salvaging enclosures/bad etches

[slashandburn]

Clearing out the shed, looking for distractions.  I have a shelf full of failed etched enclosures that it's time to do something with. Some of them are a lost cause, particularly the reverse etched ones, but a few of the others should be easy enough to fill in and sand back flat, then reuse as painted enclosures.

Some are fairly shallow and should fill in with a good few layers of paint, then I figure it'll be as simple as flattening it out and praying the whole box with etching primer before hitting it with colour and decals.  The deeper failed etches might need filled with something more like this JB Weld stuff that gets mentioned here a bit and will probably prove more problematic.

I've seen a lot of people here using faceplates on pedal to really good effect which another good solution (not that I'm implyingall of these novel ideas stem from you lot covering up your previous mistakes) and realised that theres no way I'm the only person who can't afford to just throw away all those etched enclosures that didn't work out, so I figured I'd throw throw this out there and see who is prepared to admit how they cover up their monuental %^&* up's.

I guess another more crude solution would be to drop the whole box in etchant for a bit and just hit it with a million layers of primer and then sand it for an eternity until it's somewhat flat.  An eternity, or whenever those 1590B's I ordered from China arrive. Whichever comes first.

Any and all idea's, no matter how ridiculous warmly welcomed.

Cheers
Iain

[duck_arse]

I use cloth, covers a multitude of sins. and "Sharpie" markings. but mine aren't 4 sided boxes, so they are much easier to cloth cover. I glue/silicone thick card to the metal, and relief-cut thru the card for mounting washers, for that padded look. then glue the cloth to sizing paper, then PVA glue the paper to the card, [mostly] done.

[vigilante397]

I've salvaged a reverse-etched board with a belt-sander in a pinch. The boxes are pretty thick and the etch wasn't obnoxiously deep. A friend really wanted something built but I was too lazy to actually put together an order and it was the only box I had lying around

[rutabaga bob]

Duck: I'd like to see how that looks...

[slashandburn]

Four sided boxes? Thats another interesting idea. Maybe something like this?


That does sound like a good idea, though, a padded/cushioned look. Isn't the cloth it a little hard to keep clean? 

Vigilante, yeah I quite often find myself wishing I'd spent my pillar drill cash on a half decent belt sander. I don't much fancy sanding these things down by hand.

[deadastronaut]

flip em over...

use the screw side as the top...brand new again.


call it an 'industrial look'' 

[Kipper4]

Take it to a fabrication shop and have it sand blasted.

"call it an 'industrial look''  "

Semi Steam Punk?

[duck_arse]

not 4 sided - this one copped the tiger-striped fur.


and for plain cloth, either - start with dirty cloth, or start w/ clean cloth, and spray with skotchguard.

[J0K3RX]

Steampunk you say? Get some sheet metal, cut it in squares, rectangles, circles or whatever.. and pop-rivet to the box.. Be sure to use lots of rivets 

look what this guy does! I love his work, especially his use of copper wire, odd knick-knacks, scrap and just about any small metal objects he finds!! Every pedal is a "one-of-a-kind" work of art!

click on the gallery and look at Gothic and Steampunk
http://svisound.com/index.php?lang=en

https://www.facebook.com/svisound/photos/

[vigilante397]

click on the gallery and look at Gothic and Steampunk
http://svisound.com/index.php?lang=en

I remember having seen some of his stuff a while back but couldn't remember the name and couldn't find it again. Thanks!

[slashandburn]

Some great idea's. Sorry I went all quiet. I was killing time between the final few coats of lacquer on a few (sucessfully etched!) boxes when I read deadastronaught mention "the screw side".   Forgot to prep and paint the goddamn screw sides.  Thanks man.

These are all great idea's. Rivets. Copper pipe. Cloth.  Backplates!

[GiovannyS10]

I like Duck's 4 sides enclosures that challenges the physical laws!! Too original. 
When i damage my enclosures and i can't do anything with it, i print an adhesive and use in it. Normally it cover wells the damage. You can use a little bit of durepoxy, wait it dry and repaint. Maybe will work better than JB-Weld. I don't know, never used JB before.