Home » Audio » Craftsmen » How to label metal enclosures?
How to label metal enclosures? [message #28959] Mon, 01 March 2004 13:54 Go to next message
GarMan is currently offline  GarMan
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Registered: May 2009
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Hopefully, all my parts will be delivered in the next couple of weeks for me to start my next project, a CCS tube preamp. One thing about the building process that I have not figured out is how to label all the switches, knobs and jack in a professional looking manner. What's the best (and easiest) way to silkscreen or print on metal enclosures or wooden chassis? All my projects so far are unmarked and the only reason I can operate them is because I built them myself. But sometimes, even I get confused as to which jacks are input and which are output. Is this knob the volume or selector?

thanks,
Gar.

Maybe you could buy decals. (nt) [message #28960 is a reply to message #28959] Mon, 01 March 2004 14:14 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Dean Kukral is currently offline  Dean Kukral
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nt

Re: How to label metal enclosures? [message #28961 is a reply to message #28959] Mon, 01 March 2004 17:37 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
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Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)
Decals are good, as Dean mentioned. You can also get what are called letter transfers, which are excellent for what you want to do. You rub them on and then protect them with a light shot of clear paint.

Re: How to label metal enclosures? [message #28962 is a reply to message #28961] Mon, 01 March 2004 19:59 Go to previous messageGo to next message
GarMan is currently offline  GarMan
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Registered: May 2009
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You mean like Letraset(R)? Wow, are they still around? Maybe the DIY communitee can single handedly bring the company back. Talking about a company being blind-sided by the boom of PC's. I remember they were so late getting into electronic fonts.

I'll check out some art supply stores to see they still have anything like this around.

Gar.

Re: Source? [message #28963 is a reply to message #28960] Mon, 01 March 2004 20:00 Go to previous messageGo to next message
GarMan is currently offline  GarMan
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Are they any companies that have prefab decals specifically for audio DIY? ie) "Volume" "Input"

Re: Source? [message #28964 is a reply to message #28963] Tue, 02 March 2004 01:37 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
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Registered: January 2001
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Yes, you can get these decals and letter transfers with the exact text you want. Check out these decals from Antique Electronics. They're water-release decals and they're recreations of vintage decals, but that's cool and may suit your needs just perfectly. It would give your project a neat vintage/retro feel. And some don't look retro at all, so there's a pretty good assortment in each package.

Also check out Parts Express. They have letter transfers, specializing in specific industries like "audio" or "test equipment". Sheets are available in black or white. Here's a link.

I still have a bunch of the Chart-Pak transfer sheets in various fonts, each with like 30 copies of the same letter. It's great for building prototypes, and I've used a bunch of 'em over the years. You can get that stuff at your favorite distributor, like Carlton-Bates or Hamilton-Avnet or whoever. But for one-off projects, I think the sheets from Antique Electronics and Parts Express are pretty handy.

Re: How to label metal enclosures? [message #28965 is a reply to message #28962] Tue, 02 March 2004 01:38 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
Messages: 18677
Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)
See the list of sources here.

Thanks for the links (nt) [message #28966 is a reply to message #28964] Tue, 02 March 2004 07:35 Go to previous message
GarMan is currently offline  GarMan
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Registered: May 2009
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nt

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