I'm preparing to have the aluminium instrument panels cut for my home-built aircraft (see http://www.rowlandcarson.org.uk/aviation/europa_435/index.php) and plan to use a commercial water-jet cutting service for that. After the holes are cut I'd like to have the panels anodized matt black and some lettering engraved on them – but those services seem much harder to find and relatively more expensive than the water-jet cutting.

I'm wondering if any model engineers who are set up and practiced at either anodizing or CNC engraving would care to take on those parts of the work for me – for a suitable consideration, of course. It would be great if I could find someone near my home base of Cheltenham, but greater distances are not necessarily a show-stopper.

I have of course read about anodizing in MEW but I'm not sure I want to spend the time getting good enough at it for a one-off job. And although I have a Cowells lathe & Sieg Super X1L mill, I have no intention of getting into CNC myself.

Any suggestions welcome!

in friendship

Rowland

JasonB – thanks, I will follow up the 2 suggestions mentioned in the anodising thread of 16 Sep 2013. As my workpieces are quite large and will need considerable protection to avoid getting bent en-route I'd prefer not to have to post them.

Clive – thanks for the Trafolite suggestion. As far as possible, I'd prefer not to have stick-on labels – they always remind me of Dymo labels which impressed me when I first saw them in the 1960s but nowadays look a bit Blue-Peter-ish. I've just remembered that my local sign-making company can offer that type of label. The ones I've seen previously look a bit large and clunky for some of the places I want to put inscriptions, but I'll investigate what's available now. Perhaps stick-on vinyl lettering might be an answer, although obviously not so durable as engraving or laser etching.

in friendship

Rowland

Thanks to everyone for all of the suggestions & pointers to firms.

Until now, I hadn't thought about using a sign-makers self-adhesvie film covering the entire panel; that could look good if the finsh was matt and it would be easy for me to create a master. I'll do some research on what local sign companies can do.

I certainly prefer the look of laser etching on an anodized surface and am aware of the problems with traditional engraving machines.

Martin – is it anodising or engraving you can do, or both? How far are you from Cheltenham? Both of the panels are odd shapes but the maxumim overall dimensions are 450mm x 230mm and 345mm x 265mm. They are 2mm aluminium alloy plate (6061).

Much obliged for all the helpful postings.

in friendship

Rowland

I'm not bothered what technology is used for the cutting, but in USA where services for aeroplane homebuilders are more easily found, the most common instrument panel cutting services seem to be water-jet. I just assumed it was the appropriate choice. Most of the (UK) laser cutting firms only seem to do cloth, plastic, wood etc. I have now found some that will cut the thickness of aluminium I need.

Of course, what would be ideal would be a one-stop shop that would cut, anodize & laser-etch so I'd only have one set of carriage costs.

in friendship

Rowland

Edited By Rowland Carson on 01/10/2013 15:11:30