DIY front panel - The professional way

[udip]

Hi all !!!!


Well, I thought it would be a good idea to share with you guys the method I developed for making front panel's graphics/texting or whatever it's called (sorry about my english)..
I'm using this method for a couple of years now with great results...
The end product looks very proffesional if done right...like silk printing...

What you need is:

Ink-jet printer (NOT laser)
Super-glue (3-10 sec)
transparency film (for INKJET printers, not lasers - this is important!!)
A computer (well, I guess you wouldn't have a printer without a computer, right? At second thought, you wouldn't be reading this post without one...)

How it's done:

First, you should do the graphics on the computer and
print it on the transparency film (on the rough side and don't forget to mirror).
Now, take the super glue and spread it evenly on the panel (usually
aluminuim, but any metal or plastic will work - as long as it's bright colored.
Take the printing and press it on the panel, and wait for the glue to
dry. Some excess glue will come out from the sides...no worry.
It's important to press the film hard on the panel and wait for at least
a minute for the glue to dry...
Now here comes the fun part:
After the glue has dried, remove the film under running water
and wipe the panel with a cloth or something under the running water...
If done right - you should now have a beautifull front panel !!
You could spray the panel with clear lacquer if you want a shine look.

The concept is very simple: The transparency film has two sides,
one smooth and the other with a rough coating on it, and what happens is that this coating (plus the ink on it) is glued to the panel with the super glue.

Have fun and happy DIY !!!!


Udi.

 

[gyraf]

Thanks, Udi - good idea..

Isn't it hard to persuade the plastic film to let go of the ink-receiving coating? You say "under running water" - how do you get water UNDER the transparancy film?

Jakob E.

 

[laitue5]

Nice! Do you have pictures?
I can help you to build an ?How To? web page if you want.

 

[udip]

Hi jakob,

Actually, it isn't hard at all, the film comes off very easily (you don't
really have to do this under running water - it's just an extra safe margin).
Don't worry about getting water under the film, you could peel the
film off inside a bowl or bath of water, for example.


I'll get some pictures as soon as I get my camera back.... :?


Udi.

 

[clintrubber]

This sounds great, thanks for sharing. Yes, would be nice to see some pics.
Just like the .fpd-files we may start sharing graphics for this as well. :thumb:

Bye,

Peter

 

[radiance]

Thanks for sharing :thumb:
Sounds pretty easy. Is it strong?

 

[Viitalahde]

Sounds cool. :thumb: We still need some sort of an easy method to make white lettering - all these techniques limit to bright panels only. :?

 

[mhelin]

White ink?

 

[Viitalahde]

Is there such thing in home inkjets?

Greetings,

a man with a B/W laser printer. :razz:

 

[gyraf]

Correction ink? :razz:

 

[radiance]

[quote author="gyraf"]Correction ink? :razz:[/quote]

We could make some nice abstract looking frontpanels with correction ink...

 

[mhelin]

You need a special inkjet printer with the white ink:
http://www.large-format-printers.org/UV-curable_flatbed_rigid_roll-to-roll_inkjet_printers/white_UV-curable_inkjet_printers.htm

How about silk-screening, could you use the regular PCB photosensitive spray (lacquer) stuff on silk screen?

 

[Housemeister]

Hi

This sounds interessting, thanks for sharing it.
What is this transparency film that you are talking about ? Anything special ? Do you have any brand/name ?


Best Regards: Jasmin

 

[clintrubber]

[quote author="radiance"][quote author="gyraf"]Correction ink? :razz:[/quote]

We could make some nice abstract looking frontpanels with correction ink...[/quote]
I did the 'amp-name' of my Fender-blackface-clone-jr with correction ink, freehand in some script-style. I was about 15 then, what did I know... Didn't turn out bad actually, but it's not the way to go for 'straight' lettering.

Bye,

Peter

 

[mhelin]

What if you spray the photo lacquer directly onto black (blue etc. dark) front panel. Let it dry. Make the layout and print it (negative image if you use Positiv 20 etc. or maybe there's some Negativ 20 stuff, too, don't know) on the transpareny film. Show some UV to front panel through the tranparency, develop and paint it all white. Let it dry and finally remove the UV lacquer with the paint on it. I guess that's the hardest part in the process as you may remove the white paint which should stay there. It might be possible if you find right paints for the job. The paint should stick to panel harder than to the lacquer. If there were photo sensitive white lacquer it would be easier... http://www.rockaloid.com/

 

[mikeyB]

Here's another.

I've been using inkjet printouts and laninate.

1st - print panel mech details (drilling) onto inkjet sticky back label. Make sure to include hole centres.

2nd - carefully stick label to panel - centre punch - and drill, then peel off label.

3rd- Print 'nice' label and laminate- use superglue to stick in place.

You can trim holes before or after if holes are for pots/connectors etc.

I tend to cut printout to size of panel minus 2or3mm - then laninate - then carefully using blade and ruler -trim laminate so that its sealed around panel extremities.
I tend to print 19 inch panels in 2 halves but if u have access to larger printer! You can buy larger laminate pouches and cut along length so that will run through an A4 lanminator(which you can get for around£15)

I wouldn't say it's pro - but it ain't shit either - when I can grab a digi cam and someone tells me how to post pictures - I'll send some upstream

 

[EZ81]

Regarding white lettering on darks panels:

I played with this a few days ago:
-Printed a logo/scale/whatever onto the anti-stick paper on which adhesive labels etc. come with a laser printer.
-Ironed the toner onto cleaned dark anodized alumin(i)um
-dropping the alumin(i)um into a pretty strong NaOH solution, which etches the anodizing layer away where it is not protected by the toner, leaving matte aluminum.
-The result looks pretty promising, but getting decent toner transfer happening with sharp edges, no holes etc. needs lots of further experimenting.

;Matthias

EDIT: This is the second try, using standard glossy magazine type paper:

This was a 40*100mm² piece of bronze anodized aluminum and looks not all that bad as my §$%§$ LED scanner makes it look. I never got better results using toner transfer on PCBs, so if you know how to etch great PCBs using toner transfer, give this method a try...

 

[smallbutfine]

Hi Matthias,
try out printing on Reichelts catalogue pages...
I get good results with that because toner doesnt smear around (like with high gloss paper) as their paper is only pressed but not coated...

Kind regards

Martin

 

[EZ81]

Thanks for the hint, i tried about every kind of similar paper in the house. With Backpapier, i get good coverage but smeared edges, the Reichelt/Pollin/Spiegel kind of paper produces great detail and sharp edges but has holes in the big filled areas, as seen in the picture. The problem is probably the cheapish printer. I'll definitely experiment further...

;Matthias
(10cm snow today :shock: :shock: )

 

[CJ]

Where is that thread with all the front panel dials and graphics for pots and stuff? I have the MCS scale o matic, but then a bunch of other stuff shwed up. It would be good to put all that front panel jpg stuff in the meta somewhere, if it alreday isn't. I searched, but no find.

I just got a ten pack of Lazetran, took a while, sent the check a few days befor Wilma hit, darn package just got yesterday. (Lazetran is in Pompano Beach, FL.)