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Iron-on foil for panel "silkscreen"

S

SioL

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hello!

Quite a while ago we had a discussion here about menthods of making
front-panel markings (logo, description of various buttons etc).

Iron-on foil was mentioned, available in multitude of colours. The method
of use is similar to press'n'peel. I'd like to order some of this stuff, I did save
the darned links at that time, but can't find them even after googling around.
I'm turning up t-shirt stuff all the time.

Anyone have an idea what this would be called precisely or where I could
get it?
 
T

Ted Edwards

Jan 1, 1970
0
SioL said:
Quite a while ago we had a discussion here about menthods of making
front-panel markings (logo, description of various buttons etc).

Iron-on foil was mentioned, available in multitude of colours. The method
of use is similar to press'n'peel. I'd like to order some of this stuff, I did save
the darned links at that time, but can't find them even after googling around.
I'm turning up t-shirt stuff all the time.

Anyone have an idea what this would be called precisely or where I could
get it?

I don't but here's an alternate method: Use a CAD program to prepare
your front pannel. Needles to say, you can use colour, various fonts
and sizes, etc. You are only limited by your imagination.

Print on medium weight paper of good quality. Coat the front surface
with clear epoxy varnish. The epoxy varnish will soak in and leave the
paper translucent. After this has cured, paint the back side with white
epoxy paint. Let that cure then glue it to a suitable backing.

If your panel is going to see really severe service, you could bond a
thin piece of clear plastic (acrylic or polycarbonate) to the front
face. However, I made a replacement scale for the compound slide degree
scale on my lathe this way and just fastened the epoxied paper in place.
This has been in service for a couple years now and is as good as the
day it was put on.

Ted
 
L

Luhan Monat

Jan 1, 1970
0
SioL said:
Hello!

Quite a while ago we had a discussion here about menthods of making
front-panel markings (logo, description of various buttons etc).

Iron-on foil was mentioned, available in multitude of colours. The method
of use is similar to press'n'peel. I'd like to order some of this stuff, I did save
the darned links at that time, but can't find them even after googling around.
I'm turning up t-shirt stuff all the time.

Anyone have an idea what this would be called precisely or where I could
get it?

Ok, try this...

Make your artwork as fancy as you like. Print it on vellum paper.
Mount the vellum behind a sheet of clear plexiglass. Any LED's or
displays that are mounted right up against the vellum will show thru
quite clearly.

Here is an example...

http://members.cox.net/berniekm/phonebox2.html
 
S

SioL

Jan 1, 1970
0
Luhan Monat said:
Ok, try this...

Make your artwork as fancy as you like. Print it on vellum paper. Mount the vellum behind a sheet of clear plexiglass. Any LED's
or displays that are mounted right up against the vellum will show thru quite clearly.

Here is an example...

http://members.cox.net/berniekm/phonebox2.html

This is great for one-off's, but not for say 20-50 pieces.
I'm looking for something simpler and reasonably priced.

In the mean time I found the lost links, but they're both
inactive. They're not selling that stuff anymore. It was UV cured,
not iron-on, mind you.
 
S

Spehro Pefhany

Jan 1, 1970
0
This is great for one-off's, but not for say 20-50 pieces.
I'm looking for something simpler and reasonably priced.

In the mean time I found the lost links, but they're both
inactive. They're not selling that stuff anymore. It was UV cured,
not iron-on, mind you.

Why not just silk screen them on? Unless you try to print a background
color it isn't even that messy.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
 
A

Adrian Tuddenham

Jan 1, 1970
0
SioL said:
Hello!

Quite a while ago we had a discussion here about menthods of making
front-panel markings (logo, description of various buttons etc).

Iron-on foil was mentioned, available in multitude of colours. The method
of use is similar to press'n'peel. I'd like to order some of this stuff, I did
save
the darned links at that time, but can't find them even after googling around.
I'm turning up t-shirt stuff all the time.

Anyone have an idea what this would be called precisely or where I could
get it?

If you have access to a laser printer, lay out your artwork in a drawing
program and print it mirror-image on overhead projector acetate film.
Attach it to the panel, print side down, with double-sided adhesive
tape. Only the back of the film will be exposed to fingers, so there is
no danger of the print wearing off.

You can also make a paper print first, to use as a panel drilling guide.

With a colour laser printer you can do colour panels just as easily.
 
K

Ken Moffett

Jan 1, 1970
0
[email protected] (Adrian Tuddenham) wrote in
If you have access to a laser printer, lay out your artwork in a
drawing program and print it mirror-image on overhead projector
acetate film. Attach it to the panel, print side down, with
double-sided adhesive tape. Only the back of the film will be exposed
to fingers, so there is no danger of the print wearing off.

