[sdiy] Panel Fabricating

[Barry Klein]

I haven't seen it done yet but another way to do this is to use a label
company.  I would imagine they accept files in many different formats, and
then print them on thin aluminum or plastic labels.  These labels can be
quite large - You can commonly see these as guitar amp front and rear
panels.  Seems to me that this would be a cheaper easier route to take.
Let me know if you persue it.

Barry



-----Original Message-----
From: synth-diy-bounces at dropmix.xs4all.nl
[mailto:synth-diy-bounces at dropmix.xs4all.nl] On Behalf Of David Ingebretsen
Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2008 3:24 PM
To: synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
Subject: [sdiy] Panel Fabricating

Hello all,

Been lurking on the list for a few weeks now and appreciate all the
information and help you all provide (Thanks Bernie for the "everything"
package. Wow.)

I would like to ask advice about fabricating front panels. I have been
playing with the free "Front Panel Designer" and it's good, but even simple
panels start to cost quite a bit. Adding scales around knobs is not too easy
either. HPGL import is nice but  then you have to use something else (eg:
TurboCad) but I've had trouble there, too getting certain objects to
actually export as vector graphics.

So, I bought FrontDesigner by Abacom. Great design package, easy to do
scales and lots of other fancy stuff, but few of these objects are vector
objects and so will no export as an HPGL file so it doesn't help with Front
Panel Designer.

Other options:
                LaserTrans transfer paper?
                Silk Screen?
                Something else?

What do you use? Do the transfer papers really work? How do you get white
lines printed on it or even can you? Is there some other way to get a
"finished" look to a panel short of taking it to a silkscreen shop or
getting it engraved?

Thanks.

David M. Ingebretsen M.S., M.E.
Collision Forensics & Engineering, Inc.
2469 East Fort Union Blvd. STE 114
Salt Lake City, UT 84121

801 733-5458 Office
801 842-5451 Cell

dingebre at CFandE.com
dingebre at 3dphysics.net


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