The Eufymake was the most successful kickstarter ever if that tells you anything! You've probably heard of or used UV DTF transfers (they're like stickers), but flatbed UV printers like the Epson V1070 and Eufymake can also print directly to object.
I have a Eufymake on the way, but the Epson V1070 is already set up in my office so in this tutorial I'll walk you through my first UV print on the Epson V1070 using an inexpensive cutting board. (The size and passthrough of the Eufymake would allow you to print on a cutting board as well.)
I'll be honest - it's not perfect, but I find that I learn the most going through the process and learning from the mistakes and not being afraid to make them.
With UV printing you can print white, CMYK and varnish which is where you get the glossy finish and dimension from.
Epson Edge Print, which is required when printing to the Epson V1070 UV Printer, is pretty easy to use but it's only PC compatible. For comparison, the Eufymake Studio software is both Mac and PC compatible.
Launch Edge Print and click "Add" to add a new job.
I'm using this "North Pole Cookie" design from So Fontsy. Click "Open" and it's going to bring it into the job list.
You'll see a little preview showing the platen (the printer bed). The status will say "adding" while it processes so just give it a second.
When the design first imports it's likely to be huge so you'll need to scale it down from the Layout area (blue in image two below) to fit on your substrate - in this case my 8x10" cutting board.
You can also rotate the design in this area if needed (orange below)
The hardest part - and where I'm still learning - is how to center the design perfectly. Since the corner of my cutting board will be at the bottom right corner I can kind of eyeball where the image needs to be based on the measurements. The Right Bottom Position (Green below) settings are where you make adjustments for the image's location.
This video I shared on Youtube also explains how to make a template to get accurate placement on the V1070 (but I would NOT worry about that right now - you want to get the process and workflow down for just printing before you go getting too fancy)
NOTE: The Eufymake E1 has a camera which makes accurate positioning super fast and easy.
Set Up Your Layers
Now you need to tell the software what to actually print. Go to Basic Settings and for the media material, select "General".- Single Layer (Color Only): If you're printing on white or light materials (and don't need white ink)
- Double Layer (White + Color): For dark substrates - white blocks out the substrate color, then color goes on top
- Triple Layer (White + Color + Varnish - Glossy / Matte): Adds a protective glossy or matte finish
I'm choosing three layers: White, Color, and Varnish.
The white and color layers will likely show up fine, but the varnish layer shows ups as a question mark. To fix this and set the varnish layer take the following steps.
Select the third layer (varnish) > Go to "Layer Settings"
> Under "Creating Method," click "Image".
This will create the varnish layer in the shape of the image. I don't know why white and color come up automatically but varnish doesn't, but that's how you fix it!
Print Your First UV Print
Before you print, make sure the substrate is on the printer's flatbed. If you need a refresher on loading media and adjusting the V1070 flatbed height check out this quick video.
In Epson Edge Print make sure you're on the top layer (the full job) to click print. If you're only on one of the individual layers, it won't let you click the Print button.
Click "Start" and the printing will begin.
How the Epson V1070 Prints (This is Important!)
The V1070 prints the entire white layer first.
The print head then resets and the second layer, with all the color, goes down. Before printing the varnish and curing with the UV light the print head resets again.
When the varnish layer goes down, you'll see a purple light - that's the UV light that's curing the ink and making it permanent on the surface.
The print itself is perfect - the alignment is off but that's just going to take some practice without a laser or camera.
I love the color and little extra texture that the varnish creates.
Thinking About UV DTF Printing
Adding a UV DTF printer - especially one like the Epson V1070 - is definitely an investment in your business, but it really opens up possibilities. The EufyMake E1 makes jumping into UV DTF printing significantly easier with a price point that's far less than anything else currently on the market in this space.Check out the EufyMake E1 printing in regular speed here on you Youtube channel.
Note: This post may contain affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing products through my links, I receive a small commission. That's what helps fund Silhouette School so I can keep buying new Silhouette-related products to show you how to get the most out of your machine!
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