using a letter punch for front panel labeling

Greetings,

I'm thinking of using letter punches to label up a front panel on the 1290 pres I'm working on.

Would it be better to use aluminum or steel for the panel?

Once I have the letters punched, I was thinking I could paint over the letters then buff the panel with steel wool so that the paint remains in the embossed parts. I've never worked on a front panel before so I have no idea if this would actually work.

Thanks!

-mtw

I've been tempted to try this on a few things, but have not yet. Cheap enough to get the stamps, practice for a looooong time on some scrap. it will be slow going, I think.

At the very least I would mask off the labeled areas with tape to prevent accidental scrapes from runaway dies. I've been hunting around to see if anyone makes a jig, and found a British company that makes one, but they want £91.00 :!: and it's designed to make tags for horticultural use.

I wonder if I could make my own with a couple pieces of wood. At least that would help with the horizontal alignment....

Ultimately I don't mind if the letters aren't perfectly aligned, sometimes I dig the rough around the edges look.

It might play out nice in your head, but I think it'll be very hard to get a decent result.

ive done this type of labeling for years.

i am the chief builder of a boutique pedal company...

here's some examples... maybe this will help

(the bottom one is the best example):

http://www.in-visiontech.com/products.htm

[quote author="Lo-Fi"]ive done this type of labeling for years.

i am the chief builder of a boutique pedal company...

here's some examples... maybe this will help

(the bottom one is the best example):

http://www.in-visiontech.com/products.htm[/quote]YES!! This is almost exactly what I had in my head.

I had also thought of making small labels to affix to the case. Have you punched into anodized aluminum or tried to paint the labels? I assume you are using garden variety rivets to keep the labels stuck to the boxes?

it's labor intensive, but here is the procedure:

1. purchase a piece of strip aluminum (you can get this at lowes, hobby lobby, home depot, michaels, crafts etc). get the thinnest one - it'll come in about 3-4 foot sections.

2. i sand it with 100 grit all over.

3. then i stamp it... it's going to take some getting used to...as far as spacing..keep in mind that you'll need to drill a hole in between each set of words; on both sides of the label. take this into account before you cut it.

4. i cut mine on a vise with a hacksaw, but a pair of good snips or a break will do a good job too.

5. i would drill your holes first, cause it's easier to hold onto the stock.

6. then i grind down the edges of each label....get a cup of cold water cause it can get real hot on the fingers.

7. after i smooth edges with a bench grinder...and i have the holes drilled, then i put the lable on the enclosure and align it in the right place - KEEP IN MIND THAT YOU HAVE TO DRILL THE ENCLOSURE AND MAKE SURE THAT THE HOLES FOR THE LABELS DONT INTEFERE WITH ANY OTHER PARTS OF THE DEVICE. Also keep in mind room needed for knobs. ive done this before, where i didnt have room for the knob because i mounted the label too close to the potentiometer post. it's best to mount all the pots with knobs and jacks and any other hardware before you align and affix your labels.

8. i then take a pencil or sharpie and mark the wholes through the label onto the chassis. make sure the labels are straight.

9. then i drill the enclosure with a drill press where the marks are made.

10. i then take the label and rivet it to the enclosure... and voila you're done.

very labor intensive, but looks really mean and industrial, and the lettering will never wear off.

hint - it's going to take some getting used to spacing your metal punches for your lettering. practice. also, pay attention to your spelling. dont get into a hurry....

a light strike with a maul does the best job in a clear imprint..but a regular hammer will do in a pinch.

i do mine on concrete, but a good solid anvil will work too.

the metal strip will start to curve with each letter done, turn it around and straighten it out on wood....so that the lettering surface doesnt get marred.

good luck.

and yes, regular rivets are great...make sure you get'em long enough for the thickness of your chassis and label with room to spare. dont forget that it'll stick out on the back end... and the hole should just be big enough for the rivet to stick through, too big and the riveting will come out.

casey

Casey, thanks a ton for sharing this info. I totally dig the retro-industrial look on these. I'm going to try some painting the labels too. I'll post the results. :thumb:

I've tried this before and had mixed results. Thanks for sharing your technique. Maybe I'll try it next opportunity.

youre welcome...

it takes some practice...

the thing about doing it this way is that you dont only have one chance to get it right (like if you stamped directly on a chassis). If you mess up, you just start over...whereas if you mess up on a chassis, that's at least $40 down the drain for a cheaper rack mount case.

When it's done right, it looks really good.... i've been doing my stompboxes like this for about 2 years now, so i guess ive had alot of practice.

best of luck-

casey