screen printing on pedal enclosures

[estch71]

Hey all,

I'm looking to do some screen printing for my enclosures but have a few questions, if anyone knows how this is done.  My first question is, can I print over a painted housing?  I'm assuming yes but, I just wanted to make sure.   

Second question - I'm googling paint types but, does anyone have a preferred paint that they use?

Third - Clear coating.  Yes or no after the screen printing?

Thanks!

[reverberation66]

     yes, you can screenprint over a painted housing.  The best stuff to use is a product called 1 shot lettering enamel.  You may need to thin it a little for screenprinting but not necessarily.  You can use any old printing ink as well, however you will most definitely need to then clear coat it afterwards as the inks won't last long if handled repeatedly.  The one shot is pretty durable and I usually don't bother with clearcoating if I use it. 

[rogerinIowa]

i've never used that one shot ink, but it sounds really good.

I have used epoxy ink from the company Ryonet. you will also need a finer mesh screen, I think mine are #310's. Hint: you can just have a silk screening shop make your screens, and you can put several pedal designs on one large screen....then use clear packing tape to cover the ones you arent using when you screen the design you want. If you do your own artwork in CorelDraw ( which lots of screenprinters use) you can save yourself the art setup charge that the screen maker will charge. My last screen had 6  different 125c enclosure size designs on it, and it cost me 35.00 at a local screenprinter because all they had to do was make the screen itself: I had already done all the art for the pedals and laid them out, so no art charge.

You will need to thin the epoxy ink a little bit to get a good result. Let it dry 24 hours. it wears like iron because it is made for sign making use. No need to clear coat either. I buy pre-powder coated enclosures from small bear and then use silver, black, or white inks depending on the design and the color of the powder coat.

I bought a simple but rugged metal screen press, it is only for one single screen at a time. I had to mod it by putting longer bolts in it because the screen press wasnt meant to be used with objects that are as thick as pedal enclosures...the presses are designed for thin items like t shirts and paper. Works like a charm with really good results. If you want to get really fancy you can have multiple colors by letting the first color dry, adding another screen for an alternate color, or just moving the screen a 1/8" off alignment of the previous print so you can get a 2 color offset effect, sort of like a drop shadow.

Just some ideas for you.

[Beo]

i've never used that one shot ink, but it sounds really good.

I have used epoxy ink from the company Ryonet. you will also need a finer mesh screen, I think mine are #310's. Hint: you can just have a silk screening shop make your screens, and you can put several pedal designs on one large screen....then use clear packing tape to cover the ones you arent using when you screen the design you want. If you do your own artwork in CorelDraw ( which lots of screenprinters use) you can save yourself the art setup charge that the screen maker will charge. My last screen had 6  different 125c enclosure size designs on it, and it cost me 35.00 at a local screenprinter because all they had to do was make the screen itself: I had already done all the art for the pedals and laid them out, so no art charge.

You will need to thin the epoxy ink a little bit to get a good result. Let it dry 24 hours. it wears like iron because it is made for sign making use. No need to clear coat either. I buy pre-powder coated enclosures from small bear and then use silver, black, or white inks depending on the design and the color of the powder coat.

I bought a simple but rugged metal screen press, it is only for one single screen at a time. I had to mod it by putting longer bolts in it because the screen press wasnt meant to be used with objects that are as thick as pedal enclosures...the presses are designed for thin items like t shirts and paper. Works like a charm with really good results. If you want to get really fancy you can have multiple colors by letting the first color dry, adding another screen for an alternate color, or just moving the screen a 1/8" off alignment of the previous print so you can get a 2 color offset effect, sort of like a drop shadow.

Just some ideas for you.

Now this is the picture tutorial I would love to see. Screenprinting has always been the holy mecca in my opinion, but I haven't had enough confidence to make the investment. The youtubes for tshirt screen printing don't seem representative enough of what is required to do an aluminum enclosure or a faceplate / control panel. Can the screenprinters you've worked with create screens with detailed fonts? EZ Screen Print HD is the stuff I was considering, but if a pro shop can do small fonts, that sounds best.

[rogerinIowa]

Im sure there are members here that are WAY more skilled and articulate than me on this subject. i have been lurking here for years, and have have only been a member for a few years.

I dont even know how to add pictures to posts,so I would have to search out how. but im willing too if there is enough interest.

that being said, I am a font junky....the screen printer i use here in a little town in Iowa can recreate any font I use down to about 6 pt.  and that is pretty small. thats the reason that you need fine mesh screens for this work, so that the detail is not lost. printing T shirts you would use a screen with mesh like #200 or so, because the ink is thicker and the details are not that important.

SO, I will research what it would take and perhaps do a tutorial if there is interest. bear in mind this is MY trial and error take on screen printing control plates and enclosures, so there may be others with differing opinions and techniques...I only know what works well for me.

roger

[Beo]

Im sure there are members here that are WAY more skilled and articulate than me on this subject. i have been lurking here for years, and have have only been a member for a few years.

I dont even know how to add pictures to posts,so I would have to search out how. but im willing too if there is enough interest.

that being said, I am a font junky....the screen printer i use here in a little town in Iowa can recreate any font I use down to about 6 pt.  and that is pretty small. thats the reason that you need fine mesh screens for this work, so that the detail is not lost. printing T shirts you would use a screen with mesh like #200 or so, because the ink is thicker and the details are not that important.

SO, I will research what it would take and perhaps do a tutorial if there is interest. bear in mind this is MY trial and error take on screen printing control plates and enclosures, so there may be others with differing opinions and techniques...I only know what works well for me.

roger

If you have time, that would be awesome. Best way would probably be to capture some detailed pics next time you do an enclosure screen print, paste them into a file (like MS Word) where you can add some descriptive text, and then save as a PDF. There's lots of sites that let you load and host a pdf, and then you only need to link it in a post.
Travis

[rogerinIowa]

thanks for the good advice on making the tutorial!

Any of you reading this thread, is there any general interest in learning these techniques? If there are  a few folks I will do it.

When I think of what i have learned on this forum it is just staggering: the people here have literally taught me what i know about this hobby thru their posts over the years.
If I could give back in some way, like a humble tutorial, I would do it.

Thanks all of you for what you do here to aid us all in our hobby/obsession!

Rogeriniowa

[tubegeek]

Any of you reading this thread, is there any general interest in learning these techniques?

Does a Nebraskan husk corn?

[davent]

Earthscum shared some of his experience with screening enclosures quite a while back.

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=98385.msg859802#msg859802

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=95494.msg828586#msg828586

[thelonious]

Any of you reading this thread, is there any general interest in learning these techniques? If there are  a few folks I will do it.

I'd definitely be interested in your take on it!

[rogerinIowa]

Earthscum is showing some fine multiocolor work, very fine work. My stuff is usually one color and simple these days, registering screen alignment is a pain with a cheap single screen press. ill think about it and if i do I ll take the advice earlier in the thread and do a photo spread with details hosted offsite in PDF format.

thanks to you all for your interest, feel free to PM me if you need more immediate guidance and Ill help if I can.

rogeriniowa

[therealfindo]

Any of you reading this thread, is there any general interest in learning these techniques? If there are  a few folks I will do it.



Rogeriniowa

yes, please!

[Kipper4]

I'd be interested to see that too. Even if it's over my head right now. Who knows in the future.
Thanks