Bingo theres another one ^ lol.
I can't remember if someone said lazer etching. IF it can be performed over paints???? It looks brilliant on bare metals and chrome. I imagine all would look equally nice, if it can be done. The plate would just have to come back off.
Technology that way is already past crazy, I watched lazers going to work. The detail and accuracy there capable of is nuts. And at the pace which they do it.
I can't remember if someone said lazer etching. IF it can be performed over paints???? It looks brilliant on bare metals and chrome. I imagine all would look equally nice, if it can be done. The plate would just have to come back off.
Technology that way is already past crazy, I watched lazers going to work. The detail and accuracy there capable of is nuts. And at the pace which they do it.
Testors and many others make water slide decal kits.
Which can use inkjet printers to print on a clear
or white sheet.
After printing you seal the inkjet ink with a spray.
likely a simple lacquer. Might be different otherwise
because it is designed to not react with inkjet ink.
after it dries, soak in water and slide into place
used it before and works fine.
resolution off course depends on quality of your
printer and the file used.
Most would use any free vector software.
so scaling basic text to any size will have high
resolution. And of course endless cool free fonts
The application part^ sounds like how the stickers went on those old revell model kitts remember those 🙂
Right, lots of good memory's making models.
pretty much the same thing or waterslide decal.
back in the day the kit manufactures would have likely
used a offset printer to print on the film then sealed.
modern day you can just use a inkjet at home.
all the usual application softeners also work well.
I only use softener on rough surfaces.
the decals are more durable depending on how much
spray coating is used. softener will ...make that spray coating
soft again so they set better on rough surfaces.
pretty much the same thing or waterslide decal.
back in the day the kit manufactures would have likely
used a offset printer to print on the film then sealed.
modern day you can just use a inkjet at home.
all the usual application softeners also work well.
I only use softener on rough surfaces.
the decals are more durable depending on how much
spray coating is used. softener will ...make that spray coating
soft again so they set better on rough surfaces.
I used Cardinal brand malachite green hammertone powder coat. Eastwood powder sprayer and a large toaster oven.
One of these days, I should get into really good finishes like this one. Almost all of the rattle can finishes are crappy. Yes, I prepare the metal very carefully, but the actual paint itself usually isn't the type to cure to a durable finish.
I'm sure that others can answer better than I, but it costs more because it is worth it, would be my opinion. I love the finish compared to just about anything else.
IIRC, I paid about $60 USD over 5 years ago for 5 pounds. With that I've finished 2 12X14x4 monoblocks. 2 preamps the same size and 4 phonostages/power supplies same size. I've done some other small chassis as well. I hope to have enough to do one more chassis but I'm close. I would recommend either Cardinal or Columbia and avoid Powder by the Pound. Supposedly, they mix the tailings of different batches so the product is less consistent.
That's pretty good. Maybe 1.5-2x the cost of rattle cans but the result is much nicer and more durable.
In the past I've sought out local outfits for anodization. This was probably 10ish years ago. I found several places who could anodize aluminum for a pretty reasonable cost (low $100s for a chassis) as long as you could wait a few weeks.
Tom
In the past I've sought out local outfits for anodization. This was probably 10ish years ago. I found several places who could anodize aluminum for a pretty reasonable cost (low $100s for a chassis) as long as you could wait a few weeks.
Tom
Thanks! That’s some next level stuff compared to what I am able to do, but the finish is just exceptional!
Is the cured ink easily removed? I could see me needing a few trial runs to insure proper positioning.
What about dry, rub-on transfers? I've used them before on a variety of surfaces, including anodized aluminum, to great effect.
https://drytransferletters.com/custom-rub-on-transfers/
https://imagetransfers.com/
https://drytransferletters.com/custom-rub-on-transfers/
https://imagetransfers.com/
When I asked a Japanese manufacturer that sells similar products, they answered, "There is no solvent that dissolves the ink after UV curing."
However, as soon as it hardens, it can be peeled off by rubbing it with your fingernail. Bold text (like "Stereo Headphone Amplifier" in my photo) takes a little longer to peel off.
After wiping off the ink that has not hardened, if it works well, it is a good idea to further harden it with UV light.
Also, depending on the manufacturer, there were inferior inks that did not solidify even when exposed to ultraviolet rays for a long time.
For the syringe type, we recommend the one with the bearded man mark.
Some inks are not removable without strong industrial solvents. It really depends what it intended usage is.
I bought a bunch of measuring tools some of wich have poly ink on them. Its like it became one with the metal surfaces. You can't sand or scrape it off it must be broken down to dissolve with something heavy. Paint thinner doesn't even effect it.
Re our other threads. Not to be a jerk and push it more but to emphasis the importance of cleaning oils and any other contaminants off metal before proceeding with any coatings.
At the garage a 20k paint job was ruined. The base metal was touched with nothing more than bare human hands. They think that is a possible culprit. It caused the primers and paint to lift. Just meaning did not properly adhere and do its job. Something as simple as oil from human hands could be the cause of a lot of avoidable grief. Never skip it in initial stages of prep.
I always remember being told at a young age prep is the most important part of every good result and its true. It's tedious and boring sometimes but always necessary if good results are desired.
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No, hard as nails, "everything" is "removable" but if too difficult, not worth it.
Just do it right the first time.
There is a reason Carpenters have a saying: "measure twice and cut once" 😉