[sdiy] custom panels (was panel engraving)

[Simon Gatrall]

At 12:15 PM -0700 4/18/01, Jim Patchell wrote:
>     Many moons ago, I got an aluminum panel engraved.  While it does 
>look nice,
>it was awful expensive....however, this was a hand operated machine.  I would
>be willing to bet, nowdays, you can find engraving places that have 
>NC operated
>engraving machine (if not, here is a market!).  I don't remember how much I
>paid for that panel (it was large), but it seems like it was on the order of
>about $200, and that was 20 years ago.  The other problem was that 
>if I were to
>get a second panel done, it would have cost the same as the first, ie, no NRE.
>But I would check with the engraver.  There are probably much better machines
>now days (I would hope).  Also, look in your yellow pages, there might be
>somebody that does it at an industrial level.  If you are going to do mulitple
>panels, someplace like that might be cheaper.....but who knows?
>
>     -Jim

One thing that I haven't seen mentioned in relation to SDIY panels is 
laser cutting.  Last I knew, local laser cutting places would do 
small jobs for a minimum charge of $75.  Normally they just cut 
through flat material (they can cut most common sheet materials - 
aluminum, steel, acrylic, PVC, polycarbonate, rubber, etc.), but I 
think that they may be able to adjust the speed and power of the 
laser to just burn part way through the surface.  They normally work 
from 2D CAD files (ie .DXF).

Another panel making technique that I haven't seen mentioned are 
getting "INT"s or custom rub downs made.  If you are familiar with 
Letraset, it is basically the same idea, only you can get it made in 
any color with any graphics you want - they usually work from a 
laserprint these days.  Unfortunely it is also about $100 for an 
8.5"x11" sheet, but I think that it would be cheaper than getting 
one-off panels silk-screened.  If you coat the panels with clear 
laquer after applying the rub-downs, they are pretty permanent.  If 
you do go this route, make sure to put as many extra copies of your 
graphics on the page as possible - they are easy to damage while you 
apply them.  Also make sure that you have guidelines or other 
features so that you can register the graphics to your panel 
accurately.  You don't have to rub everything down, so it is easy to 
put extra stuff that is just there for reference.

-s!mon