[simpits-tech] RE: making your own panels

[Jim K.]

 >>>>>Message: 1
From: Marv De Beque <mdebeque at woh.rr.com>
Subject: Re: [simpits-tech] RE: making your own PANELS
Use clear Plexiglas not translucent or opaque and spray paint the all sides
(top, bottom, and sides) white with a uniform coat.
Turn the panel upside down and spray paint the back and sides flat black.
Silkscreen the top layer flat black with acrylic paint.
Marv>>>>>>>>>>>>

Marv,
That would definitely be a good way to make the panels. You could also mill 
the lettering into the panel.

If you are going to make panels that you can backlight then you need to 
make sure the white paint you use allows light to pass through.   Applying 
the black top coat of paint via silk screening should produce a nice 
uniform thickness of paint which would allow you to laser etch the 
lettering into the panel.

I think the big obstacle in making your own backlight panels is determining 
the panel material and the correct paint to use that both allow light to 
easily shine thru.

A clear piece of plexiglas might not be the best solution for the panel 
since the LED light (or whatever you use for a light source) would not 
diffuse very much and it would be more like a spot of light.   But I would 
have to do some testing to really check that out.   Hopefully something 
easily obtainable like plexiglas would work as opposed to some sort of 
unobtainium.  :-)

I know the material the real panels use have a sort of hazy, milky 
look.   I actually think the real panels are epoxy filled.

The real panels I have taken apart have that hazy center section or 
"plate".   The plate is then covered with a white "paint" layer that is 
about 0.010" thick and then the whole thing is painted with a layer of 
black paint again in the 0.010" thick range.
Jim