Finishing Pedals

[Locrian99]

View attachment 63130

Google is hard.

 

[Guardians of the analog]

Google is hard.

Apparently so is finishing pedals

 

[HamishR]

I've used the Tayda UV printing service once, and was very happy with the result. Crazy good value too.

 

[Feral Feline]

It’s worth it if you’re interested in lasering other stuff too, I use it for wood projects and guitars. I started with a Pergear S10 (10w) and it worked OK and got the job done, as long as I wasn’t engraving Sand Textured enclosures from Tayda, so I upgraded this year to Atomstack S20 Pro (20w) and it works amazing, I couldn’t be happier, especially getting it for 500$ on eBay

Any thoughts/experience on/with the Laser Pecker units?

 

[Vicious C]

Any thoughts/experience on/with the Laser Pecker units?

No experience, my thoughts are the price point is pretty high for a small engraving area, for less you can get a larger area and when it comes to power it looks like their L4 is only 10w, you could get a Atomstack s20 that's 20w for 500$ brand new with air assist, and have larger space and more power. I got my S20 Pro for 500$ and LOVE IT

 

[Feral Feline]

Thanks!

I wasn't even aware of the Atomstack before seeing your post #13 about it.

 

[giovanni]

Thank you. I've been using waterslides for almost all of my builds. I recently tried Avery 4397 Glossy Sticker Project Paper, which at first seemed to be ok, but way too many bubbles in the finish -- for the record, I do not recommend this for powered coated enclosures. I've watched a lot of videos about etching, but that seems a little caustic for me. Lately, I'm interested in laser etching -- anybody had any success with that?

I’ve been making laser engraved faceplates which turn out nice (and I’m getting better at them). Check out my build reports.

I have considered engraving the enclosure directly but I’m not sure it’s safe to do so for painted enclosures (some materials can produce toxic fumes and I’m not equipped for that). Next there is the problem of alignment which I’m not sure how to solve (but haven’t given it a lot of thought tbh).

 

[Vicious C]

I’ve been making laser engraved faceplates which turn out nice (and I’m getting better at them). Check out my build reports.

I have considered engraving the enclosure directly but I’m not sure it’s safe to do so for painted enclosures (some materials can produce toxic fumes and I’m not equipped for that). Next there is the problem of alignment which I’m not sure how to solve (but haven’t given it a lot of thought tbh).

You are right about the fumes, I have a comgrow enclosure that vents the air out my window and it works great! And as far as alignment, I use light burn, measure an enclosure and make a square and laser the square into my fixed cardboard base I taped to my table. Works flawlessly and if I’m doing multiple 1590bb enclosures, the laser stays in the same spot so all I have to do is line the enclosure up with the square and push go

 

[giovanni]

You are right about the fumes, I have a comgrow enclosure that vents the air out my window and it works great! And as far as alignment, I use light burn, measure an enclosure and make a square and laser the square into my fixed cardboard base I taped to my table. Works flawlessly and if I’m doing multiple 1590bb enclosures, the laser stays in the same spot so all I have to do is line the enclosure up with the square and push go

I am gonna have to try that. But I am definitely not allowed to laser a painted enclosure (we have an Epilog Mini 24 at work that I get to use) so it'll have to be bare aluminum.

 

[Vicious C]

I am gonna have to try that. But I am definitely not allowed to laser a painted enclosure (we have an Epilog Mini 24 at work that I get to use) so it'll have to be bare aluminum.

So the only reason my diode laser woks is because it removes the paint and leaves the bare aluminum exposed beneath. A diode laser cannot engrave aluminum, but can engrave steel for whatever reason. A Co2 laser might be able to do aluminum if the power is high enough, I’m guessing 40-50w output

 

[giovanni]

So the only reason my diode laser woks is because it removes the paint and leaves the bare aluminum exposed beneath. A diode laser cannot engrave aluminum, but can engrave steel for whatever reason. A Co2 laser might be able to do aluminum if the power is high enough, I’m guessing 40-50w output

Yeah the one I have access to is a 40W CO2 laser.

 

[Vicious C]

Yeah the one I have access to is a 40W CO2 laser.

Sweet! Let me know if it works! I’ve got plans to build a co2, just not sure it’s worth it for my needs at this point