I wanted to create some overhead projection slides for a speech, the problem was I needed them to be colored.
So I asked the District53 Mailing list if they knew how to do it. Here are my responses:
Richard Frantz Jr.: Has anyone ever made a colored overhead projector slide? Can you just run the mylar slide through a color printer or does it take special ink?
Frank Kane: I don't know about your printer, but I make them all the time in my little ole HP 630 and they usually come out nice. I don't want to get technical on you but you have to, or at least should, change the settings to "transparency" under "Properties" on your print screen. Holy cow, I don't believe I'm saying this. I only learned how to do this yesterday. This is scary.
Rich Couture: Yes. You need the check the type of slide when you purchase it.
Some can be used in Laser printers. (Here it is EXTREMELY important that you get Laser/Copier safe slides, cheap not rated ones may melt on the fuser and ruin the printer).
Others are specially made for ink jet printers. Again make sure you get the proper rated slide, or the ink will smear.
Val Alberts: You can make a colored transparency by finding the properties when you go to print. The drop down will list different types of printing such as envelopes, glossy paper, transparencies...Almost all printers have this function. You just need to go to 'print' then look for properties to see what types of printing your printer will feature.
Walter W. Beveridge: I use SL5263 transparencies from Staples. This is transparency film for Hewlett-Packard ink jet printers, but it works fine on my Canon S600.
Frank Kane: Walter, I tried the SL5263 and they worked fine. I did not care for the delay in drying, so I switch to an Iona multi port cartridge, which made some improvments, but the process was a little too fast leaving the image a little blury.
To my delight, I found that a competitor of Staples, Walmart, sells a combination
transparency film (FDS1955) and in the same box, supplies a special carteridge (WB919) that prints as clear as a bell with very high definition. I solved the slow drying process with an Amana 2500 iron. You have to be somewhat quick and keep the setting on wool, but with a little practice, it works just fine. the best part is that you can do your Dockers without skipping a beat.
In a conversation with Walter Beveridge he reminded me of the importance of checking that the transparency films were safe for laser printer/copier rather than finding out the 'hard way'. I said "Oh I know all about the hard way, the film goes completely black from the heat." According to Walter, that is not the hard way. The hard ways is that the film melts and sticks to the laser printer destroying it. That is Really the hard way!
Important safety note: don't cross the streams!
And don't put cheap films through expensive laser printers!