Here's the transparency I use, it's Staedtler Lumocolor Ink Jet Film. Fifty A4 sheets are about £15 ($20 maybe). It has two sides, a rough side and a smooth side. You print onto the rough side, it's designed to take the ink. The image you print will be a reversed image, so eventually the smooth side will be the front of the graphic.
(http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb292/frequencycentral/GE1.jpg)
I create my graphic in MS Publisher, using a series of construction lines to line up and measure where the pots, switches etc will be. I almost always have a border around my image, I just think it looks nicer that way. Here's a direct link to the MS Publisher document for the graphic I'm working on, it will open into Publisher, and you can pick it apart:
http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/967492/Phasers%20On%20Stun.pub
After I've finished designing the graphic I 'select all' and 'group objects', that way all the component parts of the design become one object. All the lettering I use is create using Word Art, not text boxes. The reason for this is that you can flip Word Art, but you can't flip text boxes. I also always have a line around the font, very thin though, to delineate the edges and make it stand out more.
I have found that very dark images don't work so well, the black ink tends to bleed over time, so the graphic might look great the day you do it but is blurred six months later. If you really do want to use a dark image, you can lighten it a bit by playing with the 'transparency' slider in 'format auto shape', so that the blacks become greys.
Next, I broaden the border around the image, so that when I cut it out I'll be cutting through the middle of a thick border rather than cutting along the edge of a thin border. Then I add two boxes which extend out from the graphic, this is so better to align my tri-square when I cut the image out. The next step is to create a drilling template. This is a copy of the graphic but with everything removed but the drill points and the borders. Finally, and most importantly, the whole image now needs to be grouped and flipped horizantally, so that a reverse image is printed onto the rough side of the transapency. Here's what gets printed out:
(http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb292/frequencycentral/GE2.jpg)
Next up, cutting out the drill template. I always cut with the ink side up, be it the drill template or the final graphic, as I don't want the graphic to be damaged in any way. I use an ultra-sharp Stanley knife blade, a tri-square and an old piece of contiboard. This is where those guidelines really help to get things lined up to cut. A good eye helps too, and a nice smooth single movement cutting action. Don't cut the whole length of the guideline, as you'll still need it for the next edge you cut.
(http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb292/frequencycentral/GE3.jpg)
Here's the drill template cut out and placed on the enclosure:
(http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb292/frequencycentral/GE4.jpg)
Then it's a case of lining up the template on the enclosure and using masking tape to hold it in place.
(http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb292/frequencycentral/GE5.jpg)
I then carefully centre punch the crosses and drill my holes. I always use a range of drill bits, starting with 1mm and working up in 1mm increments, as I have found that going straight for the big bits will put all your holes off. I hand sand the enclosure, wash it thoroughly and dry it off.
The graphic is cut out the same way as the drill template, except that I always use a piece of tissue that comes between each sheet of the transparencies to stop the front getting scratched. Again, ink side up, if you do it the other way round the ink will adhere to the tissue or what ever surface you're cutting on
(http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb292/frequencycentral/GE6.jpg)
Next I give the enclosure a spray of clearcoat, this will allow the graphic to adhere to the enclosure. Too much and the graphic will 'float', too little and you won't get even coverage which can result in dry patches which can be seen beneath the graphic. Here's the clear I use:
(http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb292/frequencycentral/GE8.jpg)
Then I place the graphic onto the enclosure, there's a bit of 'wiggle time' so you can line up the graphic nicely. You shouldn't need to press it down, as the transparency is pretty think and will find it's own level. When I'm satisfied that it's lined up, I give the whole thing a generous shot of clearcoat all around, top and sides, paying particular attention to the edges of the graphic. The clear onto the bare aluminium will also stop it from tarnishing over time. I leave it to dry under a warm desk lamp, (excuse the glare in this photo!), giving it another shot all round every hour or so. Four or five shots in all. Then I leave it for 24 hours....................see you tomorrow!
(http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb292/frequencycentral/GE7.jpg)
Meantimes, here's some finished examples:
(http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb292/frequencycentral/000_0007-9.jpg)
(http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb292/frequencycentral/000_0003-6.jpg)
(http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb292/frequencycentral/000_0003-5.jpg)
(http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb292/frequencycentral/000_0002-5.jpg)
(http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb292/frequencycentral/000_0004-4.jpg)
Nice! Thanks!
Awesome! I will have to try this out with Open Office Draw.
Thanks for the tutorial Rick.
I have been doing almost the same thing after reading about this from you in an earlier post. I use paint on acrylic clear coat, instead of spay, but it works the same.
The other thing I do differently is I have a layer called "don't print" in my graphics file. (Correll Draw, FYI.) I put my drill target points on that layer, along with a border to align with. I print that on bond paper in black and white and tape it to the enclosure to use as my drilling template. That way I don't ruin my transparency while drilling.
