Thermal stencil makers

@Jermz808 wrote:

Does anyone use one? Is it worth investing in? What is/are some good brands?

I use a 3M thermofax machine and it is well worth it so you don’t have to make stencils by hand and then if it gets messed up then you would have to do it all over again

Most thermo Fax style machines are just going to make a copy
w/ the purple spirit masters paper –

you put the drawing in the carrier (usually cardboard) and the heat and light cause the purple stuff to bond with the paper – and the carbon in the original ink..
and it magically makes a copy…
its not a printer –

Think lamination machine – more like that…
you can use a dot matrix printer though w/ the same paper – and get a carbon paper effect – and no thermofax machine is required.

3m is by far the best but thermofax machines are expensive looking around a grand U.S. for a used one
thermofax machines are not scanners or copiers you have to trace your stencil onto tracing paper still bit instead of going back over it again to apply the purple paper to the opposite side you run it through the thermofax and it heats the purple up bonding it to the tracing paper but only where there are drawn lines it makes a nice and crisp transfer
dot-matrix printers are ok there a step up from doing it by hand and only cost around 40 U.S. but the problem with those are you have to have a line drawing of whatever you are trying to make a stencil of plus you have to play around with it to make sure your printing the image at the correct size you want it to be

Photoshop is a great tool for use with dot matrix – you can actually set the image size easily – just type in the height and width in inches – then print – PRESTO tattoo stencil in proper size… There are a few “cheaper” models of thermo fax out there – I have seen some on Unimax for not so bad price –
Thermal copiers are great for quick line flash – but when you do custom work – it is always a good idea (in my opinion) to just make stencil by hand 0 it helps you get a better idea of the image and its like a “dry run” of doing the tattoo before you do the tattoo

i prefer hand making stencils and drawing directly on the skin. thermofax’s have a tendency of making shitty stencils, the tissue like paper sucks and if you get it a little too wet theyre fuct. if its someplace that alot of people use it, they will fuck it up by trying to adjust it all the time. ive wathced those things destroy entire sheets of spiritmaster to make a one inch star. pointless.

it set up a great and crisp appointment dot-matrix printers are ok there a raise from doing it by hands and only charges around 40 U.S. on the other hand the nuisance with those are you have to have a specialty attracting of whatever you are trying to generate a stencil of plus you have to experience around with it to be sure your designing the photo at the truthful measurement you want it to be.
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What he ment by hand is you get some sprit paper, get your drawing,you trace over it on the purple flim. Some guys use tracing paper i draw from the copy on regular paper, or you freehand it by using sharpies or surgical markers then go over that

i pick the design or draw one out, scan to the computer, open photoshop, flip the design (so when printed or traced, when applied to skin its facing the right way). from there i use tracing paper and felt tip pen and go over it. i used to (on myself) go over the design in pencil then felt tip pen, but realized that it doesn’t stick well at all.
i’m not saying it do it this way or that, tis just what i do and it works fer me.

I work at a shop and we have always did our stencils by hand cause our 3M thermofax machines bulb was blown a year or two ago and just they just didn’t get around to ordering a new bulb!! So, i have never used a machine before ,.I’ve got one coming in from world wide tattoo supply tomorrow and i will keep you guys posted to what i think of it .

@Jermz808 wrote:

Does anyone use one? Is it worth investing in? What is/are some good brands?

3m makes the only thermafax worth buying in my opinion. The new thermal transfer machines just don’t have the heat to make deep dark stencils. You can’t transfer straight to the machine from your computer but you only need to print the drawing and make the transfer that way. I also have a dot matrix printer that works fine but is a pain when doing a piece of flash for customers. While they both have their place, I prefer the 3m machine. Is it worth investing in? That depend if you think $1500 is worth the convenience to not having to transfer a line drawing by hand. One other nice thing is, it NEVER misses a line. I did all my stencils by hand for the past few years but found the convenience was worth the money. IMO. But, as others have stated, it is nice to make the stencils by hand so as to train yourself for the tattoo. Again, personal preference…… If you’re looking to get a dot matrix printer, get in touch with me I’m sure we can work something out.