My first enclosure etch!

[mdh]

I'm too impatient to wait until I have the pedal all put together, so here's a shot of my first attempt at enclosure etching, with just a cursory sanding to remove the mask:



As you can see, it's far from perfect (not as good as the last "my first etch" thread), but I'm not worried about that. I think it looks pretty cool, and it's kind of a (geeky) rush to be able to etch your own artwork into an aluminum surface.  The one thing that's kind of disappointing is that I didn't do a good enough job making sure that the edges between the PNP mask and the "air bubble zones" were covered with touch-up paint.  So there are some lines here and there that I didn't intend, but overall I don't think they detract much.

I haven't decided exactly how I'll paint the etched areas.  I was initially thinking that I'd just shoot it with the closest color I can get to MXR orange, but that might bring out the flaws a bit more than I'd like.  So I'll have to think about that.

Oh, and given my initials, I couldn't resist riffing on the MXR block logo.  Don't worry, I'm not planning on selling these things, so I don't think Dunlop will come after me

That's one more big thank you to Markm for the excellent tutorial!

[darron]

it's a really cool design and you got the registration perfect! if you decide to spray it i strongly recommend that you use a polyurethane spray which is designed to spray aluminium wheels. you can imagine the advantages in strength that stuff has when you consider all of the stone chips it has to fight. if you spray it, mask up the areas which are not quite perfect. so pretty (:

i must use a different method to markm because i never get bubbles, they are kinda ironed out. but you certainly can't argue with HIS results!!

have you made the guts yet? which is the funner part? the guts or the enclosure?

i think the best bit is populating the board, just before you have to worry about debugging :S

i hope there are more designs coming! post this in the pictures thread when you are done (:

[markm]

That's one more big thank you to Markm for the excellent tutorial!

You are quite welcome Sir. I like to see you guys using my gallery, gives me a sense of "purpose"! 
I think it looks very cool!
I like the design and, I'll bet you could get more of the "imperfections" out with a bit more wet-sanding with a block.
Nice work. 

[mdh]

Thanks, guys.  I really dig the designs both of you do, so I'm glad you like it.

have you made the guts yet? which is the funner part? the guts or the enclosure?

i think the best bit is populating the board, just before you have to worry about debugging :S

I made the guts a long time ago.  I have a pretty good stock of typical components, and until I burned most of it up in an orgy of PCB etching about a month ago, a whole lot of copper clad.  So I have several boards populated and tested, but without enclosures, and another pile of etched boards waiting to be populated.  Plus, I'm so stingy about boxes that I'd never etch the name of a circuit into a box before I had the circuit built and working.

My favorite part is when you fire up the effect and it works the first time... but of course that doesn't always happen.  I kind of dread working on the enclosure, because it's so easy to screw up in ways that will be visible in the final product.

I like the design and, I'll bet you could get more of the "imperfections" out with a bit more wet-sanding with a block.
Nice work. 

Any thoughts on what grit to use at this stage?  Should I just take it slow with 600 from here on out, or do you think I could get away with 400 or even 320 to take out some of the imperfections?

[$uperpuma]

looks great man! The main problem will come if the imperfections are as deep as the desired etch... you could probably spot sand most of it then go back over the whole thing with a fine grit.. 800+ wet..

[zjokka]

It's best to use the highest grid is you and sand well in one direction only.

  I was initially thinking that I'd just shoot it with the closest color I can get to MXR orange, but that might bring out the flaws a bit more than I'd like.  So I'll have to think about that.

You could apply more than one color, I did it by masking other areas with tape.
It's not without danger because you recreating an uneven surface, and you have to sand carefully and thoughtfully.







good luck