Laser-printed panels and other topics

[Stew Benedict]

This stuff is much better, than the 3M stuff, I've used it too.  Like
I said, it's nearly indestructible.  I usually do the layout on a pc,
print to laser and then have it photographed to make a negative film.
(Used to do it with tape & mylar @2x + before the pc).  If you need
to have serial numbers, create a black rectangle in the appropriate 
spot, which will be clear on the negative, and then print up a sheet
of serial numbers that you can also get a negative of and overlay.
Alternately, if you don't want to use a photographer, you can use
another 3M product to make your own negatives, it's an orange film
of some sort that is also processed photographically.  (I'd recommend
against this - a real negative is much better).  The chemicals are
relatively cheap, they come concentrated and you dilute them with 
distilled water.  There is a developer, a fixer, and then the material
that you boil the plates with comes powdered.  We've used a few
different methods to expose the plates, starting with an old carbon-arc 
table.  Most recently we've been using a photographic flash, even
overhead room fluorescents will expose the stuff.  The material comes
in a variety of thickness from 0.032"-.125".  Most of the time we
use the .125" and the plate becomes the front panel.  When I searched
for MetalPhoto on Lycos, there were a couple of outfits that will do
the whole thing for you too.  MetalPhoto of Cincinnati has also done
the whole process for us on some large runs.  (Hey maybe I should
set up shop for the synth-diy gang! ;) )

Stew


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