First laser etch, suggestions please.

[Willybomb]

Here's my first laser etched box.  Looks ok, might try the crayon/gunwax thing.  Opinions on that?

[hoodoo]

Just OK  Mate, that looks spot on to me, just the way it is, all the best, Matt.

[Willybomb]

Yeah, just OK.  I'm not 100% on it, but it's pretty good. 

[pickdropper]

I think it looks pretty nice.  Here are my thoughts:

1). I can't tell for certain, but did you clean the enclosure after etching?  I always wipe down the enclosures with flux remover after etching.  Alcohol works OK as well.  It usually helps a lot.

2). Backfilling (with wax or paint) would add contrast, but you might run into issues in the larger etched out areas (specifically the silhouette of the guy) as there isn't a ton of depth to offset the width of the etched out area.  You might just have to try and see what happens.

[Willybomb]

I've given it a wipe, but I'll break the metho out on it and see what happens.  In regards to the backfilling, yeah, the bloke is the big issue.

[Willybomb]

Well... I've given it a wipe with metho and it's killed the clearcoat as if I've given it a rub with wet and dry...

I think the only hope I have now of not having to refinish it (or put a sticker over the top) is to get some cut/polish compound and hope I can clear it up.

[pickdropper]

Is that a painted or powder coated box?

[rullywowr]

Looks great!  I laser etch powdercoated enclosures mostly, and clean with the mildest solution available.  A little dish soap and water or isopropyl works well.  If needed, I step up to naptha but not very often.  Acetone should never be used near paint or powdercoat.  This is to remove any burnt residue or soot on the enclosure after etching.

PD is spot on, depending on how large the etching areas are to be filled...a crayon, acrylic paint, or "lacquer stik" can work - however the larger the area the more difficult it is to get the filling to be smooth. 

[pickdropper]

Yeah, I've stopped using painted boxes because I can't clean then with the solvents I like (primarily flux remover).  I agree that acetone shouldn't be used unless you are trying to destroy the finish.

[Willybomb]

Thanks for that guys.

It's painted with an etching primer (black) that's been clearcoated.  In this case (and I should have known better, because it happened before when I tried to clean the primer with metho) I should have left it as it was.  I'm going to get some polishing compound and see if I can clear it up.  Looks like shite now.

[thesameage]

What comp and fuzz are you using here? I'm building a bass box right now as well and am curious about your choices.

[Willybomb]

The cut and polish liquid has cleared up the finish, thank the force.

I'm using a sprout at stock values, except the 82r has been replaced with a 1k, and a mictestors' really cheap compressor with values selected for bass as per a layout from DIYstompboxes.  The vero layout is somewhere in the thread below.

http://www.freestompboxes.org/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=8581&sid=f42b00526ca918181a216b28e9d63b03

The NE-1 preamp is from paulinthelab's vero layout.

Why did I pick these?  Because they were around!  It was just going to be the NE-1, then I decided I wanted a compressor and Mictestors design was probably the smallest and easiest, and then because I had a stack of Pprout PCBs left over from my pedal workshop, I decided to put one in because of the small footprint.  I did try one out on the bass first, and it sounded pretty cool.  I dunno how it would go in the band situation, but I don't use fuzz on bass much if ever so the sprout is there for completeness!

[wgc]

Looks great!  I probably wouldn't try to fill it. You have decent contrast.

What laser are you using? (Just curious)

[Willybomb]

It's whatever laser they have down at the trophy shop!