frequencycentral OHP Transparency Graphic Technique Photo Essay

[KazooMan]

Boy am I frustrated.  I have been trying to put labels on pedals using either waterslide decals or (preferably) FreqC's technique with transparency stock.  I am not having what I would call success.  

I have been trying to use a single decal or transparency for each face of the pedal.  For the waterslide decals I end up having real problems around the holes in the box.  I can't get all of the air bubbles out and when I do they come back as the decal dries.

I would much rather use the transparency method, but I am having some problems.  I have my box sanded as smooth as possible, and then carefully painted with either and acrylic paint or lacquer (doesn't matter).  This would be a light background color that shows through the >95% clear label (just a border and text for the controls) .  I make the transparency and carefully trim it to size.  Now comes the fun (tongue-in-cheek comment) part.  If I put down a light layer of clearcoat to attach the transparency I cannot get rid of air bubbles trapped under the plastic.  If I push and squeeze too much I end up with problems as the clear coat attacks the existing finish and things start to smear around.  If I put down more clear coat and carefully "roll" the transparency onto the surface I can get a nice, clear result.  The problem is, this will never completely "cure".  I did a few several weeks ago and covered them with two light coats of clearcoat over the following days.  They looked great...... for a short time.  Small bubbles started to appear after a few days and this problem continued to grow over time.  Now the result is totally unacceptable.  I decided to pry up the corner of one of the labels and it is obvious that the clearcoat under the transparency film has not cured.  It is still soft and reeks of solvent.  Not a real surprise, I guess.  

I have gone through at least ten or more tries without success.  I have gone through a lot of acetone stripping the box followed by repriming and finishing.    

I also tried a spray adhesive that I thought wouldn't work and it didn't.  

Is there any way to do these labels with mostly clear transparencies?  I realize that if I had artwork over the entire label the small air bubbles would not be a problem

[jdub]

One thing I've found very helpful with this technique is "cooking" the newly coated box under a desk lamp with a 40 or 60 watt bulb.  I use Krylon clear gloss, and it seems to work pretty well; the important thing with the adhesive coat is to get just enough on to "float" the transparency, but not too much. The lamp I use has a gooseneck on it that allows me to get it pretty close (3 to 6 inches) to the box so it gets a good dose of heat, and this seems to do a couple of things: first, it heats up the still-wet clear coat and makes it less viscous, thereby allowing it to level itself beneath the transparency, and this seems to eliminate any bubbles (although I don't usually get too many); second, it heats the metal of the box itself, which helps to dry the adhesive coat beneath the transparency by effectively heating it from two sides at once.  Before starting to use the lamp I also had the problem of this layer never drying. 

The only drawback I've noticed is on the sides of the box- when the fresh clearcoat is heated (thus thinned), it naturally follows gravity and tends to ripple towards the the bottom of the sides, requiring some fine sanding & recoating later.  Its not too bad though, if you're careful with the thickness of successive coats (I do 4-5 thin ones).  It's also kinda tough to get enough coat on the top to conceal the edges of the transparency and still not have it roll over the edges and make drips.  Overall, though, I've gotten very nice results from this method.

Hope this helps.

[Steve S]

well heres how it turned out after three different attempts (my hands are sore from sanding) im not really happy with the finish as the ink bled on the left and the clearcoat didnt tae well to the transparency (i like the clearcoat thick and shiny)

http://s111.photobucket.com/albums/n121/knealebrown/?action=view&current=IMG_0398-1.jpg&newest=1

So besides the one which you are referencing, there are a lot of great results in your photo album.  Are those later attempts?  They look really nice.   If not the same technique, then how did you do them?

Thanks!

Steve

[Pigyboy]

Hi Rick,
I was reading in the initial post of the ink bleeding and the image blurring over time. How have your older ones aged?
Thanks

[frequencycentral]

Hi Rick,
I was reading in the initial post of the ink bleeding and the image blurring over time. How have your older ones aged?
Thanks

These photos were taken a few minutes ago. I built the Pepper Shredder in August 2008, and the Multimode Filter in December 2008. No problems there. I've really only found bleeding issues where I have used excessively dark images - lots of black. Where bleed has occured, it's happened within a month or so, if it ain't bleeded in that time it ain't going to. I still do use black, especially as thin lines around lettering, but I keep it subtle.

