This past year, I was working with Lakeview Elementary School after school STEM club and we usually went on a trail walk, with the idea of creating new signs for it. We had the students do some mapping and sketching of some ideas for signs and locations of signs. I finally got back to working on those ideas since we got a sublimation printer (to print on aluminum, amongst other things).
I took a walk the other day with the idea of getting enough waypoints in order to create an outline of the trail in mymaps at google, plus get some pics to use on signs. (when we first started talking about this, I used Adobe Firefly to generate some images).
We have an Epson SureColor F170 and a US Cutter 15″x15″ heat press (old model).
(we did not buy from MakerFlo, but they seem like a good place to buy from)
I used HTVRont sublimation paper (125 g, 8.5″x11″) and 8″x10″ aluminum sublimation blanks (don’t remember which brand…lots of 4.5 star choices, for example). Also some butcher paper for above and below the sign, some kapton tape and a heat resistant glove.
I pressed each one for 70 seconds at 400 degrees.
At first i was printing one direction per 8×10, then decided 2 per sign should work alright.
The Waterfall is one that I used an AI image for (the little waterfall had no water when I took my walk)
This is one I used a photo for
The 2 images above are downloads from google slides
Below is a photo of the signs.
Downloaded images or photos of the signs don’t do them justice. They are very clear. Though I do need to work on some lines/smudging from the tape and paper edges…. too much pressure?? too much heat?? too much time??
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