Lead Adventure Forum
Other Stuff => Workbench => Topic started by: pixelgeek on August 11, 2025, 02:20:46 PM
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Has anyone had any experience using watered down PVA glue to add bends and waves to banners printed on a colour laser copier?
Obviously an inkjet wouldn't work at all but I was curious if the heat process used to bond the toner to the paper would allow you to use PVA to add some motion/waves to banners?
I am going to be creating some banners for my Oathmark armies digitally (never could paint freehand) and then print them out at Staples.
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yep... works... I had a fully wrap around with designs on both sides and used PVA to glue the two ends, and waved/rippled it.
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Good to know. Thanks
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yep... works... I had a fully wrap around with designs on both sides and used PVA to glue the two ends, and waved/rippled it.
Did you apply PVA to the entire banner or just the sections where you wanted the wave?
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I glued both halves together, the whole thing got glue otherwise it would have peeled apart.
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I do that, as well. Print my banners on the local office supply store's color laser printer and then use white glue to join the two halves around the pole. I then brace it against something so I can put whatever waves and flutters I want into it.
Mike Demana
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Yep, I've done it in the past, as well: apply PVA Glue, fold in half, around the spear/pole arm shaft, shape, let dry. Example #1 -- em-4 Dwarves (https://photos.app.goo.gl/4Zv2MtgtrSLSSS8a7), and Example #2 -- em-4 Orcs (https://photos.app.goo.gl/L8LY44Hhj63oDoT47). These banners were printed on my HP Color Laser (toner) Printer, on regular copy paper. Cheers!
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You could glue the banners to a (washed, opened out, and flattened) metal tomato puree tube, and that would allow you to bend and add waves to your flags and banners much more easily. I don't think you'd need a special printer then either, although a good-quality print is probably nice for banners anyway. :)
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You could glue the banners to a (washed, opened out, and flattened) metal tomato puree tube, and that would allow you to bend and add waves to your flags and banners much more easily.
I have one in the fridge that is waiting to be done with to try that out with. I want to save it for an especially long banner.
How sharp is the metal on those tubes when you cut them?
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I do that, as well. Print my banners on the local office supply store's color laser printer and then use white glue to join the two halves around the pole. I then brace it against something so I can put whatever waves and flutters I want into it.
Well I am glad that I asked as I had envisioned this apparently superfluous second step where I let the banners dry and then added PVA to just the areas where I wanted to have them wave
Yep, I've done it in the past, as well: apply PVA Glue, fold in half, around the spear/pole arm shaft, shape, let dry. Example #1 -- em-4 Dwarves (https://photos.app.goo.gl/4Zv2MtgtrSLSSS8a7), and Example #2 -- em-4 Orcs (https://photos.app.goo.gl/L8LY44Hhj63oDoT47). These banners were printed on my HP Color Laser (toner) Printer, on regular copy paper. Cheers!
Those look quite nice
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Done this with self printed flags on an inkjet printer as well. You just need to spray varnish the flags first to stop them bleeding colours.
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Done this with self printed flags on an inkjet printer as well. You just need to spray varnish the flags first to stop them bleeding colours.
That would work as well. Did you use a matte varnish on the pages?
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I have one in the fridge that is waiting to be done with to try that out with. I want to save it for an especially long banner.
How sharp is the metal on those tubes when you cut them?
Just use tinfoil. It’s easier.
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The heavier foil from disposable baking trays is a decent weight for banners and what-not. I scuff it up on both sides with wet-&-dry paper before I paint or glue it; it seems to make them more resistant to handling.
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The heavier foil from disposable baking trays is a decent weight for banners and what-not. I scuff it up on both sides with wet-&-dry paper before I paint or glue it; it seems to make them more resistant to handling.
Agreed! Cut to shape, thicker than foil from wrap, but a bit sharper and more “cutty”.
Zac: be careful! Don’t cut yourself! I don’t won’t to hear you died from a banner malfunction. lol
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I did the heavy foil thing on the last banner I made. I think I used double-sided tape to secure it to one side of the banner, so it didn't move about while the glue dried.
Don't forget to colour the inside edge of your banner before gluing. Lining the two sides up perfectly can be tricky, so pre-colouring stops any white from showing through, and is a lot less stressful than trying to patch after they're glued.
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I have one in the fridge that is waiting to be done with to try that out with. I want to save it for an especially long banner.
How sharp is the metal on those tubes when you cut them?
Fairly sharp, but the metal is soft so you can easily buff the edges with a little fine abrasive paper or an emery board to smooth them.
Done this with self printed flags on an inkjet printer as well. You just need to spray varnish the flags first to stop them bleeding colours.
Yeah, although I would spray both sides just to be sure the paper doesn't absorb enough moisture for the ink to bleed. (...perhaps that's what you do?).
Using something like canopy glue rather than cheap white PVA glue helps with these things as well, as there's less water in it.
I wonder, have you tried using spray mount?
The heavier foil from disposable baking trays is a decent weight for banners and what-not. I scuff it up on both sides with wet-&-dry paper before I paint or glue it; it seems to make them more resistant to handling.
This is a great idea, and a fine alternative to the puree tube. Unlike normal foil that's way too thin, this thicker stuff keeps a nice shape. :)
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Zac: be careful! Don’t cut yourself! I don’t won’t to hear you died from a banner malfunction. lol
What an ignoble way to go