DCAudioDIY.com

Has anybody hear ever done their own silkscreening to label an enclosure? I am curious about two aspects:
1) if given a proper graphics file, would a silkscreening shop make and sell me the screen. I can make one myself, if need be, having darkroom experience, but at my age I'd rather farm it out.

2) what paint/ink would work on bare metal? Or a painted substrate? I can't find much on the interwebs. 99.9% of the info is on fabric screening. I have yet to find the remaining 0.1%

V/R
James

I was a screen printer for many years. When I left the industry there were many local shops that would be happy to make you screens with very durable emulsions for repeated uses.

A good resource in this area is the Martin Supply Co. in Bmore. If you can get the right person, they will help you find local shops they wholesale to. They can also put you into contact with ink companies to dicuss your best options. The most durable inks for your purpose used to be baked finishes. I haven't been following the industry however.

Dave Berning may have a local contact for you with the company that fabricates and screen prints his face plates.

Feel free to pm me if I can assist with the project.

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Walt

In the old days I used sheets of transfer lettering and then covered them with crystal clear Krylon. Unfortunately with the advent of computer type apps they are no longer available. I have also used a P-touch printer with clear backed tape. It's not as good as the transfer type but for non critical stuff it works quite well. The P-touch printer I have can communicate with an application on my PC so there is a very wide range of control over fonts, sizing, spacing, etc.

Tom

I have used TIMSCO in Temple Hills recently. You can simply have a drawing of what you want, send them the chassis faceplate or whatever, and they can print it for you with something like epoxy paint.

David

Cost for a a 3U rack sized panel?

You can still get dry transfers letters (see link). I have done the same thing you have.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c ... H0P14C45I4

The is an option, but I have never used them to know if they are worth it:

http://www.frontpanelexpress.com/

Thanks for the link on the dry transfer type. I'm going to order some. I also found another source:

http://www.pcbsupplies.com/dry-transfer-lettering/

Here is a photo of how I have used the white lettering in the past. It's a good low cost option.

Tom

old thread, but...
There are MANY shops that make faceplates for those of us who make tube guitar amplifiers.

I use TMI Amplification among others, as they are local and have a good laser for the job, much better than the trophy shop plaque engraving machines.

Google:
custom amplifier faceplates