[sdiy] Front Panel for DIY Synth

[Peter Grenader]

This is the same process that the place I speak about uses -
Photo-graphics, Inc - but they have a slightly smaller panel size -> 12 x
20. But, they will image the legend and trim that panel into as many pieces
you wish for $159 per 12 x 20 panel, not including film and drilling (which
I've never had them do).  All they need then is a sheet of emulsion down,
negative right reading film to do it. They ship promptly in ten days and can
do up to .062 (pretreated as well - you can't supply them the material) in
satin or brushed finish.

I once had 15 pieces laid out in one of these panels - there was no upcharge
for trimming those 15 to size.  Obviously, I am quite pleased with their
service.

They charge an additional $50 for film from a supplied coral draw document
which CAN include a pdf (this is what I do as I am a Mac person - C Draw can
open a pdf.).  The least expensive film I've found from a dedicated film
house in this size is $35, and remember, I'm a print art director - I know
the hot tickets.  Add shipping to this to get the negs to Photographics and
you are pretty close to even, without all hassle of dropping the file off,
picking the film up and then shipping it out for imaging to Photographics.

In any event, I went with this process after a few occasions of shelling out
a ton of $$ for one-off silkscreening, that each time started coming off
within a few weeks.  What Metalphoto and Photogrphics does is spot anodizing
- these graphics are permanently imaged onto the sheet of material.  STS
uses the same process.  There are a few who do this - it's a farily common
procedure.



Tom Arnold wrote:

> On Mon, Mar 29, 2004 at 08:55:45AM -0500, Tim Johnson wrote:
>> http://www.itn.liu.se/~nikro/diy/panels.html
>> 
>> Why is it so expensive? Is it available in the U.S.?
> 
> This looks to be the like the Metalphoto process.
> http://www.horizonsisg.com/Metalphoto/
> 
> The main difference being that Horizons just has pre-treated panels
> available unstead of treating yours.
> 
> For a ballpark price on the initial materials, 1/8" 20x24 ( those panels
> looked fairly large ) are a 3pack for $262 ( 2002 pricelist ).