Post your laser etched builds.

[darron]

posted these in the 'pictures!' thread too, but they were done with the CO2 laser:

old artwork, but the finish was interesting:
dormant purple base coat, engraved dark background image, white powder coat for text fill, final clear powder coat:


another one with candy green powder coat and black powder fill:

[GiovannyS10]

Darron, how you make to paint over the etche? Very good your pedals.

[Sleepless Matt]

Hi Darron. How do you achieve those finishes using the laser? Looks great!

[darron]

Hi Darron. How do you achieve those finishes using the laser? Looks great!

thanks. sorry i missed the questions until now. i posed a similar response in the regular pictures! thread.

first it's powder coated for the base colour. and then a couple of medium coats of clear powder coat just not he top. don't spray too much clear at once or it will cloud up, so 10 mins in the oven min between. then engrave down to the metal at the bottom and fill it the fill powder colour. wipe off as much excess with a squeegee as you can, and use a wet rag for the real excess. especially if you have anything near the corers or edges because sanding them is very dangerous later, you might sand through the base colour.

bake it and sand off and over-fill. then give it one final coat of powder clear.


i think that's about it. the principal is there anyway. if anybody does something similar please let me know because i haven't seen anything playing around like this yet.





for the purple one, the black text was just a very low power setting to mark the powder. a lot of powders i've found will change colour when marked and then have the clear powder applied on top.

[Sleepless Matt]

Thanks for the explanation. I have be given a semi permanent loan of an 80W laser and I am experimenting with different options for tube amp face plates.

[darron]

Thanks for the explanation. I have be given a semi permanent loan of an 80W laser and I am experimenting with different options for tube amp face plates.

the laser plastics are almost perfect there. you can cut all the hardware holes of course in the same job. i used to work for Ulbrick amps where he engraved 3mm acrylic and lit it up with an LED.

[Groovenut]

Not nearly as pretty as the Dazatronyx stuff (simply amazing colors ad graphic on those!)

White powder coat, laser etch, black back fill.... nothing fancy 

Here's what it sounds like too

[GiovannyS10]

Very nice stuff Groovenut! I really loved it! I want one on my pedalboard! Hahahahaha 

[Mgt280y]

Dragging an old one up but I'm looking for a co2 laser for doing powder coat etch, would this one do the job and has anyone got experience with this particular machine?
Much thanks in advance
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/172119805976

[darron]

Dragging an old one up but I'm looking for a co2 laser for doing powder coat etch, would this one do the job and has anyone got experience with this particular machine?
Much thanks in advance
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/172119805976

hey. i was going to reply to your PM, but maybe it would be good to open a (tiny) discussion on the hardware people use here too. i'm interested too actually.
i believe people are using setups like that here. i was originally looking at buying something similar. bang for buck, if it works and then dies that i guess you can get another one.

i'm using an epilog mini 18 (18x12"). it's only 25W, so it doesn't look like wattage of 40W would be a problem. assuming you get a similar sort of effect per-watt from each.

i don't want to sound like i'm rubbing it in, but people ask me a lot - the system i have was AU$20,000. So I'm assuming results may vary and I can't really comment on the cheap Chinese ones yet. My guess is that for a hobby level it might be good to test the waters, but if you're building pedals daily then it might be less fun.

another cost was the exhaust extraction, but that's only $100-$200 from a hardware shop. Mine is 750W. it's not so much to stop you breathing in the fumes, but to suck the smokes out ASAP before they get a chance to land on the mirrors. for me replacing the mirrors is VERY expensive. when i see the tiny fans on the chinese models it shows me they don't care about this, so maybe not expecting long service. even replacing the laser tube costs thousands so again it's funny to compare.

the vids showing the chinese machines in action look okay? i can say, with this machine the accuracy is very good. you could literally run the same job 1000x and not have any variation or see a pixel a tiny bit out. it's also VERY fast so that might be something you'd be happy to sacrifice. who cares how long it takes if it's for a hobby?

hopefully somebody else with a similar machine can give input and personal results

well, the epilog has been going with MUCH abuse and without professional servicing (i've been doing it) since 2005. so i'd highly recommend it for industry work. i've replaced a few mirrors and just recently had the mother board blow up, which i repaired myself (this issue was fixed many revisions ago however).


i like to tell people, it won't solve all of your problems. i use the laser in "SOME WAY" to put on all of my artwork, but it's often a work around with filling powders or maybe making a plate etc. most colour won't look the best engraved because you can get the dull-grey metal colour underneath and not enough contrast for the image to look nice. i also use if for making my circuit boards, but it won't etch directly into copper. so i spray paint them and engrave the paint as a negative and still use acid.

[Mgt280y]

Hi thanks for the reply, I'm really tempted as for the price if it works on a hobby level and gives good result it's a winner and I guess upgrading parts my be an option long term if needed, I'm hoping someone has/is using one to offer some experience thanks

[darron]

should post this here too. artwork done with an epilog CO2 laser.
https://scontent-syd1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/13613404_1166483610068714_4606693295780465868_o.jpg

[darron]

another one with powder coating and co2 laser etching for the fill:

[darron]

i put down clear powder on the top, before the black. so there residue left from the bottom layer is invisible. surface just brushed with a rough grit random orbital sand.

scrambler clone:

[vigilante397]

Darron, I've said it before and I'll say it again; I'm a huge fan of everything you've ever done

[bloxstompboxes]

Darron, I've said it before and I'll say it again; I'm a huge fan of everything you've ever done

Second that!

[GiovannyS10]

Darron, I've said it before and I'll say it again; I'm a huge fan of everything you've ever done

I make mine your words!!! Third that! 

[darron]

thanks guys. looks like lasers are picking up. glad to share in the fun.

[slashandburn]

Holy moly.  Those are incredible darron.

Plus. Lasers and stuff.

Here I am getting my hands dirty and shortening my lifespan etching with chemicals like a chump!

[darron]

lasers rock! thanks!

originally acid etches were my favourite tack for an enclosure, by far. but i always had trouble getting perfect resists, so i actually bought the laser thinking it would just help me with acid etching. dunno where the idea changed.

repost from the main pictures thread: