Pad printing/painting

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Pad printing/painting

This topic has 22 replies, 11 voices, and was last updated 21 November 2016 at 19:29 by Simon Geary.

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20 November 2016 at 15:09 #24887
Clive Haynes
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@clivehaynes74488
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20 November 2016 at 15:09 #267543
Clive Haynes
Participant
@clivehaynes74488
Hi, is anyone familiar with the above topic? I have a classic car which I have converted from dynamo to alternator and am in the process off converting from ammeter to volt meter and need to change the wording . I know that instrument manufacturers use the pad printer process for their dials but what paint to use etc. Any info would be helpful.

Clive
20 November 2016 at 15:15 #267545
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
Clive,

No personal experience [although I have seen some very nice results]

These people can probably advise: **LINK**

http://www.padtec.co.uk/silicone_printing_pads.html

MichaelG.
20 November 2016 at 15:31 #267549
Clive Haynes
Participant
@clivehaynes74488
Thanks Michael,

that's a good start.

Clive
20 November 2016 at 15:42 #267551
Russell Eberhardt
Participant
@russelleberhardt48058
A company I used to work for had a Tampoprint pad printing machine on the shop floor for printing on curved plastic mouldings. For flat surfaces silk screening is more common.

Both would be a bit expensive for a one off. Could you use Lettraset?

Russell.
20 November 2016 at 15:49 #267552
Bazyle
Participant
@bazyle
I think a problem might be that you need a set of non-reversed type to load ink onto the pad. You might be able to use the technique of heating a laser printed copy from behind to melt the ink onto your substrate.
20 November 2016 at 16:44 #267564
Clive Haynes
Participant
@clivehaynes74488
I have a small engraver to make the type but it all seems a bit involved for 5 very small letters (VOLTS).

I am beginning to think maybe a stencil would be easier.

Clive
20 November 2016 at 20:00 #267590
Neil Wyatt
Moderator
@neilwyatt
Letraset?
20 November 2016 at 20:25 #267597
Tomfilery
Participant
@tomfilery
Clive,

I've 2 suggestions:-

a. For about £15 you could get someone to make you and inking stamp with your custom wording on it (though you might have to mess around finding the best paint/ink to do the job)

b. Get your local vinyl cutter to do your wording. They do massive stuff for van sides, etc., but can also do small stuff. A mate of mine has his local chap do lettering for the sides of his 16mm/foot rail wagons and vans, varying between 20mm and 4mm high. You have to pick off the "surplus" bits from within and around the required text within 1 hour, but can then fix your new lettering whenever you chose – and it is all correctly spaced and aligned (unlike Letraset).

Regards Tom
20 November 2016 at 20:48 #267600
Bodger Brian
Participant
@bodgerbrian
My immediate thought was that a PCB manufacturer might be able to silkscreen the text for you (small text size wouldn't be an issue) but I would imagine that it might be a struggle to find one that would be willing to do a one-off without the cost being prohibitive.

Brian
21 November 2016 at 13:36 #267715
Simon Geary
Participant
@simongeary74381
Posted by Tomfilery on 20/11/2016 20:25:58:

Clive,

I've 2 suggestions:-

a. For about £15 you could get someone to make you and inking stamp with your custom wording on it (though you might have to mess around finding the best paint/ink to do the job)

b. Get your local vinyl cutter to do your wording. They do massive stuff for van sides, etc., but can also do small stuff. A mate of mine has his local chap do lettering for the sides of his 16mm/foot rail wagons and vans, varying between 20mm and 4mm high. You have to pick off the "surplus" bits from within and around the required text within 1 hour, but can then fix your new lettering whenever you chose – and it is all correctly spaced and aligned (unlike Letraset).

Regards Tom

Good idea . any signmaker worth his salt should be able to print what you want onto clear vinyl so you can stick it on , it's also possible to buy A4 waterslide sheets to put in your own printer then you just cut out and waterslide it .
21 November 2016 at 13:39 #267717
Simon Geary
Participant
@simongeary74381
Posted by Clive Haynes on 20/11/2016 15:09:10:

Hi, is anyone familiar with the above topic? I have a classic car which I have converted from dynamo to alternator and am in the process off converting from ammeter to volt meter and need to change the wording . I know that instrument manufacturers use the pad printer process for their dials but what paint to use etc. Any info would be helpful.

