[simpits-tech] Laser engraving and Nice Shop

[Ido Dekkers]

you can follow this thread to see how Asi is doing the panels - :
http://viperpit.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1359&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15

they are made with clear pelxy, cut in a CNC, sprayed a few coats of white
then a few of black, them the letters are engraved in CNC

Ido

On 11/17/06, KD <chevello at rcn.com> wrote:
>
> OK, here's the way I imagine certain simulator manufacturers do the
> panels (just so you guys know. I'm not saying it's the best, but it is
> reasonably inexpensive except for the EL lighting. Those are about $120
> each, and you have to design them then buy them in 5's. Runs out to
> about 2 grand a cockpit PLUS inverters) Some sim makers use PhotoEtch or
> AMI to do the panels. That runs a few thousand per panel.
>
> Start with white TRANSLUCENT acrylic sheet, and clear acrylic sheet
> 1/16" thick. The laser engravable signing material is too opaque, and
> too thin, and too shiny, and the black layer is too thick to look right.
> Cut out the shape of the panel in both the clear and translucent. Cut a
> ring, the same size as the outside of the panel, and about 1/16" wide.
> Stack the 3 pieces and glue them together (as in laminate them so that
> the glue is spread evenly throughout the panel.) Sand the edges nice and
> smooth after the glue has dried, then paint them with a semi-flat black
> paint. The ones I have seen specify a Sherwin Williams paint, but they
> smell like Krylon. It would be worth a piece of plastic and a can of
> Krylon to see if it works. After the paint is dry, the panel goes into
> the laser, which is set to etch just through the paint and into the
> plastic a little to make sure it's even. The paint should be at least 2
> coats, and check it in the sun before you engrave, to make sure it is
> opaque.
>
> Light from behind, either with EL sheet cut out from the EL sheet place
> I liked to a while back, or mount onto a metal panel with windows where
> the text is, and light it from behind. Using LEDs makes hotspots unless
> you do it the way the type IV VII, whatevers have them with little
> silver cones in the bores, and 15 lights per panel, little light pipes
> machined into the panels, and probably 3 passes through the
> silkscreener, one silver, one white and one black.
>
> While writing this though, I wondered. I wondered if there is a paint
> that can be masked and etched chemically like the way circuit boards are
> done.
>
> See, now everyone is going to be bugging Gene to try it out :D
>
> *obligatory "OOooooooohhhhhhhssss and AAAAAHHhhhhhhhs" for the new shop*
> VERY nice. The only real answer to the floor problem is Self-Leveling
> Epoxy Flooring. mmmmmmmm, nice. Too bad about the ceiling. The words
> "back charge" comes to mind followed by "small claims court" rapidly
> followed by "no vacation left" and "Lawyers are HOW much an hour?"
>
> Ugh that was too long. I should be DOING something. Like making sure the
> garage isn't leaking as bad as the house..
>
> K
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