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Author Topic: Lettering Suggestions  (Read 4959 times)
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WA2SQQ
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« on: September 05, 2017, 01:29:59 PM »

In the midst of restoring two Heath receivers. Both were in pretty bad shape - one was a mouse house. In cleaning the chassis, most of the lettering (tube #'s and crystal bank lettering) all came off. Years ago we had Datak dry transfer lettering. I saw some material that supposedly lets you print onto a film that can be transferred to a surface, similar to Datak. Any suggestions?
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WBear2GCR
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« Reply #1 on: September 11, 2017, 07:26:33 PM »

Just had this exact problem!

Different rig. Letting had been stamped on, came right off.

My solution is to buy a couple of rubber stamps, including one that takes individual letters.
Another one looked like a giant Month/day/year stamp, the ones that had those wheels to
move those things around (big rubber band with letters on them). This one from China is available
with 6 to 12 characters, alphanumeric.

Gotta watch the size...

They make some "permanent" stamping ink, retail stuff, that says it is ok for metal & glass. Yet to try it. Just got it.

So, the short version on the stamps is figuring out the right size, a reasonable font, and a stamper that
will FIT where you need to get!!

I plan on using a fine blade hobby saw to slice and dice the one with the individual letters & numbers.
Remaking the cut piece with a new handle so I can do tube types in tight spaces, etc... that will be a
single or double line maybe 1" wide...

One angle on the ink is to get a roller and get thee to an art supply store and find either a tube of
lacquer that needs some thinner and roll it onto glass, then use that thin layer, pick it with the rubber
stamp. I was also considering printer's ink. I found a few sites where they sell industrial mil spec ink
that is resistant to solvent! (very fast drying, so that may not be so great).

I'd like something that is slow drying, but very resistant to water & cleaners and rubbing.

Some testing will ensue...

Why the heck did this MIL SPEC unit use water washable ink to put this info on the chassis??
Well, that's going to get fixed... HA!
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WA2SQQ
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« Reply #2 on: September 13, 2017, 11:06:13 AM »

So in my case it's more than letters and numbers. Heath had a layout of the crystal bank that I really wanted to restore. Found this stuff below. I can list the artwork from the original Heath manual and print it to this stuff. After that it sounds like it works just like the old Datak rub on lettering. Cheap enough to give it a try.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002542ZAC/ref=asc_df_B002542ZAC5167923/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=394997&creativeASIN=B002542ZAC&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167119535166&hvpos=1o4&hvnetw=g&hvrand=18268611602126877361&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9060355&hvtargid=pla-359845038887
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KC4VWU
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« Reply #3 on: September 13, 2017, 04:22:27 PM »

White lettering? That's the rub, printers won't do white.
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KA0HCP
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« Reply #4 on: September 13, 2017, 05:40:43 PM »

If you use a rubber stamp, I think that ordinary artists' acrylic paint would do fine as a permanent marking.  Acrylic is easy water clean up.

Laundry marking kits used by military, kid campers and boarding schools is an inexpensive source for rubber stamp sets.  They typically have a tube of white and black permanent paint/ink.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N2QQSVU/ref=asc_df_B01N2QQSVU5168199/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=395033&creativeASIN=B01N2QQSVU&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198109750555&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8368280313215292828&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1018531&hvtargid=pla-354999010314
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New callsign KA0HCP, ex-KB4QAA.  Relocated to Kansas in April 2019.
WA2SQQ
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« Reply #5 on: September 14, 2017, 08:59:37 AM »

White lettering? That's the rub, printers won't do white.
If I print in black, it should transfer, or am I missing something?
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KC4VWU
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« Reply #6 on: September 14, 2017, 05:24:33 PM »

Oh, yes. It would do any color you'd want, just not white, which is the absence of all colors.

Just assuming you were speaking of the SB series receivers which had white lettering. BTW, which models are they?
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KU8L
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« Reply #7 on: September 15, 2017, 12:25:01 PM »

White lettering? That's the rub, printers won't do white.

Home printers wont print white but commercial printers will.  There are many companies that do custom dry-rub lettering.  The result is just like the letra-set stuff of old.  You can send them any artwork you want.  I do whole sheets of various panel nomenclature for test systems that are custom.  can be overcoated with clear acrylic.  THese are MUCH better looking than the shiny home-made decals.

example:   http://customrubontransfers.com/

FYI,
Curt
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Dave K6XYZ
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« Reply #8 on: September 18, 2017, 07:14:32 PM »

You can get a Brother P-Touch label maker.
It prints black numbers and letters onto transparent tape (not embossed) which is sticky back.
I have one and it comes in really handy especially doing mixer mods on Collins 75A-4....and other stuff of course.
You can get all sorts of tape cartridges but you will probably want the transparent with black lettering.....works really good....looks very clean, no mess.
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nq5t
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« Reply #9 on: September 22, 2017, 08:36:28 PM »

You can get a Brother P-Touch label maker.
It prints black numbers and letters onto transparent tape (not embossed) which is sticky back.

P-Touch does have white on clear labeling tape.  This stuff doesn't look good on wrinkle, and not something I'd use on a front panel, but I've used it on internals here and there and some unfussy small HB stuff.  After printing on the 1/2" wide tape it's easy enough to trim it down so you get rid of the excess clear tape.
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KC4VWU
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« Reply #10 on: September 23, 2017, 09:14:58 AM »

O.K.,so if you want to be really adventurous, here goes.

Speedball makes a pre-built screen that size. They also have one part photo sensitive emulsion. They also make the white ink/paint and the quickie clamp screen hinges. You'd need a level and slightly adjustable surface for the screen (has to be barely off the work surface) and a sqeegee.  You'd need a transparency of the artwork to develope the screen. Sorry, it's the only way to do it right yourself.

If you got lucky enough to find some Datak, and equally lucky enough to get some that is not so old that it crumbles when it is used, you'd need the full word sheets. Trying to do it one letter at a time would put you into the nut house! The graphics is another story. That's what's holding me up on finishing The GK 500 RF deck panel... numbered dots around the controls.

The other story about using Datak is it's fragile if left un-coated, but that's not too hard to resolve with a little luck and patience.
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