I fully intend to test a variety of options, including powder coated, the
present finish and anodized.
I suspect that the finish will have the sharpest edges on the anodized
panel, but the others may be acceptable as well.
The issue is more about the laser etching as opposed to silkscreen than it
is about the panel finish.
The high cost and long lead time are related to the silkscreening. We could
always stock painted or powder coated blanks and etch them to order. They
would have to be drilled after the fact though. You couldn't punch them
without chipping the paint..
The cost would also probably be higher because I think we could do the
anodizing in house. The entry cost to anodize is not that high, much lower
than it is for powder coating or spraying Polan.
Paul H.
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Loffink" <jloffink@...>
To: "'Paul Haneberg'" <phaneber@...>
Cc: <motm@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 01, 2005 9:44 PM
Subject: RE: [motm] Future panel options - everyone please read carefully
(long)
> Is there a way to test laser etching on the powder coated panel? One
> would
> think that the detail wouldn't be any worse than silk screening the powder
> coated panel. That might be the best of both worlds, laser etched
> graphics
> and powder coated panels. I would even buy or reserve units of 1U and 2U
> panels for later etching if that enabled the powder coating.
>
> As far as anodizing variations go, I worked at a power supply company in
> the
> early 1980s where panels were anodized gold. There was a lot of variation
> in the process. More recently the Wiard blue anodized panels have have a
> good degree of variation. In the few batches of Front Panel Express black
> panels I have not seen much variation, however.
>
> John Loffink
> The Microtonal Synthesis Web Site
> http://www.microtonal-synthesis.com
> The Wavemakers Synthesizer Web Site
> http://www.wavemakers-synth.com
>
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: motm@yahoogroups.com [mailto:motm@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
>> Paul
>> Haneberg
>>
>> There are many variables in the anodizing process including the time in
>> the
>> tank, the amount of current applied, the temperature of the acid bath,
>> the
>> amount of time in the dye solution and the amount of time in the sealer.
>> My
>> suspicion would be that FPE may have changed the grade of aluminum or
>> they
>> may have changed the manufacturer of the dye. We would certainly strive
>> to
>> be consistant. I would also point out that there are subtle differences
>> between MOTM panels made at different times and between Stooge Panels and
>> MOTM panels. Paul S. has changed painters several times. Not everyone
>> has
>> the same technique.
>>
>> I should also say that powder coating is an option as well, although I
>> have
>> not compared the quality of graphics on a laser etched anodized panel to
>> that of powder coated. Having the panels painted the same way as they
>> are
>> now and then laser etching them is also a possibility, but the cost would
>> be
>> higher and I doubt the graphics would be quite as sharp.
>>
>> Paul H.
>>
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