Question for panel makers - engraving.. how do you do it?

[Devon Custard]

I guess this is more for the laser users out there, Im starting to make my panel faces in anger now and i want to get as clean and professional look as possible.

 

So what and how are you guys doing it? Do you paint and then cut and engrave ? Or are you using lasermax?

 

Do you backlight? Or just want a nice clean white lettering?

 

What size do you use for your lettering?

 

So many questions i know but for those who want to share, please do. Also might be nice to get a single thread with all the techniques in it for those who are also in my position.

[Thick8]

I'm using clear bottom and middle plates with a black on translucent white laserable vinyl top plate. The lettering is a brite white that glows green when backlit. I'm backlighting the whole thing with led strips mounted in the bottom of the consoles. I skinned the consoles with 1/8" thick, white sided, MDF board. I'm not done yet but I've tested everything and the results look great.

John

[bnepethomas]

Have tried Lasermax, an into challenges with holes for switches exposing the white layer, specifically could find black paint to match Lasermax colour.

 

Currently have 3 layers

1: Use Black Acrylic for base plate with holes for Led Lighting.

2: Middle layer is also black with holes for backlighting

3: White (as opposed to opal) for top layer.

 

Top panel is cut, painted, and then engraved.

 

cheers

 

Peter

[doveman]

Is the middle layer just to cover the screws/nuts that are used to attach the components to the bottom layer, so that they aren't visibile through the top layer?

 

I'd like to get laser-cut and engraved black anodized aluminium panels but that's probably going to be unaffordable, so I'm interested in cheaper, possibly DIY, alternatives. I don't really have any tools so I'm looking for methods that I could manage with a combination of borrowed tools and buying a few cheap tools, like a dremel.

 

It may be that I need to find somewhere that can engrave the panel for me once I've cut it myself though.

[metalnwood]

I used three layers. The top being laser max, the middle being the light plate and serving as a spacer. The backplate for mounting.

 

The backplate was black, the centre was clear and painted white so that light which gets inside it bounces around more evenly for better illumination.

 

these are the steps, pictorially.

 

 

[bnepethomas]

Is the middle layer just to cover the screws/nuts that are used to attach the components to the bottom layer, so that they aren't visibile through the top layer?

Yes siree, in addition the spacer to helps disperse the backlighting from the leds.

[Devon Custard]

This is awesome guys, keep it coming.

[doveman]

Yes siree, in addition the spacer to helps disperse the backlighting from the leds.

 

Thanks, makes perfect sense.

 

Great looking panels metalnwood. Those toggle switches look real nice as well, with the metal cowl hiding the nut and thread. Have you got a source where I could get some of those from?

[Thick8]

Thanks, makes perfect sense.

 

Great looking panels metalnwood. Those toggle switches look real nice as well, with the metal cowl hiding the nut and thread. Have you got a source where I could get some of those from?

 

Different online retailers run specials on different switches. I was able to get my switches from 3 different sources. I got 50 on/off switches for $1.99 each and on/off/on for $2.12 each. the pots were only $.82.

Here's a list of the switches I used. they are not the mac daddy exact replica switches but they serve the purpose.

[doveman]

Different online retailers run specials on different switches. I was able to get my switches from 3 different sources. I got 50 on/off switches for $1.99 each and on/off/on for $2.12 each. the pots were only $.82.

Here's a list of the switches I used. they are not the mac daddy exact replica switches but they serve the purpose.

 

Thanks. One of the most time-consuming things for me is looking at all the different switches and trying to decide which ones to get, so this will be an immense help :thumbup:

[donbinator]

I used three layers. The top being laser max, the middle being the light plate and serving as a spacer. The backplate for mounting.

 

The backplate was black, the centre was clear and painted white so that light which gets inside it bounces around more evenly for better illumination.

 

 

metalnwood, which lasermax product are you using to get the semi-opaque background? I see black on white but I don't see anything about how my green is going to shine through...?

[Devon Custard]

Tks Thick8 actually getting people to share specific details is actually one of the harder things here :) Its great when you get hard cold facts you can use. Especially when its freely given.

[ensamvarg]

metalnwood, which lasermax product are you using to get the semi-opaque background? I see black on white but I don't see anything about how my green is going to shine through...?

 

LaserMax sheets are thin and LED's will shine through it easily.

