how do you do this kind of finish-menatone

[stopstopsmile]

these original menatones had this silk screen kind of theme, how do you do this?

http://www.rivercityrockets.com/DynamicDuos/13.jpg

[soulsonic]

My guess would be that you'd do it with two screens. First, one to put down a white layer that provides the background. Then, a screen with the main graphic on it that's a blue layer over the white.

[skiraly017]

I'm almost positive early Menatones like the one in the picture were stickers. Newer Menatone models are two-layer silk screen.

[Headshot]

No they are not stickers although they kind of look like it.  They are in fact silk screened.

[BubbaKahuna]

It would be much easier to do a large blue background first since it's just a rectangle.
Then you'd only have to make the smaller area screen with the white over that.

Using 2 discreet screens both with graphics and text in negative images of each other is usually only done on fabric.
You do it that way on fabric because you don't want a thick layer of ink or paint on something that must remain very flexible.
Metal lets you get pretty thick before the strength of the paint is compromised ... REAL THICK. 
A solid base color with another screen over that and even a thick layer of clear (in several thin coats) over that is not a problem for cast aluminum.

Cheers,
- JJ

[soulsonic]

I figured the white would go down first because it would act as a primer for the blue and help it come out more bright.

[stopstopsmile]

it doesnt even look clear coated and the boxes dont even look finished just plain boxes.

I am thinking it has to be a 2 color screen, but where would you get these made and what kind of paint?

[soulsonic]

You can get silk screening kits from Hobby Lobby. It doesn't look to hard to do DIY, and lots of people silkscreen as a hobby. I'm not sure if the paint that usually comes with the kit and that they sell specifically for silk screening is appropriate for painting metal boxes though.

The newer Electro-Harmonix boxes (like the Nano series) look to be finished in a very similar way.

[Noplasticrobots]

I used to screenprint. Always work from light to dark. The reason is simple: if you go dark first, your lights will not be light. For example, if you screened white, then black, you'd get an odd looking gray color.

[theundeadelvis]

It would probably be easier to T-shirt transfer. You could get the same effect, but with only a color printer and iron.

[soulsonic]

That might work, but I still think you'd need to paint a white rectangle first, unless you want the graphic to be the bare metal colored.

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

My commercial Frostwave boxes are powder coated, then silk screened. The ink for screening on the boxes is not normal fabric ink. It is a special type that has a catalyst mixed in before use, to ensure that the ink is very hard when dry.
The final effect looks exactly like the menatone.
I don't do the powder coating or screening myself, but one could, if fanatical.

[soundcollage]

soulsonic, you use the t shirt transfers for dark tshirts and it lays down the white for you. i've used avery with good results.

[soulsonic]

soulsonic, you use the t shirt transfers for dark tshirts and it lays down the white for you. i've used avery with good results.

That makes sense. I'll have to try that sometime.

[Marcvv]

I have done quite some pedal graphics with dark t-shirt transfer. Works really well.

I wrote a report on how I do this. You can read it on my site:
http://www.marcvanvugt.com/faq.php?id=3&f=13

(there is a version in dutch too on the site of parts supplier Newton-online:
http://www.newtone-online.nl/?Technische_vragen:Behuizing_bedrukken_met_T-Shirt_transfers )

Marc