I haven't been clear coating over the top of these, because they seem pretty strong without it, and I think they look better without a layer of clear over the graphic. Since the ink is on the opposite side, it doesn't get damaged easily.
One of these years I really will post some pics, stupid life keeps getting in the way... ;)
Thanks Rick that's very nice of you to post this info, thanks for the sample too.
I've been printing mine on plain paper then putting several coats of spray lacquer on the back and front before sealing it to the box.
It looks good, but not sure how it will hold up to wear and tear.
The advantage of using a transparent drilling template made of stiff acetate sheet is that you can use it many times. I've got one that I use for marking where input/output jacks should go... been using it for about a year.
My problem is that I put my pots and graphics in different positions on every box I do. I do have a generic template for the in/out jacks and the adaptor jack. I actually have 2, one for single circuit boxes and one for dual circuit boxes.
If I was ever going to try to do more than one off of a box, though, I can see how having the clear template would be very useful.
You gotta love spock :icon_lol:
Fantastic tutorial. Thanks very much :icon_exclaim:
thx Rick, really fantastic tutorial
time has came to hunt for those Staedtler Lumocolor Ink Jet Film here in Italy! ;D
Cheers
Armando
Thanks Rick Great tutorial, i will have to try this.
Thanks Rick!
This has been very helpful. I had been spending a lot on inkjet sticker labels, but your method with transparencies seems much easier.
Thank you for your kind comments gentlemen, glad to be of some help.
Ok, 24 hours later, and the clear has completely dried. Now for my least favourite part, cutting away the transparency around the pre-drilled holes. I always do this 24 hours after adhearing the graphic. Because I'm impatient. It may be better to wait another day or so - though I never have. Because I'm impatient. Although the clear on the outside is dry, it will still be a little tacky underneath. I use the same Stanley blade I used earlier to carefully cut away the excess. A lot of care is needed here, as the graphic can lift a little as you cut. I apply a little pressure with my fingers around the area I'm cutting to prevent this. The upside of the clear still being a little tacky underneath is that if the graphic does lift a little as you cut you can just press it back down and no harm is done. Be particularly careful not to leave any overhang, as any pots, switches etc pushed through from underneath will catch and lift the graphic.
(http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb292/frequencycentral/GE9.jpg)
Here's the finished enclosure, awaiting it's circuit:
(http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb292/frequencycentral/GE10.jpg)
I have another little design process which I always use which I think helps for a good finish. I have found that the lateral pressure of mounting pots and switches tightly can warp and lift the graphic, so I mount all my pots onto a piece of perf. This keeps them all nicely aligned, and also helps with neat wiring (you can connect all the common grounds for example), but most importantly it means that I only need to hand tighten the pots, as their attachment to the perf keeps them in place and stops them from spinning. Here's the circuit that's going into the enclosure when I've finished tweaking it, it's R.G.'s Phase 180 Plus (http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=76762.0), an eight stage version of the MXR Phase 90:
(http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb292/frequencycentral/000_0002-7.jpg)
Here's another one (a Big Muff), this time with the whole circuit including the pots all on one board:
(http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb292/frequencycentral/000_0005-4.jpg)
Here's an example of one that didn't work out so well. This one looked superb when I finished it, October 2008. However, now you can see that the text is barely legible in places, and the whole thing looks kinda blurry. The black seems to have taken over. A lesson learned. Now I'm really careful to choose graphics which will work with the technique, so excessively dark graphics are out:
(http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb292/frequencycentral/GE11.jpg)
Finally, just to demonstrate the longevity of the process, here's one of my first enclosures done using this technique, it's about a year old now and still looking great:
(http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb292/frequencycentral/GE12.jpg)
That's it! Hope it helps some of you along the way! Have fun.
Rick
Hi Rick
Great tutorial! I have been wanting to do this ever since you wrote about it a while ago.
I especially like your examples where the led sits under the film . I guess you have glued the LED on the enclosure?
Regards
Carsten
Quote from: cab42 on June 09, 2009, 03:22:20 PM
Hi Rick
Great tutorial! I have been wanting to do this ever since you wrote about it a while ago.
I especially like your examples where the led sits under the film . I guess you have glued the LED on the enclosure?
Regards
Carsten
Thanks!
No - one of the LED legs is directly soldered to the 3PDT, which holds it in place.
Hey,
I don't mean to highjack the thread, but I am wondering if anyone can suggest a good and inexpensive laser printer for these purposes and for making pcbs.
Your enclosures are really impressive, frequencycentral!
Jrod
Quote from: jrod on June 09, 2009, 03:33:42 PM
Hey,
I don't mean to highjack the thread, but I am wondering if anyone can suggest a good and inexpensive laser printer for these purposes and for making pcbs.
Your enclosures are really impressive, frequencycentral!
