Painting and graphics on a new pedal

[tdkrause]

I'm building an overdrive pedal and I need to know the best way to handle the paint and graphics.  I was planning on getting pre-painted Hammond boxes and using water slide decals then putting a clear coat over that.  Is there a better and more durable way to do this?  I am only using three colors and very simple graphics.  I have no idea how the pro's do it but I definitely don't want something that's going to chip away or rub off.

[Cardboard Tube Samurai]

Search for user: frequencycentral's method of using a reversed image on an overhead transparency sheet

[deadastronaut]

if you can live with a metal finished box i'd go for an etch...this will last for eternity......

and looks cool too..

search for : etching tutorial....

waterslide is ok..but paint and laquer chip....over time..


rob.

[KazooMan]

Rick's great tutorial is here:

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=77001.0

[DougH]

Another option is to buy a pre-powdercoated box or powdercoat it yourself. I powdercoat the box, then do the graphics on vinyl bumper sticker material with an ink jet printer. Hit the sticker with a couple coats of clear coat and apply to the top of the box. This works real well.

Here's an example: http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/DougH/phaser/IMG_0103.JPG.html

[olivero1]

I know this is an old post, but I thought I would add my results and technique to this great idea.

I use a HP LaserJet 1200 and I picked up HP LaserJet Printer Transparency Film (92296T).

On my first try I printed the image in reverse and used the primary paint as an adhesive to apply the decal. Here is how it turned out:

By olivero1 at 2011-06-02

Notice that my printer is black only, and I thought I would like some color so I tried it again with a different pedal I am working on.

Here is how I did it:

I printed the graphic normally (non reversed). Then I used antique white acrylic paint and painted the back of the graphic:

By olivero1 at 2011-06-02

I then cut out the graphic (after 24 hours to let the paint dry).
I glued the "decal" onto the pedal using Elmer's School glue and let it dry over night.

The image above is after the 1st clear coat of paint. I am using Polyurethane Gloss Clear Finish for the top coat.

I am finding that having the toner on the top and the acrylic paint on the back gives the best results and the toner is fused to the film so that it does not "smear" when it is painted with the clear coat.

I really like the results that this technique is creating and I think I will continue to use it. I think on my next graphic job I will use a "glass" painting technique and colorize the entire graphic by hand.  

Here is an example of a test I did on a graphic I messed up:


By olivero1 at 2011-06-02

BTW -  will post the finished pics of these builds in the pictures thread once I finish them!


By olivero1 at 2011-06-02

EDIT: I just niticed that I posted in the wrong topic. SORRY. I meant to put it in Rick H. Post on transparencies.

[Widows]

Nice!! I know this is an old thread but thanks for sharing that, gonna give it a go myself. Does the image have to be black, or can you use other colours as well?

cheers

[GibsonGM]

That is really great work, and a nice technique that most anyone could follow to get similar results. Thanks for posting it!   

One thing I'd like to point out, though...if you use acrylic ("latex") paint anywhere on a project, it is ok to apply it on top of a spray primer or paint. BUT: I am worried that using a polyurethane-based clear coat might be a bad idea.   You may want to get some water-based clear coat and use that instead.
   
Poly ('oil based') and latex ('water based') are not compatible, and over some time (short time, long time, no idea) you might get bubbling/separation of layers.
You can apply water base over oil, but not the other way around.

I'm a professional painter.  99.9% of my painting is on wood or sheetrock....I have no idea how poly over latex will work out on METAL, because the way it lifts on wood is by water vapor passing thru the wood, latex, and bubbling the poly.   Clearly this won't happen with metal.  So, the risk is yours to assume, I guess.  Can't go wrong using the same base for all of it, however...I do, and have fine results.   

Has the poly on acrylic worked well for you for a long time, Olivero?

[duck_arse]

gibson, I have used water based, interior, acrylic paint through an airbrush. estapol water based clear satin polyurethane airbrused over the top. I think they both have a nice flatness, no glare, and the result is a slight texture as well, to the finish. I haven't had any problems with this method yet.

I like the water based-edness, and the fact that both are just about dry by the time they reach the surface.

acrylic = latex?

[GibsonGM]

Yes, acrylic = latex, or at least 'water based'.  So according to "the rules", you are doing it exactly right.    In the world of house painters, putting a solvent base over an acrylic is THE ultimate no-no.   NO idea what would happen on non-porous items like metal, tho, so I cannot make a judgement other than to say 'try it first'. 

I like the solvent bases for just about everything....basically, spray paints.  Lots of nasty odor, but fast-drying and hard-wearing.
 
A nice airbrush rig would be nice, and would make it worth experimenting with acrylics!

[duck_arse]

acrylic/latex, where will it end. I know which one I'd rather have my clothes made from. special clothes, not for everyday wear, you understand.

gibson, as a professional, has anyone ever tried to sell you second hand paint?

[GibsonGM]

Not to literally SELL me, no - but I have had customers want me to use old paint, which had frozen in a garage over the winter! 
It is very bad form to use old paint.  For any job I do, I buy new product.   People are paying good money to have me there, after all.

There are 1 or 2 products that I just keep around from job to job, certain primers and stain killers, but everything else would be purchased new. If a store owner offered me secondhand paint, I'd reject it, but none ever have.

Some of the products we use, you COULD make latex clothing from, they're so high-build!!

Did that happen to you?

[duck_arse]

"I bought some paint second hand; it came in the shape of a house" - stephen wright

I used old yellow paint on my desktop. it has never cured properly, and anything that might be classified as a solvent just lifts and sticks as soon as it gets near. and it looks like a banana.

[GibsonGM]

Was is oil based paint?  Over latex, it will do that; it acts like it never cures....

If it's latex, it's probably just crap.    Denatured alcohol would be my "go to" product for removing it, if it's latex.

[duck_arse]

@ gibson - I have 3 paint related questions for you:

1) is the "IBM beige" that is applied to millions of pc's properly called epoxy paint, or something else?
2) is it a suitable base for over-painting, or should it all go?

[GibsonGM]

I don't know a lot about industrial coatings, Duck, being a residential repaint specialist (house painter!)...but I'm pretty sure it's either a powder coat or something sprayed with a solvent base.     Both would mean, to me, "oil based" in terms of its composition.  And therefore OK to paint over with latex, provided you prep it right. 

Best way to approach stuff like that is to quick-sand it with something like 220 or finer paper, hit it with 2 coats of auto primer, and then paint over it.  The primer will bond well to the existing coating, and also provide a micro-porous surface for new stuff to adhere to.  The real enemy of paint is shiny-ness...makes subsequent coats not stick.     So, try that, and test to see if the new paint is hard after 2 days, would be my advice.

NO need to remove it, just scuff & prime, and save tons of labor )

[aballen]

I've tried a lot of different methods, and my etches never turn out quite like the ones I see online.  I would really love to get batter at that. 

You can always etch a faceplate, I like this approach because I can toss the etched board and start over pretty easily without wrecking an enclosure.

A couple of examples:





Also if you are looking to do waterslides I find that a full face graphic done on white laser paper works really well.  The clear paper only works when your enclosure.  The inkjet stuff just does not work for me, I think it is because my printer is really  "pigment" not ink.  Check out JuanSolo s tutorial, its really good.  He does full face graphics and envirotex(just on the face) very nicely.

http://juansolo.demon.co.uk/stompage/