Front Panel Marking

[Christopher List]

> I use laser-printed (or color bubble-jet for special effects) stuff done on
> the A-sized full sheet label stock, then cover it with adhesive vinyl or
> acetate (your local art supply shop should have it).  It's quicker than
> spray urethane and has better durability.

I did a similar thing for all of my panels with this stuff called "Eviro-Tex 
Lite". It's an expoy coating that drys to a thickness between 1/32 and 1/16". 
It drys totally hard, nearly scratchproof. Won't peal up and it's very durable. 
It's much easier to use on small panels than big ones (though I have done a 
full 4 rack-space panel). 

For small panels I mix the A + B, pour it on so that it beads in the center and 
spreads out slowly to cover the whole thing. Judging the optimum amount to pour 
on is the hardest part, but the excess just flows off the edges (do it on wax 
paper - it won't stick) - let it dry for about 1 or two hours, then gentle lay 
a piece of clear mylar transparency stuff over it - flow one side to the other 
so that no bubbles get under it. Then let it dry over night. The mylar will 
(with a little picking at the edges) just rip off of the front leaving a 
perfectly flat, smooth plastic surface. After 12 hours of drying it's still 
soft enough to cut away the excess around the edges with a razor. After about 
24 hours it gets really hard.

It makes the panel into a solid block of metal, then paper then epoxy-plastic. 
I also computer-draw my panel paper with a size that's 1/10" smaller than the 
panel size to make the edges just metal / epoxy with no paper in between.

For big panels I just pour the stuff on and let it dry (with out the mylar on 
top), so the edges have a little beading to them and the surface isn't 
<<perfectly>> flat. The beading makes the whole thing look like a big ceramic 
tile.

I got the Enviro-Tex from Pearl Paint here in the city, you should be able to 
order it from them, or get it from a plastics or arts and crafts store (regular 
folks use it to make those cheesy 
driftwood-with-a-picture-of-Elvis-in-the-middle clocks).

- CList