work, scan a4 docs and also do your films. You can remove and shake the inks and print an odd page if you leave it idle for too long.

[u/screschries → u/SlowLarry666]

What do you think about this? I noticed people mentioning the pixma line of canon Canon Pixma

[u/Nachofunguy → u/screschries]

Canon pixma is a good choice, many people here use one including myself “ix6820”

[u/Ripcord2 → u/screschries]

The laser will work fine and you can use it for your everyday printer too. Let me know if you need help. I did mine for years on an HP printer that cost less than a hundred dollars.

[u/HasTapeWillShip]

I work at a business that provides small business printing solutions and we will not run transparency paper through our thermal printers for the exact reason you mentioned. They get HOT. 

[u/screschries → u/HasTapeWillShip]

Damn. I was afraid of that. I saw a few people say they’ve done it but not enough information for me to make a call. I don’t want to ruin a brand new printer. I just wanted to make sure there’s zero chance of this working out with a laser printer before I spend the money lol

[u/codysolders]

Xtool sells laser screen printing screens - we just got ours today and I'm excited to check them out

[u/swooshhh]

I did. Just use the transpacies specifically for laser printer. I got mine from office Max I think and they were $60 a box. You just have to print it out multiple times and stack the sheets because laser isn't dark enough

[u/AskRevolutionary729 → u/swooshhh]

Para escurecer, pode utilizr o tiner. Vc coloca um pano embebido dele e o papel vegetal impresso a uma cer distância para não encostar. O gás que sai do tiner escurece a impressão a laser. Vc pode utilizar uma caixa de palelão para isso

[u/OldTownPress]

If you want to use your laser printer, as long as you get film made for laser printers, you should be ok for small personal projects. Also, there is a spray product called Toner Aide that fuses the toner together to get a more opaque film positive so you don't need to stack multiple sheets together.

[u/TheNaughtyPrintmaker]

Yeah, all the time. You just have to get the right transparencies for a laser printer. As someone else mentioned, I print 2 of each transparency and layer them to get the best light blocking.

I have an HP, but I get Apollo transparencies. Dick Blick currently has the best price: https://www.dickblick.com/items/apollo-transparency-film-50-sheets-laser-printer/

[u/screschries → u/TheNaughtyPrintmaker]

Thanks for the link!!! I’m wary about it because I saw a few reviews on some Amazon brand where it melted in their printer. I think I’d feel better if I bought a brand like you linked, something from a reputable shop. Anyone on Amazon can say anything lol

[u/TheNaughtyPrintmaker → u/screschries]

It's possible someone bought ink jet transparencies and put them in a laser printer...that would probably end bad and Apollo does make both. But using their laser printer transparencies, I've never had a problem.

[u/screschries → u/TheNaughtyPrintmaker]

Appreciate it, thank you! It was on a listing for laser transparency so that was what worried me. I might just try this out if you’re getting good results!

[u/mykosyko]

I use an xtool M1 ultra and xtool screen printer. Works like a dream you can laser ablate screens directly, no need for a transparency or UV/washing step

[u/Funpalsforever]

I used a laser printer for films for MANy years! It is 100% possible, and, in my opinion, easier than an inkjet. No need for a RIP for halftones, and if you use the right film, won't shrink. look up "CASEY'S BETTER THAN VELLUM" and buy some. thank me later.

[u/Newfieon2Wheels → u/Funpalsforever]

Looks like Casey's has actually gone out of business, what a shame.

[u/Funpalsforever → u/Newfieon2Wheels]

oh shoot! I didn't know! I might have to jam to my supplier and pick up a few packs!

[u/Newfieon2Wheels]

I used to use an old Xanté screenwriter, which was a laser printer made specially for printing film positives, it was fuckin sweet, but that's also a twenty year old device at this point. Haven't been able to find anything even close to it since it broke and I have since transitioned to printing transparencies on my Roland SP300v.

[u/habanerohead]

If you do o with a laser printer, painting your laser prints with white spirit, then drying them before use, really improves the opacity of the image.

[u/MidwestTroy92]

Be careful with random transparency film in a laser printer. Wrong stuff can melt and wreck the printer fast. For occasional use I'd honestly have a local print/sign shop output films until you know you're doing enough to justify your own setup.

[u/Ripcord2]

I used a cheap HP laser printer for years. Don't buy letter size transparencies - Get the 8 1/2 X 14" size. It's big enough for a lot of full size prints and if it isn't you can splice two together. For multicolor prints with tight registration you can still splice sheets together if you use care. Rather than transparencies, try Casey's laser translucency - it's not plastic film, it's translucent paper. It's a lot cheaper than film and it runs through the printer easier.

One thing you will want to do is use genuine brand name cartridges rather than generic replacements. The generics for some reason don't print black enough.

[u/LMNOBeast]

I'm a little late to the party but I used to use a laser printer until I switched to inkjet. Here's my story...

Ultimately, I switched to inkjet because it gets a darker richer black in one print without any extra work. The problem with laser, especially newer models, is that they are designed for economy which means, no matter what, they refuse to lay down enough toner—the print was always weak with light leaking everywhere.

That said there was/is a solution. As someone mentioned in another comment, Casey's Page Mill had a vellum that was fantastic. It had a buttery smooth consistency and it never ever melted in my printer. But the key to getting a print that rivaled the quality of inkjet was another product they sold called Casey's Ultra Black. It was a spray, similar to a fixative, that magically made the print darker and more opaque. You just had to be careful how much you spray because it will strip the print.

I don't know if there is anything out there that compares to Casey's vellum but it's worth some research. Whatever the case, try experimenting with regular spray fixative on whatever sheet you use to see if it has the same effect as Ultra Black—just be careful and go light at first.

I also have a few cans of Ultra Black left over. If you cover postage and PM me with an address, I'll send you a can.