Clive

Ill cut it in vinyl for you if you like , email me geary1954@hotmail.co.uk
21 November 2016 at 14:55 #267727
Martin Kyte
Participant
@martinkyte99762
Totally thinking outside the box but how about a transfer print from a laser printed mirror image and iron it on. Don't people do similar for etch resist? All (all !) you have to do is get the toner to stick to the dial.

Or just print on a transparency with a blank dial plate underneath.

regards Martin
21 November 2016 at 15:30 #267730
Clive Haynes
Participant
@clivehaynes74488
Wow, thanks guy's, that's given me something to think about.

I think that a vinyl stencil would be the easiest way forward with this one.

Thanks geary for your offer, I have downloaded some photo's to show what needs to be done.
21 November 2016 at 15:37 #267732
Ian P
Participant
@ianp
I'm curious how the ammeter on a classic car can be adapted to read volts?

I would have thought the ammeter was a moving iron type gauge (and be centre zero) so far from idea to read volts.

As an aside, but relevant to the original question, I created scales for the analogue gauges in my car using two different techniques. The Speedo and Tacho were drawn in AutoCAD and laser printed on good paper that was glued to the original dial (flat fortunately). For the smaller gauges which had concave faces, I used white Letraset on the dial that was black painted.

Ian P
21 November 2016 at 15:48 #267734
Ian P
Participant
@ianp
After posting my reply I saw the pictures of your instruments. I'm pretty sure the ammeter is a moving iron type but if you could get another 'OIL' meter movement it would probably fit in place of the ammeter leaving you with your original problem of how to change the label.

White Letraset would be OK…. but

It unlikely that a suitable font is available nowadays, also obliterating the old text and achieving flat unbroken black background would be challenging. Actually applying the Letraset is easy by comparison.

Ian P
21 November 2016 at 15:53 #267736
Clive Haynes
Participant
@clivehaynes74488
Hi Ian P, I said that I was in the process of converting from ammeter to volt meter, not converting the ammeter.

I have got a segment type volt meter from a Triumph Stag which I intend to graph into position.

The lettering must be exact as there is other lettering on the same dial face which I think would rule out letraset.

Regards

Clive
21 November 2016 at 16:14 #267741
Ian P
Participant
@ianp
Posted by Clive Haynes on 21/11/2016 15:53:34:

Hi Ian P, I said that I was in the process of converting from ammeter to volt meter, not converting the ammeter.

I have got a segment type volt meter from a Triumph Stag which I intend to graph into position.

The lettering must be exact as there is other lettering on the same dial face which I think would rule out letraset.

Regards

Clive

Are you thinking of recreating the whole dial face or just somehow changing the one word?

The whole dial could be photographed and recreated in a CAD programme but getting it on to the metal plate will not be easy or cheap.

I would think that whatever solution you come up with will not be as jarring as replacing the analogue scale with a multi segment indicator as it will probably not match anything else on the dashboard .

Ian P
21 November 2016 at 16:49 #267749
Clive Haynes
Participant
@clivehaynes74488
Hi Ian, I intend to change just the one word from amps to volts and to use the guts of the volt meter but keep the original dial face but remove the +30, -30 and the 0.

Regards

Clive
21 November 2016 at 17:32 #267760
Richard S2
Participant
@richards2
Clive, I've passed a copy of your image, and what you require to a friend who may be able to assist in some way. I'll PM you a response If he can help at all. He has modified added to a few 50mm Dials for himself and produces all kinds of Decals (as a hobby interest).

As a Silk Screen Printer and Artwork/Stencil producer in a Former Employment Era (60s-70s, I would suspect a full reprint to cover the Dial Plate would be beneficial. If only to avoid any possible ugly joins or patches.

Regards
21 November 2016 at 18:45 #267771
Clive Haynes
Participant
@clivehaynes74488
Thanks Richard. that sounds like an interesting option.

Clive
21 November 2016 at 19:22 #267777
Simon Geary
Participant
@simongeary74381
It is possible to [print straight to 0.5mm aluminium . by sublimation printing . . I used to make certificates printed onto ally when I worked for recognition express
21 November 2016 at 19:29 #267778
Simon Geary
Participant
@simongeary74381
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h35FX7RaXQ here's how its done
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