Jrod
Oh, I should also mention that this technique uses Ink Jet Film and doesn't work with laser jet printers! I only tried it once, and the ink just didn't take well onto the transparency. It looked ok when printed, but basically went to mush when the graphic was applied to the clearcoat on the enclosure. I peeled it off, and the ink stayed on the enclosure kind of like those temporary tattoos we used as kids. I had to wash, scrape and sand it off. Never again.
Oh, I should also mention that this technique uses Ink Jet Film and doesn't work with laser jet printers! I only tried it once, and the ink just didn't take well onto the transparency. It looked ok when printed, but basically went to mush when the graphic was applied to the clearcoat on the enclosure. I peeled it off, and the ink stayed on the enclosure kind of like those temporary tattoos we used as kids. I had to wash, scrape and sand it off. Never again.
[/quote]
Oh, cool! Thanks!
Quote from: frequencycentral on June 09, 2009, 03:52:05 PM
Quote from: jrod on June 09, 2009, 03:33:42 PM
Hey,
I don't mean to highjack the thread, but I am wondering if anyone can suggest a good and inexpensive laser printer for these purposes and for making pcbs.
Your enclosures are really impressive, frequencycentral!
Jrod
Oh, I should also mention that this technique uses Ink Jet Film and doesn't work with laser jet printers! I only tried it once, and the ink just didn't take well onto the transparency. It looked ok when printed, but basically went to mush when the graphic was applied to the clearcoat on the enclosure. I peeled it off, and the ink stayed on the enclosure kind of like those temporary tattoos we used as kids. I had to wash, scrape and sand it off. Never again.
Maybe it has to do with the fact that you use
Ink jet Film instead of
Laser printer film
(http://www.staedtler.com/upload/634_10_CLP_11174.jpg)
Nice tutorial by the way!
Dan
Doh! Yes that would work (slaps forehead)! :icon_biggrin:
Thanks!
I had assumed that I couldn't do this without a laser printer. Wow, thanks man.... Seems fairly easy to pull off!
Oh, by the way, I read this after following your link from the burst button circuit box thread. Thanks for that, and point proven.
Quote from: Gregory Kollins on June 10, 2009, 10:38:00 PM
Oh, by the way, I read this after following your link from the burst button circuit box thread. Thanks for that, and point proven.
The ''never ending busrt thread'' finally serve someone! Can we use a killswitch instead of a printer? What's the stainless thing you use? Can we use copper like Mr. White? :P
Dan
Nice work!
Regarding your choice of progressing drill bits until you reach the right size, a machinists rule of thumb is to pre-drill a hole with a drill diameter of 3 times the web of the bigger drill. There is no need to go 1mm at a time.
Even more so, for a spiral drill to properly cut, it needs to "see" material. So if you're going to drill 12mm and the web of this drill is something like 3mm, predrill with 9mm, the web of this drill is probably something like 1,5-2mm so pre-drill with 4,5-6.
But you will need to support the enclosure when drilling, especially for the larger drill bits.
How about gluing a piece of plexiglas or acrylic plate between the box and the film and drill a hole in the plexi for the led.
I imagine it will give a backlight effect on the drawing and maybe a light emitting border.
Off course it depends on how transparent the ink is, and I can also see some potential problems of mounting potmeters and switches if the plexiglas is too thick
I got the idea from this thread:
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=66840.0
EDIT: Off course R.G.has something to say about this (from the thread above):
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=66840.msg532043#msg532043
Regards
Carsten
Lovely, clear layout Rick.
I think the Spock graphic is killer.
The colors are much richer in the whilst it is laying on a white background. Which got me thinking....
Have you considered adding white paint behind any non-black areas. The blue of Spock's tunic and Phaser ray are the most noticeable ares in the photos.
It's the old printers don't print white thing.
good stuff Rick!
Thanks for posting.
Thanks for posting that Rick - looks like hell of a lot of effort went into making that tutorial. I'm keen to track down some overhead sheets and try this one out.
Rob.
Quote from: frequencycentral on June 09, 2009, 06:25:28 PM
Doh! Yes that would work (slaps forehead)! :icon_biggrin:
What is that wire called that you use? It looks a lot cleaner than single strands. Where could I find it?
Quote from: rousejeremy on June 12, 2009, 09:28:26 AM
What is that wire called that you use? It looks a lot cleaner than single strands. Where could I find it?
