Fancy Printer?

[TotalChaos]

Is there such a thing as a printer that can print onto a 12"x12" sheet of rubber that is 1/4" thick?

Or how about 1/8" thick?

I am figuring the print quality will be either A) not so good or B) pretty crappy.   Still it could save me some trouble if I could print legends straight onto the rubber.  No I cannot stick stickers on top of my rubber.  Doing that makes the soft rubber turn hard.

I have not kept up with printer technology since I bought my HP LaserJet 4M 600x600 dpi laser printer around 1994.   Btw it broke around 2003 and I didn't know how to fix it and it got tossed.  I actually do not own any printer now.

Is there any forum for printer enthusiasts where I should be asking this question?  (like a GeekHack for Printers 

[boost]

That's thick. This might be able to run on a press but not sure if the ink will dry -_-

[TheProfosist]

are these for your rubber top caps? if so just side print them.

[TotalChaos]

are these for your rubber top caps? if so just side print them.

I was going to simply buy preprinted keycap stickers but... they won't fit at all.  The space on the front of a keycap is tiny compared to the surface of the key.

Ok so I can print my own stickers and cut them down to the right size.  No problem.  But then I still hafta buy a color inkjet printer.  I have been told that most of them are a ripoff.  So how would I pick out a good respectable color inkjet printer?

[TheProfosist]

are these for your rubber top caps? if so just side print them.

I was going to simply buy preprinted keycap stickers but... they won't fit at all.  The space on the front of a keycap is tiny compared to the surface of the key.

Ok so I can print my own stickers and cut them down to the right size.  No problem.  But then I still hafta buy a color inkjet printer.  I have been told that most of them are a ripoff.  So how would I pick out a good respectable color inkjet printer?

I think yo ucould just buy the sticker i know people did it for their HHKBs and for priniter I always get HP cause i like their driver interface.

[TotalChaos]

That's thick. This might be able to run on a press but not sure if the ink will dry -_-

I guess what you are saying is I could Pad Print it?  But then the pad printing would simply rub off after a few months...  So I guess there is no point to my idea. 

[IvanIvanovich]

Sure, it's called screenprinting. Would probably want to use K type ink.

[TotalChaos]

Sure, it's called screenprinting. Would probably want to use K type ink.

I assume that this printing technique would be really expensive for a 1 off thing?

How long do u figure the print would last?
(keeping in mind this is a keycap and would be getting touched constantly)

[IvanIvanovich]

Think of the printing on a kickball or something, same thing. It lasts and is pretty durable. Cost can depend. You might want to call up some screenprint shops. You can also get kits to do it ytourself if it's too expensive. It's not hard to do and can be a fun hobby.

[TotalChaos]

Think of the printing on a kickball or something, same thing. It lasts and is pretty durable.

Woah!  Awesome!

Cost can depend.

Over $100.00 or under $100.00 to print 1 sheet?

I am sure I will end up printing 2 or 3 of these.  But I will only do 1 as a test first.  1 rubber sheet cost over $50.00.  I spent $200.00 on rubber sheets so far.

You might want to call up some screenprint shops.

Okey!  Thanx!  Will search for "screenprint".  Is there any other keyword I should search for when looking up a place?

You can also get kits to do it ytourself if it's too expensive. It's not hard to do and can be a fun hobby.

  Prob too much work for me.   Trying to cut out all the keyshapes is going to kill me as it is.  Thinking I can do.  Spend money I can do.  Work with my hands, I can't do. 

On the other hand.... oh heck... u convinced me I need to look into it.   

[TotalChaos]

Update:

I still haven't looked into screenprinting because I got sidetracked by a guy who offered to cut me a stencil out of Vinyl with all US International chars arranged next to each other.

Once the stencil is made on his Vinyl Cutter then I can lay it on top of my rubber and either:
A) Use a magic marker to fill in the legends.
B) Use 2 magic markers, 1 for normal legends and a different color for all the weird eurochars.
C) Use Flourescent spraypaint.  That sounds way kewl.
D) Anything else anyone can think of. 

Btw the rubber is Red with a maroon tint.

I have no idea which kinds of magic marker will have durability when applied to 10A silicone rubber?

I have no idea which kinds of paint will have durability when applied to 10A silicone rubber?



My $250.00 batch of 10A Rubber ended up being much to firm, hard, stiff, dense, heavy and not so squishy...  I will still make 1 set of keys from the thinner rubber, for keyboard science.  But the thick sheet is entirely too heavy for the spacebar I think.  I could try thick rubber on all the keys except the spacebar.  We'll see what happens.

This 10A rubber seems completely tough enough to make the entire keycap out of it.  If someone had keycap molds you could pour the liquid version of this stuff in, let it harden and *BAM* u have a rubber keycap that should last a year or so I would think.

In the meantime I am searching for some other material that is spongier and springier or more gelatinous and squishier.

The kewl thing about a stencil is that it can be reused over and over on different substances, as long as the small chars don't get clogged up with paint.  The .,'; chars could clog easily.  I will need to thoroughly wash my vinyl stencil after each use.

I am also dubious as to if the vinyl cutter can actually cut accurately enough to make the legends look good.  I have no experince with vinyl cutters at all.

I am still interested in screenprinting, I just got sidetracked on this vinyl cutter stuff.