Method actually exists, and was very popular, better yet State of the Art in the old days before PCs and desktop printers for CAD drawings, including PCB artwork.
Enter the mighty Roland pen plotter/printer:
Normal was using various tip diameter Technical Pens (think Rötring - Staedtler - Pilot) but you could easily a mount a colour paint (not ink) pen to the writing head.
White - Gold - Silver on a black painted/anodized panel are possible.
Answering exactly to your question:
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/...-plate-stock-for-diy-amps.355070/post-6219451
As to how it´s done, quadtech's first video shows it very well.
You BET.
I make my own painted and silkscreened amp panels, silkscreen bare copper for my PCBs, and am obsessive about cleanliness.
OCD helps with that, of curse.
Only handle them by the edges, and my hands skin is always dry (not kidding) because when working on that I wash them with alcohol and wipe them with clean paper to degrease them.
And even so avoid touching bare metal surface.
I tried my best to convince the ignorant about not only importance of priming, but the timing of finish being applied after primer. Turned out to be a yelling contest. Pearls before swine? I walked out and did it my way.
Best to walk away from those I learned ^. And sure timing is also important, rust never sleeps. Whenever I have open sheet metal I use rust inhibitor then a primer sealer asap. (after reducing oils and other contaminants) As long as its sealed and not a porous base primer its protected. A lot of people do it wrong by using a base primer directly over metal. I think the name could be throwing a few people off.
Not me. Even if its indoors, no matter the season, I seal that up.
I prefer working alone most often. The saying is true that, too many cooks spoil the brew.
Not me. Even if its indoors, no matter the season, I seal that up.
I prefer working alone most often. The saying is true that, too many cooks spoil the brew.
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Did you ever try working with latex gloves? They would be appropriate for those kinds of jobs. Some people don't like using them (including myself) but they are cheap insurance.
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True, but sadly latex gloves are useless to work here 😱
Latex absorbs toluene/xylene from contact cement and expands 2X ... not kidding.
Remember neoprene contact cement is made out of neoprene latex dissolved in toluene/xylene.
They become HUGE but worst is that they lose all mechanical integrity, you start losing fingers (glove fingers that is)
Blue nitrile gloves stand those aggressive solvents, but I learnt about it when? 5 years ago?
I have been bulding amps, speakers and stuff since 1969!!! .... do the Math.
With terrible results: I have been tested for the last 5 Months and so far found I lost 40% of my lung capacity and 20% of red blood cells, Doctors have not yet examined Lab results so not offered explanations yet but suspect breathing solvents and getting them through skin are guilty.
Let´s see.
Thanks.
Last Month got a Thorax CT showing little grape seed sized scars all over the place, and blood analysis showing lowered red cell count; 10 days ago, Spirometry showed 61% remaining lung capacity, sadly what´s done is done, now must keep what´s left.
Semi retired anyway, so not much chance of further increasing damage, not posting this about my own Health which is unimportant to others but to show Safety Guides and suggestions ARE real, this might help others potentially exposed to similar Professional/Job threats.
In principle, spray painting anything is dangerous, period, also contact cement use in poorly ventilated spaces.
Regular masks (think N95 of Covid fame) protect against particles, but evaporated solvents (paint thinner - acetone - toluene - ethyl alcohol) behave like a gas and go through, unless a gas mask type absorbent/neutralizing cartridge is used.
So younger still active people should take care, even if only spray panting, Tolexing or cabinet building as a Hobby. 👍
Last Month got a Thorax CT showing little grape seed sized scars all over the place, and blood analysis showing lowered red cell count; 10 days ago, Spirometry showed 61% remaining lung capacity, sadly what´s done is done, now must keep what´s left.
Semi retired anyway, so not much chance of further increasing damage, not posting this about my own Health which is unimportant to others but to show Safety Guides and suggestions ARE real, this might help others potentially exposed to similar Professional/Job threats.
In principle, spray painting anything is dangerous, period, also contact cement use in poorly ventilated spaces.
Regular masks (think N95 of Covid fame) protect against particles, but evaporated solvents (paint thinner - acetone - toluene - ethyl alcohol) behave like a gas and go through, unless a gas mask type absorbent/neutralizing cartridge is used.
So younger still active people should take care, even if only spray panting, Tolexing or cabinet building as a Hobby. 👍
Maybe I'm a lightweight when it comes to chemicals because I follow safety protocols. Oh and I only lasted a year in the printing industry as a mechanic back in the day. I was getting headaches with exposure to the chemically air (anywhere inside the plant), the headaches subsided but I'd still get really intense and random dizzy spells two or three times a week. Working around the machinery and at heights didn't seem like a good bet.
You do get used the highly polluted air like everyone told me my first week, more or less it becomes "normal". After a while those harsh smells seem to go away. But not really you just become accustomed to them. Its like a new house smell thats foreign to you. In the beginning, those fade to your senses as you spend more time there. Its pretty much the same idea. Oh and you can't taste food anymore, or smell much of anything for that matter. The dizzy spells and missing the taste of food were decision makers.
They use such corrosive chemicals in those print shops. I seen guys stick there hands right in it while doing clean ups. I found the idea shocking and silly.
You do get used the highly polluted air like everyone told me my first week, more or less it becomes "normal". After a while those harsh smells seem to go away. But not really you just become accustomed to them. Its like a new house smell thats foreign to you. In the beginning, those fade to your senses as you spend more time there. Its pretty much the same idea. Oh and you can't taste food anymore, or smell much of anything for that matter. The dizzy spells and missing the taste of food were decision makers.
They use such corrosive chemicals in those print shops. I seen guys stick there hands right in it while doing clean ups. I found the idea shocking and silly.
