Print



We are going to print the mask with the best print quality on a page torn out of a magazine.



Magazine paper is pretty good for this since it is high-gloss (the gloss is clay, not plastic) and nice and thin, so the heat moves through easily _and_ it removes easily after the mask is transferred.



Open the mask PNG created with my script in Preview and print it. It will try and scale the image to fill the page, but don't let it. Also, be sure to choose the best print quality, and if you can, let the printer know it will be dealing with some flimsy paper.



Once you have a good print, trim the mask on the long sides, leaving tabs on the other edges.



Oh, while this is going on, you should go ahead and preheat an iron and lay it on the stainless sheet...





Apply



After the stainless is preheated, move the iron and carefully but confidently apply the mask.



The steel is hot, so as soon as the toner touches it, it will stick. Get it lined up pretty well on the first try or you'll have to scrap it, clean off the steel, and try again.



After the mask is placed, you have to fuse the toner to the steel. Move the iron around, being sure to apply moderate pressure across the whole mask.



If you don't heat an area, the toner wont transfer. If you heat an area too much, with too much pressure, the toner will smudge. (Thats what happened with the public address portion of my prototype.)



Once you got it transferred, turn off the iron and carefully transport the steel to the kitchen sink!