In a message dated 1/10/2006 4:38:52 P.M. Central Standard Time,
onegammyleg@... writes:
Has anyone had any success using toner transfer methods in printing
lettering onto front panels of project boxes.?
I have never fiddled with this "toner transfer method", but I DID make a
couple of VERY professional-looking front-panels using "PCB techniques" in
another era. I did the layout/lettering of the panels using Lettraset, a very
high-class "rub-on lettering" brand, both for the label-words, numbers, and
"pointers" (lines, etc.) on blue-grid paper, and then had a negative-film made of
that at the right % reduction for the correct final dimensions. Then I
photo-sensitized the aluminum panel (after Scotch-Brite finishing!) and then
photo-etched the film on that in the usual "PCB manner." I used FeCl³ etchant in
the usual manner, except I WATCHED very closely to see if it "ate" at the
right rate, etc., as the aluminum reacts differently than copper.
After I decided it was deep enough, I rinsed, removed resist, sprayed with
clear spray, and the etched panel looked like it came from an instrument-maker
factory! Easy! When I did this same process on a later "one-each box," I
VERY-carefully squeegied on some very thin black lacquer, and
thinner-wiped-off the smear, before the final clear-spray, and all the lettering and lines
were BLACK-clear. A bit nicer than "grey". Jan Rowland
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