[simpits-tech] RE: making your own panels

[Marv De Beque]

Just scour the WEB.  You will find some books or videos, too.  Try your
local library.

Marv

On 1/6/04 3:53 AM, "Ido Dekkers" <idekkers at clicksoftware.com> wrote:

> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hi Marv
> 
> Are there any good recourses for  "how to " silk screening ?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Ido
> 
> 
>                  
>            Marv De Beque
>            <mdebeque at woh.rr.
>            com>                                                       To
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>            ces at simpits.org                                            cc
>                  
>                                                                  Subject
>            01/06/2004 00:34          Re: [simpits-tech] RE: making your
>                                      own panels
>                  
>            Please respond to
>            Simulator Cockpit
>                tech list
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>                pits.org>
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> 
> 
> 
> 
> Well, if you silk screen the panel, why would you etch or mill them?  The
> silk screen can simply have the lettering blocked so that no paint is
> applied to the letters, but paints the field around them black.  That is
> what silk screening is all about.
> 
> I have done successful experiments with white spray can paint and have had
> excellent transmission of light through the paint.  Any system you adopt
> just needs to be consistent.
> 
> Again, from my experiments, clear Plexiglas is the way to go.  I think the
> frosty look is actually a surface treatment you see.  If you polish the
> plastic I would bet it is clear.  Again, knowing what I know about light
> pipes, you need an optically clear medium.  Light will reflect off the
> edges
> for two reasons.  The primary reason has to do with the actual boundary
> layer.  The n, or refractivity of the material changes at the boundary
> layer.  Adding white paint helps reflect what light does not refract back.
> 
> For example, the n for a water/glass boundary is easy to see when you drop
> a
> fork or straw into the glass.  The handle looks bent when you look down
> into
> the glass.  That same principle is how a light pipe works.  You need an
> optically transparent media.
> 
> Marv
> 
> 
> 
> On 1/5/04 3:54 PM, "Jim K." <JimK at sisna.com> wrote:
> 
>>>>>>> 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
>> 
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