It's this, I love it:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/COLOUR-CODED-RIBBON-CABLE-10WAY-28AWG-3m-0-050-pitch_W0QQitemZ150128437539QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Computing_CablesConnectors_RL?hash=item22f45a2923&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C72%3A1683%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50
Finished:
(http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb292/frequencycentral/000_0002-8.jpg)
Be sure to check out this thread for my version of Frequency Central's technique:
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=36392.9680 (http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=36392.9680)
By the way, Rick, I love your Spock box. I am planning on building your phaser project when I get a chance. Beam my a$$ up! ;D
Quote from: doc_drop on June 15, 2009, 03:56:26 PM
By the way, Rick, I love your Spock box. I am planning on building your phaser project when I get a chance. Beam my a$$ up! ;D
Thanks Chris, Science Officer Spock was a childhood obsession with me. He's just sooooooo cool. Apart from when he broke into song: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1189977381292772054
Nice work. Does it happens that bubbles get trapped under the film ?
Ha ha. Me too, Rick. I was about 7 when they aired the first episode, and I was lucky enough to have watched. The next day my brother and I organized the neighborhood kids into pretending we were the characters. I was cast as "Spark". We didn't realize what his real name was for a couple more episodes....
And Frank_P, to respond to your question, since the film is stiff, and there is fresh clear coat on the box and the film, I have not had problems with air bubbles. I have had the film come up while cutting the holes for the pots...For the time being it hasn't been an issue, though, since the washer for the pot holds it back down while it dries thoroughly.
Hey,
so I can use my laser printer IF I use laser film??? cos the laser prints much more sharply than my cheap a$$ inkjet.
Thanks.
Quote from: darrylportelli on June 23, 2009, 09:55:31 AM
Hey,
so I can use my laser printer IF I use laser film??? cos the laser prints much more sharply than my cheap a$$ inkjet.
Thanks.
I've never used the laser jet film, but I'm guessing it would work the same with a laser jet printer. Please try it and report back!
Nice graphics there dude.
Is there any adhesive on the sheets or does the clear coat bond the sheet to the metal?? Cheers.
Quote from: makaze808 on June 24, 2009, 10:27:27 PM
Nice graphics there dude.
Is there any adhesive on the sheets or does the clear coat bond the sheet to the metal?? Cheers.
Thank you! The clear coat bonds the sheet to the metal.
Hey
So...... I tried with the laser printer using laser film......NOTHING just a big fat smugde of ink.the colors bled like hell. BUT I have a new way of sticking the transparency to the enclosure!!! If your using laser printers(I like it since it has higher quality pics) use either spray on adhesive to stick it (This is not actually tried but I think it would work) But if ur a cheap guy like me use WOOD GLUE!!! I thinned a little wood glue (That white glue to be on the same page) with water about 50:50 or a little less water,than put a little thinned wood glue on the enclosure, smear it with your fingers, put the transparency with the toner side down and press a bit, wipe the excess off and wait about half an hour or an hour. then grab a credit card and just go over the transparency sqeegee ing (I dont know if thats even a word) the excess from the inside and wipe the excess using a damp towel.The waiting about half an hour is for the glue to set a little bit and stick the transparency enough so that it wont slide around when you go over it with the credit card. I HAVE tried this on a piece of sheet metal today and it worked beautifully. as soon as I paint my phase 90 enclosure Ill use this technique to stick my graphics on.
Thanks
will this method work with powdercoated enclosures. Can i add a clear coat and then the trans. paper like described.
Quote from: starekase502 on August 03, 2009, 11:52:47 AM
will this method work with powdercoated enclosures. Can i add a clear coat and then the trans. paper like described.
I've only ever done it onto bare aluminium, though I can see no reason why it shouldn't work onto powercoat. Give it a go and report back? Be a pioneer! What's the worst that can happen.............?
Quote from: starekase502 on August 03, 2009, 11:52:47 AM
will this method work with powdercoated enclosures. Can i add a clear coat and then the trans. paper like described.
I have done it on powercoated enclosures and it has worked quite well. The only problem that I ran into was a too dark of color of the enclosure. This won't allow some of the graphics to show through.
Yeah, worth bearing in mind that the colour of your enclosure may change the colour of your graphic - just the same as waterslides. I once put a green waterslide graphic on a red pedal and got - black.
Aluminium does make a nice background colour though, for those of use who can't be bothered with paint.
(http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb292/frequencycentral/000_0004-7.jpg)
IMO, aluminium background works best, white becoming silver. Here's one tough it is not exactly FC technique. I should have sand it a bit before but i've become lazy.
(http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z4/letournd/Pedal/DirtylittleSecret01.jpg)
at the cost of hijacking the thread... im building a baja trembulator in a b sized box and wanted to try this method. Honestly im not at all creative or artsy and have no idea what to put on the box. Could someone give me some ideas of diffrent creative artwork i could find that kinda went along with a trem pedal (i.e the phaser pedal with spock)
thanks
When i need inspiration, i go to google image or Wiki and brainstorm word for searching...and search only for high quality picture or large image. For the Drity little secret, i've start with...secret...then dirty...combine both...and remembered a PC game; NOLF (no ones lives foreever and Cate Archer...)...and finally found this one above, add some color and modified it alot.
