Whats the best finishing technique for enclosures?

[2tonewarrior]

I have try some techniques and none of them convinces me. Etching is very good-looking but is hard and very unpredictable due to the attention you have to pay in each step. Transparent paper and adhesive paper is almost ok but I dont like the unprofessional looking if you look closer. I still have to test waterslide decals and dry decals (wich are almost nonexistent in Spain and Crafty comp.  for example asks me about 15€ of shipping costs for 2 or 3 papers). Laser etching is completely superb imo but I have the same problem, there are no many printers that manage that here.

So, what technique is in you opinion the best considering the materials are not hard to find and wich provides a professional looking?

And another question, what technique is the one used in comercial pedals and amps chassis? Silk screen printing?

[jkokura]

Silk screen is likely the best, and it is what most commercial products will feature. Unfortunately, it's both expensive and time consuming. Doing it yourself is something I'm still looking into, but it's not usually feasible unless you're doing the same pedals often.

The method most people use is waterslide decals. Works best on light coloured enclosures, or if you use dark enclosures, people use full face full colour decals sometimes.

Jacob

[midwayfair]

Step 1: Use gold paint sharpies and name your pedals after the color of the case.
Step 2: Charge $400 for your pedals and sell them to people on the gear page. Be sure to tell them that the hand wiring retains more lower mids, because we've all learned from magical ears on TGP that the capacitance of thin copper traces cuts bass, not treble like other forms of capacitance.
Step 3: Use the phat profits to get your personal the pedals finished in the way you think looks best.

[pickdropper]

I think that great results can be achieved with the use of Envirotex epoxy.  I just use it with regular, printed labels and it can look really good, IMHO.

[2tonewarrior]

Envirotex is definitely one of the things i´m going to try. I´ve seen many build reports and seems really well.

I´m planning getting into silk screen too, not now but in the future. I know it is not the best option for only one pedal per design but I really enjoy doing that kind of things.

[glowsheep]

Here's kind of a cool DIY inexpensive way to silk screen http://www.instructables.com/id/20-Portable-Silkscreen-Kit/

[2tonewarrior]

Here's kind of a cool DIY inexpensive way to silk screen http://www.instructables.com/id/20-Portable-Silkscreen-Kit/

Thanks! I´m a fan of instructables

[juansolo]

You can get really good results with envirotex + transparent decals. It can take a little effort though. Not the way to go if you want to mimic silk screening though.

[jeffaroo]

i just kick the pedal around the block a few times, let it dangle from by truck as i drive to work. then pull out the sharpies, puff paint, wood stain, toilet blue and a can of clear when its done !

[rlopes]

A couple of days ago i used something like the envirotex material (other brand that i found in a local store) for the first time, along with transparent adesive paper for the graphics and something funny happened: the ink that i used to paint the enclosure (acrylic spray paint) kinda started melting down and created some kinf of "melting ink" finish. I kinda liked but it wasn't the result what i want to get. It also create a light blur in the graphics, making the traces a little less defined. I think there was some kind of chemical reaction between the ink and the envirotex like material that i've used that dissolved or
diluted thepaint.
Did any of you have experienced something like this?

[juansolo]

Nope, never get any bleed with inkjet decals and envirotex.

[Haberdasher]

I actually kind of like the way that stazon ink looks.  Nice and simple.  And effective.

[DuctTapeRiot]

RLopes: yes I have had this problem.  Envirotex can generate a fair bit of heat when curing from the reaction between the resin and hardener.  For inkjet waterslide decals, I always spray the decal with a good coat or two of clear before cutting and application.  This helps make sure no ink comes off when wetting the decal, and with the envirotex.  I have never had it pull the actual paint up, so I wonder how long did you let your paint dry/cure before applying the enviro??