Laser-printed panels and other topics

[gstopp at fibermux.com]

     This is exactly the kind of discussion I wanted to stir up...
     
     Thanks for the reprint Chris! Woulda took me a couple days to dig that 
     out of my archives. I did want to re-read it.
     
     The reason I drill the panel and paper separately is that I don't want 
     to mess up the holes or the panel markings. Many times when I drill 
     aluminum a shaving forms that is a couple of inches long, and it 
     creeps up the drill bit hiding in one of the two spiral grooves. Then 
     as it gets longer and longer, it sometimes curls out just enough for 
     centrifugal force to grab a hold of it and fling it outwards so that 
     it forms a big honkin' jagged kinda propellor blade that promptly dips 
     down and etches a four-inch diameter circle in whatever it is that I'm 
     drilling. I hate it when that happens.
     
     So anyway there's the source of my paranoia. Maybe with your Elvis 
     clock goop things go a little differently? If so that would be a cool 
     thing and I'd definitely like to try it. I'll scan the stores for the 
     Best-Print paper and the clear epoxy stuff.
     
     - Gene
     gstopp at fibermux.com


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: Laser-printed panels and other topics
Author:  Christopher_List at Sonymusic.Com at ccrelayout
Date:    10/21/96 3:21 PM
     
  What I'm wondering is; Why didn't you just glue the whole thing together, 
  coat it, then drill it all in one shot - through the paper and the 
  aluminum? This is what I do and it works great. Then again, the stuff I 
  coat it with is really thick, so the paper can't twist or rip when it gets 
  the drill...
     
  I also use self-adhesive laser printer paper - which is not sticky 
  enough,  so you still need to use glue - but it is made of a vinyl like 
  material that holds up well and has a cool metallic look under the 
  coating. It also may stand up better to your clear-coat without bubbling 
  or yellowing. The actual brand I use is "Best-Print" by Chartpak - 
  available at most office and graphic design stores. The downside is that 
  you have to squeegy out air bubbles because the paper isn't stiff like 
  card stock....
     
  Actually, since Gene told his story, I'll reprint mine (see below), 
  because my method is very similar - only the materials and sequence 
  differ.