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Base theme by DesignModo & ported to Powered by Vanilla by Chris Ireland, modified by the "theFB" team.
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Designs will be interesting to see when completed!
I might try the joker one again sometime if I can work out how to etch the black and then paint on the colour. Not quite worked out how to approach it yet though and I think I would have a go at some simpler etches first.
I print my design on acetate, making several copies. Layer up your copies so that they match perfectly (i.e. each layer is exactly on top of the other) and carefully tape them together so that they won't move about. Take some time over this step. Make sure that your layered image is very opaque. Some people print their image so that the ink is on the side of the acetate that touches the enclosure (i.e. flipped, so that you're looking through the acetate to see your design) but if you're layering your acetate anyway it might not be worth the trouble.
Then lay your multilayer acetate on the top of the (coated) enclosure. Make sure that it is flat. You may find it helpful to put a piece of glass over the acetate (flat Pyrex bowl will do in a pinch). Use a UV light to expose your image (lots of options for lights that produce UV). Time your exposure, note it down for next time.
Develop the photoresist and gently wipe away the bits that have been dissolved. Rinse well and take care not to overdevelop. The photoresist isn't very tough so handle it gently.
You may be surprised how little exposure time you need (although that'll depend on how bright/UVish/close your light source is).
You might have to fill in any gaps where photoresist has been removed that shouldn't have been. You can sometimes get away with using permanent marker for this, or nail varnish, paint, plastic electrical tape, however there are etch resistant pens that you can buy too. Go to some trouble to quality check your photoresist (and start again if it's no good - e.g. over or underexposed or blurry; it should be really sharp).
Before I etch I carefully tape up the sides of the enclosure and any large areas on the top that I want to protect. The enclosure will float in the etching solution but you don't (I assume) want the sides to be etched/damaged. I also put a loop of tape on the inside of the enclosure so I can wiggle it about a bit while it is etching. Alternatively some people keep the enclosure face up and then dribble/pipette small quantities of the solution on the top of the enclosure.
Don't overetch. Keep an eye on how your etch is progressing and clear any bubbles, etched material, etc regularly. Make sure that all of the area that you want to etch is being etched. Don't overetch!
I don't think that you really need to etch all that deeply to get a good result. In fact I have a sense that the deeper you go the more likely you are to lose definition and end up with a less sharp image. Experiment but you will probably find that a slightly shallow (but very sharp) etch looks better than a really deep but blurry one.
Carefully wash your enclosure, remove all the tape and then remove the photoresist (use a little alcohol). You can fill the etch with permanent black marker to accentuate it or spray it with paint then sand it back (so that only the etch contains your paint, contrasting metallic paint looks quite nice) or add a waterslide, apply different colours of paint with a brush, etc...
Note that your enclosure can get hot when etching. The etching solution (I assume you'll use Ferric Chloride) is pretty nasty stuff and can easily damage you, your clothes, work surfaces, your house, pets... you get the picture. So treat it with respect and don't rush anything, spill it, etc.
Prep your enclosure well. Sand it so that it is really smooth, clean and flat before you apply the photoresist. Spray the resist on enclosures in batches and then you can dry/keep them in a box out of the light, ready for the etching stage.
Oh and don't drill the enclosure before you etch (obvious, I know, but...!) You may find it helpful to include some drill centre spots in your etch though. You might get away with using a single acetate but it's probably safer to double/triple your layers to be more certain of stopping the UV getting through.
Hope this helps be sure to share your results!
There's a little... "pinning"(?) where you can see the acid got through where it shouldn't have (the etch is very deep) but it isn't bad. The metallic paint looks a bit flaky but is OK in the flesh.
Good luck with the iron on method. I tried it using a good laser printer, genuine toner, decent iron... and got absolutely nowhere! Others get good results though so it'll be interesting to see how you get on.
I'll see if I can snap some other pedals when I have a moment.
BTW - how's the Envirotex?
The ET is looking good. Does it go properly hard? If I dig my thumbnail into the ET (where the drill holes are, obvs) it still makes a slight mark. I am unlikely to have a chance to do anything til tomorrow night at the earliest, but more likely the weekend so it has time to cure for a bit longer yet.
I’m positive it’s not a mistake by tayda because in 3 years I’ve never once been missing an item in a delivery from them.
Thanks border force good job