For my trem: http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/French+connection/Lune1.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1 i've start with earthquake, trembling, shaking, surfing, soundwave, shockwave, tide...and finally remember Méliès and his ''Voyage dans la lune''...so moon and tide and shake...Moonshake! It depends on your taste. Brainstorm a few word and google them...idea will come surely!
Good luck!
Dan
thanks french
I completely forgot about this tutorial and just winged it on my latest project. It went ok. I didn't use enough clearcoat and sprayed it on a breezy day. So it was too tacky when I applied my transparency. Wasn't on straight, but with some trimming I was able to get rid of the overhang. I also ended up with some bubbles underneath.
I did it over white appliance enamel (comes in a rattle can from the hardware store). I poured acrylic resin over it and that worked well too.
Next time, I think I'll try acrylic in place of clearcoat under the transparency and then put it on top too. It should allow me to move the transparency for at least an hour before it cures. It should also provide really strong adhesion of the film to the enclosure.
Oh, and Office Max near my house will laser print on transparency film for $2.02. Not bad, because that film ain't cheap!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v337/nosamiam/101_4173.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v337/nosamiam/101_4172.jpg)
I am unable to locate Staedtler film here in the USA, but am I correct in assuming that I should get similar results with any brand of ink jet transparency film?
Quote from: remilton on September 07, 2009, 12:53:58 AM
I am unable to locate Staedtler film here in the USA, but am I correct in assuming that I should get similar results with any brand of ink jet transparency film?
Yes I should imagine so - if you get good results let us know what brand you use.
Yes I should imagine so - if you get good results let us know what brand you use.
[/quote]
Thanks, I will be happy to do so.
Why don't you just drill through the transparency? I'm guessing something bad happens.
I will be picking up some ink jet paper (here in the states) soon, and I will post the results back here. I tried something similar to this on my first project. I printed on to an overhead transparency, but the ink wouldnt adhere, I'm guessing the right type of film would help.
Quote from: Kearns892 on October 05, 2009, 12:56:40 AM
Why don't you just drill through the transparency? I'm guessing something bad happens.
Do you mean apply the graphic then drill the enclosure? Bad things happen, the graphic lifts as you drill, and residue builds up between the graphic and the enclosure. I only did it once, adding an extra switch to a finished pedal, not nice to do. And what if the drill slips? :icon_eek:
Or do you mean drill out the graphic instead of cutting it out, after having already applied it to a pre-drilled enclosure? Never done that. I don't fancy it personally.
I have tried to drill through the transparency, and I had the same results as FC.
I tried drilling through the transparency into a pre-drilled hole, and it riped the transparency up. I have found that if you use an exacto knife, and carve out a circle in the transparency before you drill, you can then drill a hole in the case.
The easiest really is to just cut the transparency out from the existing hole with an exacto. That works pretty darn well. I guess you could try to cut the holes before you apply the transparency, but your drilling better be pretty accurate.
My $.02.
I've tried drilling after applying the sheets... Not a good idea. Shreds of metal gets jammed under the graphic so you'd have to take the graphics off and do it all over. A warning to all...
That's what I assumed the problem with it was since you suggested the exacto knife method in your tutorial, just wanted to have it clarified thanks.
Well I went to go get some ink jet paper, but the local office max only sells them in large, pricey, amounts. Prices are much better on the net I will probably turn there. For now, I used a friends laser printer to print on some of the laser transparencies I already have. The first clear coat is on now under the lamp. I didn't think I should put it in the toaster oven in case it might melt the plastic, any one tried this? One last thing, when I was adhering the transparency to the enclosure I got some bubbles. I got most of them out with my fingers, but I am left thinking there has to be a better way! How do you guys get rid of bubbles or are you just more careful in the first place?
Quote from: Kearns892 on October 11, 2009, 04:20:40 PM
The first clear coat is on now under the lamp. I didn't think I should put it in the toaster oven in case it might melt the plastic, any one tried this?
I think an oven would shrink the transparency.
Quote from: Kearns892 on October 11, 2009, 04:20:40 PM
One last thing, when I was adhering the transparency to the enclosure I got some bubbles. I got most of them out with my fingers, but I am left thinking there has to be a better way! How do you guys get rid of bubbles or are you just more careful in the first place?
Probably a little too much clear. The bubbles should dissapear as it dries.
Huh, I only did two quick passes, thought if anything I was on the light side, thanks for the tip though. Hopefully I will have pics up soon, I just have to let it dry and figure out where to put the circuit board; the transformer was a little taller than I thought...
I got everything worked out with the last build I used this technique on, but I was still left unsatisfied. This time around I sourced some Papilio brand self adhesive inkjet clear decal paper. It's cheaper than inkjet transparencies, and the self adhesive stuff helps a lot. Looks a ton better than my last build. I would post pictures, but I my digital camera leaves much to be desired. Thought I would share this with everyone and thanks again Rick for such a good tutorial.