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I went from n95 to a full respirator. I hate wearing a respirator but I use them anyways. Especially when painting with aerosols and compressed air. I like the full masks with outside airline I would get one if it was other than hobby work. It still might be a good idea. GL bro.
I was in a comparable profession 40 yrs ago, I started as painter. Back then, it was casual to work daylongs in extremely contaminated surroundings: doing spray-jobs without proper airfiltering, use of VOC-materials without any safety measures (in closed rooms), highly dust-contaminated construction sites etc. This made me move along in the early 90ies, but I had to get back to it in 2003 or so. Not much had changed, so I started my own little business to be able to avoid the worst.
Haven’t been through a medical screening yet, scary.
You boys please take care!
Haven’t been through a medical screening yet, scary.
You boys please take care!
Very real and terrible, happens everywhere.
I try and do as much as possible "in house": winding own transformers, making own speakers, PCBs, chassis, cabinets, the works.
"Every machine I bought self paid" in short time worst case 1 year or two) and then became a cash cow, HUGE savings, both in $$$ and infinitely valuable Time.
Yet One process I mastered and then gave up though was in house zinc plating (which I use a lot, specially for speaker fframes and magnet parts, also metal corner protectors and strip handle end caps)
Why? ..... all solutions used contain more or less sodium cyanide (almost as poisonous as potassium cyanide) , which in contact with any kind of acid (always present one form or another in an industrial environment) releases gas chamber approved cyanide gas.
So I disassembled everything, sold machinery , and responsibly disposed of nasty chemicals.
Worst thing?: went back to ordering zinc plating "outside": shop workers couldn´t care less, did not use face masks, at noon they stopped for lunch and were eating bologna sandwiches among the tanks, just cassuallh wiping their hands, the works; they laughed when I asked them to be careful.
Oh well.
See above 😱
😱
Scary indeed.
I started testing in December for a minor unrelated problem, and every single test ordered by a Doctor found "something else" which required a new Specialist, rinse and repeat.
But hey, it´s better to "know" as early as possible, to stop and take proper measures, so please take the bull by the horns and start some general purpose GP/Clinical testing.
Hey!!! You might receive good news!!!! 🙂
Oh yeah I've been mocked and the butt of humor as if to suggest I'm not manly because I won't dunk my hands in to paint reducer or the cleaner print companies use to break in down from parts after a two week long production run. They use the harshest chemicals allowed by law. To get those presses set up for another run. I don't mind a joke or two at my expense knowing I'm not welcoming toxins to leach in to my skin and do who knows what somewhere down the line.
The same company is too cheap to remove and dispose of asbestos. The labor board has been in there multiple times. They put warning signs up instead of removing that. I guess so if you ever went to sue them, by law you were warned so its your fault for choosing to be around it? The ceiling is open in places letting who knows what to escape or possibly drift around. And its the same company that chooses $ over running better ventilation. I have worked at other jobs, with many presses, its clean, and so is the air. They even run a/c for the ladies, you get chills in there when its sweltering out in July. They treat them good on the packaging end too. That shows its a company who cares about the health of employees. A happy employee is a more productive employee. That isn't talked about in their board meetings. Look at it as a good investment. If not for the health of them and their families. It should matter. I seen my share of people get sick through their work places. Its bad, very bad. Then they have a snowballs chance against a whole team of corporate lawyers if they ever try to recoup lost earnings that was meant for their families.
It goes on, so does the illegal dumping. Right in this city big diverse picture perfect city and most people wouldn't even know it. Not even far from home fish were belly up in the creek. A dude accidentally rolled a truck in to the same creek river for the second time. I wonder did he get away with it the second time. There is more than one thing motivating. Sometimes a fine winds up costing them LESS than properly dumping certain chemicals would of. The Gov doesnt exactly stick its neck out to help in a case such as that.
The same company is too cheap to remove and dispose of asbestos. The labor board has been in there multiple times. They put warning signs up instead of removing that. I guess so if you ever went to sue them, by law you were warned so its your fault for choosing to be around it? The ceiling is open in places letting who knows what to escape or possibly drift around. And its the same company that chooses $ over running better ventilation. I have worked at other jobs, with many presses, its clean, and so is the air. They even run a/c for the ladies, you get chills in there when its sweltering out in July. They treat them good on the packaging end too. That shows its a company who cares about the health of employees. A happy employee is a more productive employee. That isn't talked about in their board meetings. Look at it as a good investment. If not for the health of them and their families. It should matter. I seen my share of people get sick through their work places. Its bad, very bad. Then they have a snowballs chance against a whole team of corporate lawyers if they ever try to recoup lost earnings that was meant for their families.
It goes on, so does the illegal dumping. Right in this city big diverse picture perfect city and most people wouldn't even know it. Not even far from home fish were belly up in the creek. A dude accidentally rolled a truck in to the same creek river for the second time. I wonder did he get away with it the second time. There is more than one thing motivating. Sometimes a fine winds up costing them LESS than properly dumping certain chemicals would of. The Gov doesnt exactly stick its neck out to help in a case such as that.
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And you are in Canada? Always thought this was a good place, a better place than so many others at least.
Me personally, I‘m not sure wether it’s really just the greed for money, or if such mistreatment of everything but oneself rather isn’t a way deeper, darker instinct.
Me personally, I‘m not sure wether it’s really just the greed for money, or if such mistreatment of everything but oneself rather isn’t a way deeper, darker instinct.
I am. In the largest or second largest. It happens. I notice more and more illegal dumping when it used to be a rarity. I guess with growth its going to happen. Not as much chemicals. But have seen used engine oil and paints thrown aside in places that offer seclusion. Who knows what else gets dumped illegally. I think our laws are tighter than in the US. With things like saftey mandates. Hopefully that stuff doesn't change. As long as money is a motivator anything can happen anywhere I suppose.