 

I used the regular Black/White and the green light has no problem going through.

It's almost too bright at times.

[donbinator]

LaserMax sheets are thin and LED's will shine through it easily.

 

I used the regular Black/White and the green light has no problem going through.

It's almost too bright at times.

 

Tack ensamvarg! I guess I'll just order some and try it :).

[ensamvarg]

Tack ensamvarg! I guess I'll just order some and try it :).

 

Varsågod. :)

 

There are some pics in my build thread that shows the LED lighting but they are early tests.

[Devon Custard]

Ive been doing the following method.

 

Clear acrylic 3mm. Paint it black

Mask it using standard tape and then spray with a 40/60 solution of dish soap and water

Run the engrave and cut program (laser), task the engrave first.

Pause after the engrave is complete. Remove the acrylic and spray the mask with white paint.

Semi dry the paint (i use a heat gun).

Remove the mask, wipe the excess paint with a soft damp towel.

Let it dry.

Remask and respray.

Replace the acrylic and restart the laser so that it does any cutting needed

 

I end up with this.... (sorry bottom is slightly outta focus)

 

 

The mask and spray stops the air around the beam from heating up and reacting with the paint/surface surrounding the cut edge. Also prevents smoke damage to the substrate. The dish soap is a cool low tech solution. i love it. Its fixed the issue i had with not getting a clean and sharp edge.

 

Im actually pretty happy with this one, just finished it today. Running outta acrylic now so will probably go with the lasermax. Nice to know you can do it without tho. :)

Edited April 28, 2014 by Devon Custard

[donbinator]

I just buy semi opaque white cast acrylic, spray paint it black, then I etch through the paint and cut all in one step. No need for masking and multiple passes through the laser that way. It shows up as white, but you can shine green light through the back.

[Thick8]

Rowmark will make you the black on translucent white vinyl. The cost was the same as regular black on white. I did have to buy two full sheets of it but it only cost $185. I posted the part # here somewhere In the last month or so. No painting required.

Edited April 29, 2014 by Thick8

[Warhog]

I use a mill (read: rotary engraver) with 0.060" thick Rowmark engraving plastic... black face with translucent white background for my face plate.

 

The back panel is clear 0.97" thick Lexan for attaching my switches and the middle panel is 0.97" thick Lexan for the separation panel.

 

I use LED strip lights at the rear of the panel enclosure which is covered in aluminum duct TAPE (not the duct tape we use to fix everything). This acts as a mirror and spreads the light from the LED strip lights all around the enclosure. I do have one caveat with regard to the engraving plastic. Due to its thickness I need to create .030" deep pockets on the backside of the face plate wherever lettering exists so the green LED light will shine through the plastic. As purchased, its a little to thick for the lighting to be well seen and they do not offer a thinner stock. Its an easy step when you do CNC. I just flip the face plate over and hit enter. I get a pocket at each label. The end result is evenly distributed lighting with no hot spots. It looks fabulous with the lights out.:thumbup:

 

[Devon Custard]

Ive been tempted to drill holes into the plastic and embed the leds INTO the panel.i figured i could route the wiring as well if i wanted to use the laser to cut the channels.

 

Now that im going to steal tacnos idea to mount buttons on laser transparency i dont have to worry about crafting a shoulder for the key. That means i can use a thin 1.5mm layer on top of a nice thick 5mm diffuser. Sounds like a project for this weekend :)

[metalnwood]

The back panel is clear 0.97" thick Lexan for attaching my switches and the middle panel is 0.97" thick Lexan for the separation panel.

 

I am just going to guess you mean 0.097" :)

[Warhog]

:doh:

 

Thank you. 0.097".:music_whistling:

 

All these numbers........I get so confused sometimes.:pilotfly:

[metalnwood]

Yeah, easy mistake to make when we have to talk inches to these yanks.

[Devon Custard]

Ok so i finally got my hands on some laser engraveable laminate (suspiciously has a sticker with chinese chars on it) and its proving to be a biatch to cut/engrave cleanly.

 

Im having to mask it with application tape / dish soap to minimise smoke damage and the engraving is reasonable however it will NOT cut cleanly.

 

Any tips from fellow laser users out there?

[Deadman]

don't get the cheap stuff some things are worth paying for the quality when it works right.