Hello everyone!
I recently designed and built my first tube amp project, a little low voltage, line level, tube preamp. It has a painted metal top and wood sides.
I'd like to put some sort of labels on the different connectors and switches.
Is there a very cheap and easy way to do this?
I appreciate any help.
Thanks.
I recently designed and built my first tube amp project, a little low voltage, line level, tube preamp. It has a painted metal top and wood sides.
I'd like to put some sort of labels on the different connectors and switches.
Is there a very cheap and easy way to do this?
I appreciate any help.
Thanks.
I use Letraset - Letraset Transfers
Quick, easy and professional. Laquer them when you are happy with your work and they will last for years.
Tip; Start from the centre letter working out either ways from the centre of your control. So with Volume, the centre point is between the l + u not forgetting the size of the m and l. Make a slight allowance.
Quick, easy and professional. Laquer them when you are happy with your work and they will last for years.
Tip; Start from the centre letter working out either ways from the centre of your control. So with Volume, the centre point is between the l + u not forgetting the size of the m and l. Make a slight allowance.
Another way is to use the toner transfer method.
Using suitable non-absorbent paper you simply print the image in reverse using a laser printer and then iron the image onto the fascia.
I make it sound easy - it does take a bit of trial and effort.
Using suitable non-absorbent paper you simply print the image in reverse using a laser printer and then iron the image onto the fascia.
I make it sound easy - it does take a bit of trial and effort.
I checked out those letraset transfers you suggested, but their instruction page is not too detailed.
What exactly is it I need to do to put the letters on? I cut out a letter, put it on a piece of material and then press that onto the metal?
I've heard of the toner transfer method and I think it sounds pretty easy, the only problem is that I do not have access to a laser printer.
Thanks for the suggestions.
What exactly is it I need to do to put the letters on? I cut out a letter, put it on a piece of material and then press that onto the metal?
I've heard of the toner transfer method and I think it sounds pretty easy, the only problem is that I do not have access to a laser printer.
Thanks for the suggestions.
Letraset is applied directly from the sheet to the host surface. Unfortunately, the letter transfer is not easy onto clean metal. I put a clear coat (mate lacquer) on first, let it dry thoroughly! A piece of masking tape underneath the print line with marks for alignment. Several layers of lacquer over top for protection.
If I want a real professional look, I draw the whole faceplate in a drafting program and have a negative made. E
If I want a real professional look, I draw the whole faceplate in a drafting program and have a negative made. E
Last edited:
Well I'd be applying it to painted metal, so does that mean I can omit the first clear coat?
That faceplate does look really nice, I'd love to have my amp have nice lettering like that.
However I'm horrible at making the individuals straight and lined up perfectly, so I think what I'll do is look into other transfer methods first, then if not I'll use this letraset.
One more question about letraset, when I want to cut out the letters, do I need to cut them exactly or can I just cut out a rectangle around them?
Any more suggestions and especially information on other printer transfer methods is appreciated!
I have an idea, buy a cheap set of letter punches and cut small strips of brass with tin snips. Then punch the letters into the brass, make a few of each and glue the better examples on. A bit of work but done well it could look great.
I just had a quick look on ebay UK and found a seller who has sets of steel letter stamps for £12.50
You might do even better price wise in the US. I think this is a good way to go if done with a bit of care.
You might do even better price wise in the US. I think this is a good way to go if done with a bit of care.
Make what you want in a digitized form and take it to a reprographics or label maker place. They can transfer it to anything like a label or sticker, then you apply that to a small decorative piece of wood or brass or whatever, attach that to your face plate or back panel and you have highly professional looking, low skilled need solution. Heck you don't even need to put it on the wood or brass piece, the pressure sensitive adhesive they use on stickers, like those on your license plate are pretty much permanent. Letraset had it's day but that takes a really skilled hand. Letter punches, I'm not familiar with but it sounds like a lot of work?
Yeah I don't think I'd have too much of a problem finding some cheap but good enough punches, and brass.
I don't know much about this but I'm assuming what you suggested would probably be more than metal punching (about $20) and much more than letraset ($10). Please correct me if I'm wrong, as I really have no experience with these label making places. It would be really nice to have a very durable sticker to just slap on there, it sure would be easy, but I'd like to keep the costs down.
As far as brass punches go, that's not much work to me. In the bottom of this post is a picture of the amp that I wish to put labels on (as well as in my user picture), I did all of the woodworking and I also made that top metal cover out of a small piece of steel by hand (I had to hammer down the sides so they fit on the inside of the wood, you could see it if I had a picture of the underside, oh and its not even finished 😀 ).
The only problem with using the brass punch labeling method would be, how do I want to put the little rectangles of brass on the tube amp? I would have to decide between screws, glue, or rivets.
Thanks for all of the help guys.
I don't know much about this but I'm assuming what you suggested would probably be more than metal punching (about $20) and much more than letraset ($10). Please correct me if I'm wrong, as I really have no experience with these label making places. It would be really nice to have a very durable sticker to just slap on there, it sure would be easy, but I'd like to keep the costs down.
As far as brass punches go, that's not much work to me. In the bottom of this post is a picture of the amp that I wish to put labels on (as well as in my user picture), I did all of the woodworking and I also made that top metal cover out of a small piece of steel by hand (I had to hammer down the sides so they fit on the inside of the wood, you could see it if I had a picture of the underside, oh and its not even finished 😀 ).
