I almost forgot this method. You can either lay out the face on paper on a
drafting table, or do the layout in CAD. Take it to your blueprint supply had
have them run it off on mylar. Mylar of course is a clear or frosted plastic
sheet. To protect the lettering though, the printed side goes towards the amps
faceplate. To do this, all the print has to be a mirror image or backwards.
That way when the film is turned around backwards, the text is readable. It's
easier to do this on a drawing board for me using lettering templates and
writing backwards. The problem with CAD, unless you have a backward font, is
you would have to do each of the alphabet by hand, or create a backwards font.
To get out of this, you could print as normal, and put another piece of clear
plastic over the mylar so the lettering couldn't be rubbed off. The easiest
though is to have a blackline or color copy ran off and laminate it like I
mentioned earler. You can still use the rub-on labels if drafting it
by hand and before you laminate it. Using a good blueprint supply, they can
make you any size print you want up to an E size. They have color printers now
that can handle an E size sheet with ease and produce photographic quality
prints. I use TurboCad for my CAD program, and they used to have a free 2D copy
available at their website.
Best,
Will
*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********
On 3/1/06 at 6:47 PM Will Matney wrote:
>Alan,
>
>There is some rub on decals especially for amateur radio and electronics.
>They have scales for pots, and variable capacitors on them. After you
>apply the rub on, there's a sealent varnish they sell to spray over them
>so they wont wear off. They also have most of the common labels like Tune,
>Load, Standby, etc. The name brand of these is DATAMARK and is owned by
>Philmore Mfg. Oceanstate Electronics carry these, and a link to them is
>below. There is another way though by using clear plastic that can be ran
>through a copy meachine or a laser printer. It's the same type as the film
>used to develop PC boards where it's used as a negative. They also make
>this with an adhesive back. Most blueprint supply houses carry this, and
>can tell you more about what you need. The local blueprint place here I
>use is C&B Blueprint in Huntington, West Virginia. They carry all this
>kind of stuff.
>
>Labels at Oceanstate;
>
>http://www.oselectronics.com/ose_p52.htm
>
>Philmore Mfg;
>
>http://www.philmore-datak.com/
>
>http://www.philmore-datak.com/DATAK.htm
>
>Best,
>
>Will
>*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********
>
>On 3/1/06 at 11:11 PM Alan Ibbetson wrote:
>
>>I asked
>>
>> > I would like to create a front panel for my latest homebrew project
>>with
>> > better markings than my usual Dymo tape ugliness. I've located some
>> > material called Water-slide Decal Paper that I think could fit the
>>bill,
>> > but only if I can find a suitable PC package to draw tuning scales,
>>band
>> > position markings, and so on.
>>
>>[Summary: I like Front Panel Designer best. It is free from
>>http://www.frontpanelexpress.com/ ]
>>
>>In detail:
>>
>>In addition to the recommendations on the list, I also received off-list
>>suggestions of Brother/Dymo clear label tape, and vinyl peel and stick
>>lettering from stationary suppliers. But what to do about dials for
>>things like rotary controls?
>>
>>Colin <k7fm@teleport.com> gets very close with this suggestion:-
>>
>>"I make my own panel material using decal paper, however I have never
>>found the perfect software and have to combine stuff. You can do it
>>with things like AutoCad, but that software costs as much as a new car
>>and then you need to go to college for 4 years to learn how to run it.
>>
>>"One program I have found very useful is a program written by a French
>>author called "Graph Paper". It lets me make those things like you
>>would have behind a tuning knob. You can select the degree rotation and
>>major and minor ticks. Works great and you can learn it with the amount
>>of energy it takes to sip a cup of nice English tea. About $30. This
>>software lets you make all sorts of things like music sheets, graph
>>paper or dials.
>>
>>"The water slide paper is not perfect and requires some thought into
>>color. The perfect color for the lettering is white, with a black panel.
>>But few printers print white. The Mannesman Tally MT-1000 does, but it
>>is out of production. I have one of those and they are amazing. I have
>>tried lower contrast printing, like light yellow on a charcoal
>>background, but the contrast was unacceptable.
>>
>>"For some of my panels, I actually went a different route and they are
>>quite good. I created a panel on regular high gloss white paper. Then
>>I could use different colors. After printing, I laminated it, cut holes
>>out for the controls then glued it to the front panel. These panels
>>look outstanding. One minor problem for a normal printer is there is a
>>limitation of 8.5" x 11" panels.
>>
>>"I also made some very nice decals without even using decal paper.
>>Printed out colorful "decals" on regular paper. Then covered the front
>>and back with clear wide mailing tape. Then cut out the desired "decal"
>>and glued it on. I made a copy of the old Ameco 1 tube transmitter and
>>needed an Ameco label - with a lightning bolt. It came out beautiful."
>>
>>The French graph paper package to which Colin refers is available here
>>
>>http://www.marquis-soft.com/
>>
>>The Dials drop-down gives what most people will want, and the interface
>>is very simple, but I wanted something with a little more flexibility.
>>
>>As Colin said, professional CAD packages will do everything but cost a
>>fortune and are hard to learn. CorelDraw is just as excessively
>>feature-rich, although it is available on 15 day free trial if anyone
>>wants to learn how to drive it and then instruct the rest of us.
>>
>>Most of the freeware CAD packages I tried over the past few days were
>>either poor at lettering, had scaling errors with my particular printer,
>>were unfathomable, or often all of the above. This site summarises some
>>of the wide range of software available in this area
>>
>>http://www.freebyte.com/cad/
>>
>>Finally, I tripped over a package called Front Panel Designer. It does
>>everything I want. It is intuitive to use. It produces accurately sized
>>output on my Lexmark inkjet printer. And it is free. Download it from
>>here
>>
>>http://www.frontpanelexpress.com/
>>
>>If you want professionally CNC milled panels then this company can do it
>>for you too. Here is a website showing some examples
>>
>>http://www.strings.ph.qmul.ac.uk/~thomas/synthdiy/frontpanel.htm
>>
>>--
>>
>>Cheers,
>>
>>Alan G3XAQ
>>alan@g3xaq.demon.co.uk
>>
>>
>>_______________________________________________
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>>Amps@contesting.com
>>http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/amps
>
>
>
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