I found these while looking for ink jet film:
http://www.staples.ca/ENG/Catalog/cat_sku.asp?CatIds=3%2C140,341&webid=522212&affixedcode=WW
They look like they could be useful: sort of sticky for sticking to windows, but removable, so if you get air bubbles just try again. Clear coat them down and they're set!
I might give them a try. Love your work Rick, I sneakily set my RSS reader to inform me whenever you post a new pic on your Photobucket. ;) So I never miss any.
Quote from: mattthegamer463 on February 27, 2010, 12:27:38 PM
I sneakily set my RSS reader to inform me whenever you post a new pic on your Photobucket. ;) So I never miss any.
:icon_biggrin: That's funny! New image
just uploaded! :icon_biggrin:
Hey guys,
Im having a little problem with this technique and was hoping for some advice.
Heres what i did. (after drilling all holes)
1. Sanded enclosure with thick grit, sanded again with fine stuff.
2. Cleaned enclosure with spirit
3. Washed and dried enclosure
4. Sprayed two coats of grey primer (thinly)
5. Sprayed four or five light coats of gold automotive paint (no problems with this stuff so far)
6. Let cure/dry for a week
7. Printed my design with a laser jet printer on laser jet transparency
8. Sprayed a 'not to thick, not to thin' layer of automotive laquer (matching the paint i used) and gently applied the transparency
9. HERES THE PROBLEM:
The clear coat underneath was all textured and 'ripply' which looked horrible. I didnt let it dry but just whipped the transparency off and let the whole thing dry so i could save my enclosure. So now im back to step 6.......what did i do wrong and what can i do to get this technique working for me?
Everybody elses enclosures look so good this way and id like to get in on the action ;D
Thanks in advance
you didn't let the auto paint dry enough. Pop it into a toaster oven at 150-200 degs for 1 hr.
Quote from: knealebrown on March 17, 2010, 01:17:31 PM
6. Let cure/dry for a week
Is a week in a warm house not long enough for a few light coats of paint?
First off, I don't think you need clear coat before applying the decal. What is it doing? Nothing. Paint, let it dry thoroughly i.e. toast it, then decal, then clear coat. I struggled with this more than you know, but doing it this way works for me. :icon_wink:
Wrinkles are caused when the paint underneath is still letting off solvents. Trapping those escaping gases with another layer of paint/clear coat leads to the ripples. I use to air dry stuff even wait a week like you. But now I toast and am not looking back. :) Works great. Good luck
Are you trying to use the paint as the adhesive? I havent had any luck with that mine all turned out like yours. What I have had success with is using a self adhesive decal paper over dry paint. I believe the brand name of the stuff was papillio and it wasnt any more expensive than inkjet transparency film
nah, like i said i let the paint fully cure for a week, sprayed a coat of clear 'placed' the transparency ontop and then it just looked s**t am i supposed to wait until it drys for it to look good?
just a comment...
ive done the decal waterslide a few times...worked great..but!...
this stuff is not very durable...
i took apart an old box that i decaled with waterslide 4 months ago..and the waterslide was TOO easy to pick off
even after loads of clear...(i used to paint cars so i know about paints)...
i'll be sticking to aluminium etching..gives a permanent decal..no problems and i think a much better pro result..
you can always fill the etch with whatever colours you want and even multicolour them............no more chipping either...
great...follow slades tutorial....
Thanks 'deadastronaut' this is not the decal waterslide technique though this is the OH transparency one, ill have to try all three i suppose.
Quote from: knealebrown on March 18, 2010, 05:24:05 AM
Thanks 'deadastronaut' this is not the decal waterslide technique though this is the OH transparency one, ill have to try all three i suppose.
oh ok...acetate/ohp clear.. sounds a bit thick for that to me...you'll get a big edge i think......
Quote from: knealebrown on March 18, 2010, 04:18:19 AM
nah, like i said i let the paint fully cure for a week, sprayed a coat of clear 'placed' the transparency ontop and then it just looked s**t am i supposed to wait until it drys for it to look good?
This is what I was getting at. I tried using the clear as adhesive and always got your results.
hmm well im gonna try again tonight this tim with a thick coat so it floats on the top and hopefully when the clear coat dries ill have an even adhesion. if not ill have a crap looking pre drilled box that is bearly worth salvaging and another trip to halfords for £12 worth of paint :( i dont know how FC gets his so good? is it the lack of paint i wonder?
craftypaper does the decal stuff..waterslide clear and white...
use white for a dark background. shows the image nice...
and clear for a light coloured box...
not a bad price...they are in northumberland!.............uk. i thibnk you can buy single sheets etc...
put it on a dry painted box...let it dry overnight..to get rid of bubbles etc...then clear coat it...
careful with the holes tho when you punch em through use a craft knife...and a pen to get rid of edges..
otherwise when you put ya pots in it can tear the image off...ok. hope this helps.............good luck.
oven doesn't actually shrink mine but one kind of curled. don't wanna eat anything ever again out of whatever you bake in, so keep that in mind. I found two industrial lights to work out great for me. the square ~$10 ones from walmart. I have a huge/small ((8' wide by 4' high by 4'deep) enough for guitar bodies but not a car)) positive pressure paint booth that I'm building and the lights pull good double duty for really intense light + really fast curing times. We're building it insulated because the warehouse we're in doesn't have heat. Get something too hot, turn off everything because you go home and the enclosure cools off too quick. This way the heat will dissipate slower with nothing on and weird things don't happen to the paint. i'll post pics soon.
well heres how it turned out after three different attempts (my hands are sore from sanding) im not really happy with the finish as the ink bled on the left and the clearcoat didnt tae well to the transparency (i like the clearcoat thick and shiny)
http://s111.photobucket.com/albums/n121/knealebrown/?action=view¤t=IMG_0398-1.jpg&newest=1
Boy am I frustrated. I have been trying to put labels on pedals using either waterslide decals or (preferably) FreqC's technique with transparency stock. I am not having what I would call success. :icon_sad:
I have been trying to use a single decal or transparency for each face of the pedal. For the waterslide decals I end up having real problems around the holes in the box. I can't get all of the air bubbles out and when I do they come back as the decal dries.
I would much rather use the transparency method, but I am having some problems. I have my box sanded as smooth as possible, and then carefully painted with either and acrylic paint or lacquer (doesn't matter). This would be a light background color that shows through the >95% clear label (just a border and text for the controls) . I make the transparency and carefully trim it to size. Now comes the fun (tongue-in-cheek comment) part. If I put down a light layer of clearcoat to attach the transparency I cannot get rid of air bubbles trapped under the plastic. If I push and squeeze too much I end up with problems as the clear coat attacks the existing finish and things start to smear around. If I put down more clear coat and carefully "roll" the transparency onto the surface I can get a nice, clear result. The problem is, this will never completely "cure". I did a few several weeks ago and covered them with two light coats of clearcoat over the following days. They looked great...... for a short time. Small bubbles started to appear after a few days and this problem continued to grow over time. Now the result is totally unacceptable. I decided to pry up the corner of one of the labels and it is obvious that the clearcoat under the transparency film has not cured. It is still soft and reeks of solvent. Not a real surprise, I guess.
I have gone through at least ten or more tries without success. I have gone through a lot of acetone stripping the box followed by repriming and finishing.
I also tried a spray adhesive that I thought wouldn't work and it didn't.
Is there any way to do these labels with mostly clear transparencies? I realize that if I had artwork over the entire label the small air bubbles would not be a problem
One thing I've found very helpful with this technique is "cooking" the newly coated box under a desk lamp with a 40 or 60 watt bulb. I use Krylon clear gloss, and it seems to work pretty well; the important thing with the adhesive coat is to get just enough on to "float" the transparency, but not too much. The lamp I use has a gooseneck on it that allows me to get it pretty close (3 to 6 inches) to the box so it gets a good dose of heat, and this seems to do a couple of things: first, it heats up the still-wet clear coat and makes it less viscous, thereby allowing it to level itself beneath the transparency, and this seems to eliminate any bubbles (although I don't usually get too many); second, it heats the metal of the box itself, which helps to dry the adhesive coat beneath the transparency by effectively heating it from two sides at once. Before starting to use the lamp I also had the problem of this layer never drying.
The only drawback I've noticed is on the sides of the box- when the fresh clearcoat is heated (thus thinned), it naturally follows gravity and tends to ripple towards the the bottom of the sides, requiring some fine sanding & recoating later. Its not too bad though, if you're careful with the thickness of successive coats (I do 4-5 thin ones). It's also kinda tough to get enough coat on the top to conceal the edges of the transparency and still not have it roll over the edges and make drips. Overall, though, I've gotten very nice results from this method.
Hope this helps.
Quote from: knealebrown on March 23, 2010, 04:40:12 AM
well heres how it turned out after three different attempts (my hands are sore from sanding) im not really happy with the finish as the ink bled on the left and the clearcoat didnt tae well to the transparency (i like the clearcoat thick and shiny)
http://s111.photobucket.com/albums/n121/knealebrown/?action=view¤t=IMG_0398-1.jpg&newest=1
So besides the one which you are referencing, there are a lot of great results in your photo album. Are those later attempts? They look really nice. If not the same technique, then how did you do them?
Thanks!
Steve
Hi Rick,
I was reading in the initial post of the ink bleeding and the image blurring over time. How have your older ones aged?