The only problem with using the brass punch labeling method would be, how do I want to put the little rectangles of brass on the tube amp? I would have to decide between screws, glue, or rivets.
Thanks for all of the help guys.
Attachments
Last edited:
I overlooked this is a one off, sorry.
3M makes some serious pressure sensitive adhesives. The only things you have to get right are the surface prep and of course alignment. You only get one chance to get it straight and centered. 🙂
3M makes some serious pressure sensitive adhesives. The only things you have to get right are the surface prep and of course alignment. You only get one chance to get it straight and centered. 🙂
Ah no problem, I appreciate the help.
This other thing with 3M you've suggested does sound interesting, can you tell me a bit more about what I'd have to buy and do?
I had experience with 3M products many moons ago. I know that they have an adhesive for every purpose known to man. I know that their's are better than the knock-offs. I know you have to pay for that. Other than that, I suggest you talk to a retailer as I can't really help but I think I would go the adhesive route myself. When you talk to a retailer, make sure you ask about surface prep. The old 'you can't put a band-aid on a wet finger' really applies. Surface prep really is 50% of the battle.
Give me a minute.
EDIT: Too much to explore, maybe just look up a local dealer.
Give me a minute.
EDIT: Too much to explore, maybe just look up a local dealer.
My techinque, that I use for switch labels on my custom cars.
Fire up Microsoft PowerPoint on your PC. Draw a box, slightly larger than your panel. Add text to the box, selecting the font and size from the PowerPoint menu. You can also select italics, etc, if you want. Easy to center the text as needed, and to move it around until you are happy.
Print the final product on a clear sheet of acetate (used to be called Vu-Graph plastic). I use a black laser printer; this might also work in colors, on an inkjet printer (but I've never tried the latter). Trim the acetate to be slightly smaller than your panel, using the box you drew as a cutting guide. You can later trim the acetate even more accurately, after you mount it, using a razor blade held firmly against the edge of the panel.
The tricky part for you, will be selecting the best adhesive to mount the acetate to your panel. Best to experiment on a scrap panel first, particularly if you front panel has a painted surface. Good luck. (For my switch legends [see pic] I do NOT use glue; the frame of the pushbutton holds the label in place).
As an alternative, why not get Front Panel Express to engrave a panel for you? They have a downloadable design tool, they make very professional results, and the are quick and pretty cost effective. They can also cut/mill and panel openings you might need.
(See my F5 amp's front cover pic for an example)
Fire up Microsoft PowerPoint on your PC. Draw a box, slightly larger than your panel. Add text to the box, selecting the font and size from the PowerPoint menu. You can also select italics, etc, if you want. Easy to center the text as needed, and to move it around until you are happy.
Print the final product on a clear sheet of acetate (used to be called Vu-Graph plastic). I use a black laser printer; this might also work in colors, on an inkjet printer (but I've never tried the latter). Trim the acetate to be slightly smaller than your panel, using the box you drew as a cutting guide. You can later trim the acetate even more accurately, after you mount it, using a razor blade held firmly against the edge of the panel.
The tricky part for you, will be selecting the best adhesive to mount the acetate to your panel. Best to experiment on a scrap panel first, particularly if you front panel has a painted surface. Good luck. (For my switch legends [see pic] I do NOT use glue; the frame of the pushbutton holds the label in place).
As an alternative, why not get Front Panel Express to engrave a panel for you? They have a downloadable design tool, they make very professional results, and the are quick and pretty cost effective. They can also cut/mill and panel openings you might need.
(See my F5 amp's front cover pic for an example)
Attachments
Last edited:
...and re-doing the surface prep after you mess it up the first time, is the other 80% of the battle..... eerrrr, huh???? 🙄
Been there, done that..... Most recently on a classic 1964 XK-E roadster I was restoring..........sigh.................
Lots of great suggestions here guys, thanks to all of you.
As far as the acetate method mentioned, it sounds pretty good except that (as far as I understand) I'd need to keep the acetate on there, which won't look good at the edges because the edges of the top steel plate on my amp actually curve downward and go parallel to the wood inside, so unless the acetate could follow that curve, I'd have to cut it before the curve, and that might make a little bump and not look so good. The other thing is that I assume it would make the paint on the metal look more glossy, from the acetate sheet.
Engraving sounds cool but I'm not sure it would be the right thing for me. I'd want many little rectangular labels, not a big panel per say.
I have also been doing a bit of research and I have found some info about using an inkjet to transfer lettering to metal, I'll look more on that and report back.
Thanks for all of the help.
As far as the acetate method mentioned, it sounds pretty good except that (as far as I understand) I'd need to keep the acetate on there, which won't look good at the edges because the edges of the top steel plate on my amp actually curve downward and go parallel to the wood inside, so unless the acetate could follow that curve, I'd have to cut it before the curve, and that might make a little bump and not look so good. The other thing is that I assume it would make the paint on the metal look more glossy, from the acetate sheet.
Engraving sounds cool but I'm not sure it would be the right thing for me. I'd want many little rectangular labels, not a big panel per say.
I have also been doing a bit of research and I have found some info about using an inkjet to transfer lettering to metal, I'll look more on that and report back.
Thanks for all of the help.
- Status
- Not open for further replies.