jackchaos Posted November 27, 2006 Report Share Posted November 27, 2006 I have a request aimed at those of you who've sent in panel designs via FPD and had lettering and other designs carved into the surface and filled with a color.I would like to consider doing this but I've been unable to find good quality close-up photos of engraved and filled text that shows the depth and what it looks like.Could some of you be kind to take some close-up photos and upload them to this thread?Also, those of you who've used LaserTran onto painted aluminum panels, could you also post some close-up photos?Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twin-X Posted November 27, 2006 Report Share Posted November 27, 2006 I dont have macro lens yet and the lighting is not optimal but i hope these will do.Taken with canon 30d and 50mm/f1.4 lens on f2.8 to make it sharper (useless info i guess ::))1 is lazertran1 is schaefferabove the schaeffer is silkscreen you can see a little piece of it.http://www.twin-x.com/diy/_MG_1388.jpghttp://www.twin-x.com/diy/_MG_1394.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackchaos Posted November 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2006 Twin-xThanks for the great photos.I am concerned that engraved panel lettering looks too obvious and deep but your photos suggest otherwise. I can hardly tell they are engraved.Did you use the default engraving settings for the letters in FPD?What kind of printer did you use on the LaserTran paper? Did you bake it on and are you satisfied with the adhesion? I would consider LaserTran but my panel will be black and I need the lettering to be white. I do have access to a color laser printer and may get by with a lite grey color... I should test it out.Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twin-X Posted November 28, 2006 Report Share Posted November 28, 2006 Twin-xThanks for the great photos.I am concerned that engraved panel lettering looks too obvious and deep but your photos suggest otherwise. I can hardly tell they are engraved.Did you use the default engraving settings for the letters in FPD?Yes default engravings. Only i used 1 big hpgl file it reduces the cost dramatically the whole panel cost me 32 Euro. I made the layout in abacom frontdesigner and exported to hpgl that i imported in schaeffer.Drill the holes yourself and boom super cheap. Engraving is light so it's nice. unfortunatly the panel surface is smooth so you see dirty fingers very quick.What kind of printer did you use on the LaserTran paper? Did you bake it on and are you satisfied with the adhesion? I would consider LaserTran but my panel will be black and I need the lettering to be white. I do have access to a color laser printer and may get by with a lite grey color... I should test it out.I used a 150.000 euro xerox laser so i shit my pants when i first tried to print.But if you are able to select sheet paper (for overhead projector presentations) you should be good to go. Be absolutly sure it does that way. I once did it on a hp laser that defaulted to normal and my paper got melted on the roll. This is a nightmare believe me.When done i baked it in a oven. I do not think i did it right since it is not scratch proof. I have to finish it with laquer i think.ThanksNo problem fotography is a new hobby of mine. Too bad those lenses cost a fortune. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr modnaR Posted November 28, 2006 Report Share Posted November 28, 2006 No problem fotography is a new hobby of mine. Too bad those lenses cost a fortune.hey! me too! i've got a Nikon EL2. old school i know, but nice build quality. i have a really good condition 50mm F/1.8 AF Nikkor if you're interested? it came with the camera, which is not AF, so a bit pointless having it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twin-X Posted November 28, 2006 Report Share Posted November 28, 2006 hey! me too! i've got a Nikon EL2. old school i know, but nice build quality. i have a really good condition 50mm F/1.8 AF Nikkor if you're interested? it came with the camera, which is not AF, so a bit pointless having it.Nikkor lenzes does not quite fit on a canon body ;DThx for the offer though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr modnaR Posted November 28, 2006 Report Share Posted November 28, 2006 Nikkor lenzes does not quite fit on a canon body ;DThx for the offer though! ::) i know that, lol, i didn't know whether you had a nikon as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toneburst Posted December 1, 2006 Report Share Posted December 1, 2006 What kind of printer did you use on the LaserTran paper? Did you bake it on and are you satisfied with the adhesion? I would consider LaserTran but my panel will be black and I need the lettering to be white. I do have access to a color laser printer and may get by with a lite grey color... I should test it out.Printing light grey isn't going to work. Laser printers don't use white toner (though it may be possible to get specialist white cartridges for them), so to print light grey they rely on the paper being white, and print very small dots of black toner to give the effect of a light grey. On a black background, unofrtunately, you'll get nothing.Sorry to be the bearer of bad news :(Alexhttp://www.toneburst.net Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr modnaR Posted December 1, 2006 Report Share Posted December 1, 2006 i'm not 100% certain, but i think some of the higher-end laser printers have all colours needed to print on any colour paper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toneburst Posted December 1, 2006 Report Share Posted December 1, 2006 i'm not 100% certain, but i think some of the higher-end laser printers have all colours needed to print on any colour paper.Weird...they'd essentially have to print a white 'base coat' then print colours on top, in that case, so they'd need white toner. Printers work by laying down dots of coloured ink at varying sizes, so unless they're printing one or more of the colours at maximum dot-size (so the dots overlap), the ground they're printed on is always going to show through. Having said that, some printers are obviously capable of printing onto coloured materials- I'm thinking of coloured prints onto fabrics, for example. But this is done using a silk-screen or similar process, and I'm pretty sure they have to print a white base first if they want to have graduated tone in the print.All conjecture, of course, but it sounds convincing, doesn't it...;)Alexhttp://www.toneburst.netIncidentally, shameless self-promotion, I know, but check out my website; I've added a nice little QuickTime video of the kind of thing I'm intending to do at my live gig in January. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr modnaR Posted December 1, 2006 Report Share Posted December 1, 2006 i think it's dot density rather than dot size on inkjets, i'm pretty sure it's the same for lasers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toneburst Posted December 4, 2006 Report Share Posted December 4, 2006 i think it's dot density rather than dot size on inkjets, i'm pretty sure it's the same for lasers.That's true about inkjets. Laser printers tend to use a halftone screen process. The dot density remains constant, and is fixed to a strict grid, but the diameter of the dots is varied. Laser printers are much more precise that inkjets, which tend to spray dots around a bit randomly (albeit very small dots, over a very small area).Alexhttp://www.toneburst.net Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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