Thanks
Quote from: Pigyboy on November 10, 2010, 12:41:05 PM
Hi Rick,
I was reading in the initial post of the ink bleeding and the image blurring over time. How have your older ones aged?
Thanks
These photos were taken a few minutes ago. I built the Pepper Shredder in August 2008, and the Multimode Filter in December 2008. No problems there. I've really only found bleeding issues where I have used excessively dark images - lots of black. Where bleed has occured, it's happened within a month or so, if it ain't bleeded in that time it ain't going to. I still do use black, especially as thin lines around lettering, but I keep it subtle.
(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/967492/Pepper%20Shredder.jpg)
(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/967492/Multimode.jpg)
Hmmmm. ;D
They look like you just made them!
Quote from: frequencycentral on June 09, 2009, 01:11:40 PM
Ok, 24 hours later, and the clear has completely dried. Now for my least favourite part, cutting away the transparency around the pre-drilled holes.
If this is your least favorite part Mr. Rick, due in part to lifting the graphic slightly and muddling the image, then i have a pretty easy solution that might just work for you.
If you attempt this, i recommend wearing a mask that is vapor proof to avoid inhaling carcinogens. that said onto the solution.
take your junkiest soldering iron tip that has been oxidized to hell and back, or pop on the tip that you would sooner use as a flat head screw driver than as an soldering tool, and fire up the iron. blast (phaser style) through the holes and watch out for lingering around the drill-hole for long to avoid discoloration.
test in an inconspicuous area blah blah blah
worked for me
no more xacto blade, razor knife or lifted graphics messing with my day... just cancer...
thanks again for being such an excellent resource Rick.
between you RG, Mirosol, IvIark, Hammer, and Kallas, my inspiration for building effects is credited to you six alone.
Something just occurred to me: Why not turn the enclosure over so the transparency is against a hard surface and cut from the back of the box??!!
No lifting!! Just press down on the enclosure so it doesn't move, use a sharp, pointy X-acto, and cut!
This is a great guide and I am saying a big thanks to frequencycebtral for making it. I've just done my second enclosure using this technique and it does work pretty well. I haven't tried waterslide decals yet but I think I'll stick to transparency paper for a while (or at least until I run out of my 50 sheets).
I have actually cut the holes through transparency from the inside of the enclosure on a cutting mat. It's pretty easy but you still have to trim the edges from the other side.
A little warning though. Do not try this on black or dark enclosures. It will not be possible to see anything. I've done this mistake and I simply sanded off the top of enclosure so there's no paint and then redid the transparency.
Here is my first go at this. The transparency actually lifted slightly around of the LED holders. Next time I won't use bezels that require screwing or I won't use any bezels at all.
(http://i.imgur.com/U7SI0CC.jpg?1)
this forum is awesome, all i got.
mmmmmmm - rat pie.
Quote from: duck_arse on September 16, 2015, 12:07:11 PM
mmmmmmm - rat pie.
I call this one The PiRat. But I did actually consider calling it The Rat Pie. Maybe next time :)
(http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/280x200q90/538/uv3nL5.jpg) (http://imageshack.com/f/eyuv3nL5j)
exxcccelllantt!
This certainly deserves a bump, but I do have a question, or a poll really, on a couple issues from the thread: you really can't tighten the nuts for pots and switches all the way?
Even when there is a washer? FC doesn't tighten his all the way, but his method of having all the pots mounted to perf to keep them in place is not an option for me. My pots are almost never mounted to anything but the chassis. Do lock washers actually help? I would think you still have to tighten them to about the same degree.
Are any users of (non-adhesive backed)clear acetate finding controls tightening to be a problem? Anyone have a fix or preventative measure?
The soldering iron tip method of clearing the holes of label material is certainly an intriguingly lazy technique. I like it. Anyone had problems with it?
One more - you want the transparency to "float"? Does this require enough clear coat that squeegeeing squeezes a significant amount of coat out the edges?
Thanks
Tightening the knob nuts? That's what the little nub,( everyone wants to break off), is for. You can drill a hole partway through an enclosure, enough for a shortened nub to sit in and prevent the knob spinning while tightening. An inner toothed star lock washer can do the job but the thickness of the washer plus the extra thickness of the art may not leave enough bushing for the the nut to grab onto. I'd recommend the nub and hole.
If you're using big knobs you could driill the nub hole all the way through or you're doing a fullface transparency so a nub hole all the way through would be covered up anyways.
Didn't think the Hammond was thick enough. Good point but - stompswitches, toggles, sometimes I top mount jacks- does everyone face this "dimple" problem in tightening the hardware?
subpanels, as I always say. but they take thread length too.
Well, you don't always say enough for the search function apparently. ??? So, whatcha talking about? You mean for the pot tab? I'll search your posts. Thanks.