[Pigyboy]

Hmmmm. 
They look like you just made them!

[benjamin_izzo]

Ok, 24 hours later, and the clear has completely dried. Now for my least favourite part, cutting away the transparency around the pre-drilled holes.

If this is your least favorite part Mr. Rick, due in part to lifting the graphic slightly and muddling the image, then i have a pretty easy solution that might just work for you.

If you attempt this, i recommend wearing a mask that is vapor proof to avoid inhaling carcinogens. that said onto the solution.

take your junkiest soldering iron tip that has been oxidized to hell and back, or pop on the tip that you would sooner use as a flat head screw driver than as an soldering tool, and fire up the iron. blast (phaser style) through the holes and watch out for lingering around the drill-hole for long to avoid discoloration.

test in an inconspicuous area blah blah blah

worked for me

no more xacto blade, razor knife or lifted graphics messing with my day... just cancer...

thanks again for being such an excellent resource Rick.
between you RG, Mirosol, IvIark, Hammer, and Kallas, my inspiration for building effects is credited to you six alone.

[nosamiam]

Something just occurred to me: Why not turn the enclosure over so the transparency is against a hard surface and cut from the back of the box??!!

No lifting!! Just press down on the enclosure so it doesn't move, use a sharp, pointy X-acto, and cut!

[VidSicious]

This is a great guide and I am saying a big thanks to frequencycebtral for making it. I've just done my second enclosure using this technique and it does work pretty well. I haven't tried waterslide decals yet but I think I'll stick to transparency paper for a while (or at least until I run out of my 50 sheets).

I have actually cut the holes through transparency from the inside of the enclosure on a cutting mat. It's pretty easy but you still have to trim the edges from the other side.

A little warning though. Do not try this on black or dark enclosures. It will not be possible to see anything. I've done this mistake and I simply sanded off the top of enclosure so there's no paint and then redid the transparency.

Here is my first go at this. The transparency actually lifted slightly around of the LED holders. Next time I won't use bezels that require screwing or I won't use any bezels at all.

[LightSoundGeometry]

this forum is awesome, all i got.

[duck_arse]

mmmmmmm - rat pie.

[VidSicious]

mmmmmmm - rat pie.

I call this one The PiRat. But I did actually consider calling it The Rat Pie. Maybe next time

[duck_arse]

exxcccelllantt!

[blackieNYC]

This certainly deserves a bump, but I do have a question, or a poll really, on a couple issues from the thread: you really can't tighten the nuts for pots and switches all the way?
Even when there is a washer?  FC doesn't tighten his all the way, but his method of having all the pots mounted to perf to keep them in place is not an option for me. My pots are almost never mounted to anything but the chassis. Do lock washers actually help? I would think you still have to tighten them to about the same degree.
Are any users of (non-adhesive backed)clear acetate finding controls tightening to be a problem? Anyone have a fix or preventative measure?
The soldering iron tip method of clearing the holes of label material is certainly an intriguingly lazy technique. I like it.  Anyone had problems with it?
One more - you want the transparency to "float"? Does this require enough clear coat that squeegeeing squeezes a significant amount of coat out the edges?
Thanks

[davent]

Tightening the knob nuts? That's what the little nub,( everyone wants to break off), is for. You can drill a hole partway through an enclosure, enough for a shortened nub to sit in and prevent the knob  spinning while tightening. An inner toothed star lock washer can do the job but the thickness of the washer plus the extra thickness of the art may not leave enough bushing for the the nut to grab onto. I'd recommend the nub and hole.

If you're using big knobs you could driill the nub hole all the way through or you're doing a fullface transparency so a nub hole all the way through would be covered up anyways.

[blackieNYC]

Didn't think the Hammond was thick enough. Good point but - stompswitches, toggles, sometimes I top mount jacks- does everyone face this "dimple" problem in tightening the hardware?

[duck_arse]

subpanels, as I always say. but they take thread length too.

[blackieNYC]

Well, you don't always say enough for the search function apparently.    So, whatcha talking about? You mean for the pot tab? I'll search your posts. Thanks.