You can also make a paper print first, to use as a panel drilling
guide.

With a colour laser printer you can do colour panels just as easily.

I've done this, and it worked well. However, I just sprayed the film with
3M #77 art mounting adhesive. Works great on light colored panels. It
appears to have a slightly frosty background when placed on dark panels,
but still looks good. .
 
S

SioL

Jan 1, 1970
0
Spehro Pefhany said:
On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 11:21:25 +0200, the renowned "SioL"


Why not just silk screen them on? Unless you try to print a background
color it isn't even that messy.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

Silkscreen is more expensive than I'd like it to be. Remember, it could be just 20 pieces.
If I was to do this myself, I need to buy the frame etc. This stuff would also be taking quite
a bit of space. Unless you have some innovative idea how to do this.
 
S

SioL

Jan 1, 1970
0
Adrian Tuddenham said:
If you have access to a laser printer, lay out your artwork in a drawing
program and print it mirror-image on overhead projector acetate film.
Attach it to the panel, print side down, with double-sided adhesive
tape. Only the back of the film will be exposed to fingers, so there is
no danger of the print wearing off.

You can also make a paper print first, to use as a panel drilling guide.

With a colour laser printer you can do colour panels just as easily.

Too un-professional, I'm afraid.
 
G

Glenn Ashmore

Jan 1, 1970
0
Here are 3 options:

By a pack of PhotoEZ presensitized silk screen (about $30) print your layout
on overhead projector film and expose to sunlight. Makes a nice stencil.

Get some adhesive backed Hyaz inkjet vinyl. Print on it and overlay it with
Papilio clear overlay.

Solve all your problems at once and get a really professional look by
designing and ordering a panel from Front Panel Express. Not cheap but very
reasonable. I just received an order for 2 6"x3" aluminum panels with 4
cutouts, 8 D-holes and lots of lettering for $40 each. 20 copies would gave
been about $25 each.

--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com
 
S

SioL

Jan 1, 1970
0
Glenn Ashmore said:
Here are 3 options:

By a pack of PhotoEZ presensitized silk screen (about $30) print your layout on overhead projector film and expose to sunlight.
Makes a nice stencil.

Get some adhesive backed Hyaz inkjet vinyl. Print on it and overlay it with Papilio clear overlay.

Solve all your problems at once and get a really professional look by designing and ordering a panel from Front Panel Express.
Not cheap but very reasonable. I just received an order for 2 6"x3" aluminum panels with 4 cutouts, 8 D-holes and lots of
lettering for $40 each. 20 copies would gave been about $25 each.

I wonder if I could get PhotoEZ here in Europe. Might not be that difficult to go
that route after all. I'll look into this, thanks.

My other idea was to use Press'n'peel, but that'd limit me to blue only.
 
J

John Larkin

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hello!

Quite a while ago we had a discussion here about menthods of making
front-panel markings (logo, description of various buttons etc).

Iron-on foil was mentioned, available in multitude of colours. The method
of use is similar to press'n'peel. I'd like to order some of this stuff, I did save
the darned links at that time, but can't find them even after googling around.
I'm turning up t-shirt stuff all the time.

Anyone have an idea what this would be called precisely or where I could
get it?

We have a thermal label printer. You just format an image on a PC and
it spits out labels. These are getting cheap these days. Our is a
Zebra HT-146, which makes pretty big labels that pass the UL/CE
alcohol wipe torture test.

These are good enough for production, but you can still whip out a
one-off for a proto or a test set or something. Well worth the initial
investment. I'll post a couple of images to abse.

John
 
S

SioL

Jan 1, 1970
0
John Larkin said:
We have a thermal label printer. You just format an image on a PC and
it spits out labels. These are getting cheap these days. Our is a
Zebra HT-146, which makes pretty big labels that pass the UL/CE
alcohol wipe torture test.

These are good enough for production, but you can still whip out a
one-off for a proto or a test set or something. Well worth the initial
investment. I'll post a couple of images to abse.

John


This sounds really cool, I'll check it out. Thanks.
 
P

Peter Bennett

Jan 1, 1970
0
Too un-professional, I'm afraid.

If you want a professional-looking job, try Front Panel Express
(http://www.frontpanelexpress.com). They machine and engrave anodised
aluminum panels. Their design program will give you a price quote as
you are designing the panel. For lower cost, use a single-stroke font
for the lettering.
 
P

Peter Bennett

Jan 1, 1970
0
I wonder if I could get PhotoEZ here in Europe. Might not be that difficult to go
that route after all. I'll look into this, thanks.

Since you are in Europe, look for Front Panel Express's parent/related
company (in Germany, I think).
 
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