ChuckT Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 Hello there. I'm wondering if anyone knows how companies like Barracudacast or Aires print their instrument panel gauge face inserts that go in behind their photo etched panel faces? More specifically, what type of printer do they use? I'm able to do the artwork for the actual printing and I'm in the process of setting myself up to make a photo etch panel faces, but I think it would be ideal to also be able to print off the actual gauge faces that go behind the panel so everything matches up. It looks like the faces are printed onto clear acetate with black ink, is that correct? The printing looks similar to that used in making negatives for photo etching, am I right? Would anyone know what type of printer they use to print onto clear film or have any further insight on this process they can offer? Thanks in advance, Chuck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mebo Posted June 20, 2017 Share Posted June 20, 2017 (edited) Anyone ??? I Would love to hear from someone you had success doing this ,how is it done ?? Thanks Mikkel Edited June 20, 2017 by Mebo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tnarg Posted June 20, 2017 Share Posted June 20, 2017 I want to do this also, but am leaning towards printing the gauges as a photo on paper with a printer, then placing the panel behind a clear plastic. I am wondering if the process they use is more like a black and white photo process onto film, reduced from a master so that the detail is much better than a printer can do, or at least could do a few years ago. The finest detail available by photo reduction will still be much smaller than printer resolution. My older eyes can't read those gauges, but I know they are there. Tnarg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckT Posted June 21, 2017 Author Share Posted June 21, 2017 From what I've discovered, I need to do up some artwork using a drawing program and then print it onto clear film with a laser printer. My laser has a 1200 DPI setting that I'll try first. If it isn't good enough, my next step will be to send my artwork to a print shop with a higher DPI laser printer. I hope to do up the artwork when I have some time off in the next couple of weeks. I'll post the results when I have something to share. Mebo and D.B. Andrus 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe66 Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 When I did this type of thing for photo etching in the past, the films were actual film negatives and positives. The original artwork was drawn over scale, black ink on white background, and reduced in the darkroom process. Joe Mebo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mebo Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 From what I've discovered, I need to do up some artwork using a drawing program and then print it onto clear film with a laser printer. My laser has a 1200 DPI setting that I'll try first. If it isn't good enough, my next step will be to send my artwork to a print shop with a higher DPI laser printer. I hope to do up the artwork when I have some time off in the next couple of weeks. I'll post the results when I have something to share. Hi Chuck Sounds really good. Please keep this thread updated on your findings. Thanks a lot Mikkel CANicoll 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe66 Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 How 1980s of you Wait a minute....they have "lasers" that print now ? Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tnarg Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 It may be 1980's or 1880's, but the grain on a high resolution fine grain negative will still beat laser printer resolution. Like they said, it costs more and is also a bit harder to figure out drawing to scale with the correct reduction. Tnarg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rainer Hoffmann Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 (edited) It may be 1980's or 1880's, but the grain on a high resolution fine grain negative will still beat laser printer resolution. Like they said, it costs more and is also a bit harder to figure out drawing to scale with the correct reduction. Tnarg Actually film can be exposed using a laser beam, which gives very high resolution negatives or positives, whatever you like. You can transfer any digital artwork to film. This technology has been around since the 1980's and was used primarily in the offset printing industry. I own a Polaroid ProPallette 35 mm slide printer that uses a cathode ray tube and RGB Filters to transfer digital pictures, pixel or vector graphics, to 35 mm color slide film. Also technology from the late 80's. There should be companies around that still use this technology and could perhaps print the artwork on litho film. The artwork can be 1:1 scale, so no reduction is necessary. It probably is not cheap, though. EDIT: Just found two companies, one even close to where I live, that still do these reproductions on litho film. Not expensive at all. EUR 6,55 for an A4 size film. Cheers Rainer Edited June 22, 2017 by Rainer Hoffmann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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