OT: CNC Paper & Plastic
Bob La Londe
for buttons.
Hole in sheet of heavy paper for buttons. Print on paper to label button.
Snap plastic template over assembly to protect paper label.
Now my first idea was to put a marker in my little CNC mill and use a stick
font to label each button hole. Of course the paper sheet came preprinted
on one side, and because of dynamics can't just be turned over. If I turn
them over I have to cut an extra hole in the sheet. Since this is a brand
new system and equipment I would like to do a neater job than that for the
client.
I can call the manufacturer and order some blank sheets (I hope) but they
are notoriously slow for small items like this. I was think it would be
nice to throw a piece of linen paper on a block and cut it to fit. The
outside dimensions are not that big of a deal. I can do that close enough
on the paper cutter in the office, but I am not sure how I would get a
decent cut for the button holes. Fast spinning tiny mill cutter? I don't
think a vinyl cutter blade would do the trick as paper tends to dull blades
fairly quickly if a not used in a sawing or semi sawing fashion.
The paper is about the same thickness or weight as high quality linen paper.
Not near as thick and heavy as a paper manilla folder.
I figured I could outside cut each piece and stick it on a block of wood
with some light photo mount, or maybe make a sandwich block, but similar
projects in the past have met with mixed results. I've done stencils for
spray painting on the mill before with card stock, and with plastic sheet,
and I was never totally satisfied with the results for either one. While
this isn't the same application it is the same type of job.
Hmmm... I haven't done the sandwich block before. I think I'll give that a
shot.
Ned Simmons
wrote:
>I just installed a system with a bunch of plastic covers over paper labels
>for buttons.
A friend of my uses this place for both custom control panels and a
product he manufatures.
http://www.frontpanelexpress.com/en/news/home.html
If ypu can live with individual labels, the Brother P-Touch labels are
very durable and look very good if you use one of their higher
resolution printers. One of my customers hasn't found anything that
stands up better in a wet process room that houses baths of hot HCl
and caustic. I use them, stuck on SS sheet, for markers on a hiking
trail I maintain and can't see any deterioration over a few years
time.
--
Ned Simmons
Bob La Londe
news:cqc7q5lo506esq8bo...@4ax.com...
Yeah, the labelers are nice for some applications. I've been using the
bigger P-Touch and Rhino labelers for years. This is in a professional
office, and I was going to try for a little nicer application if I can. It
doesn't hurt that this is one of the nicest easiest to work with clients I
have done business with in years and I WANT to do a little better job for
them.
Tim Wescott
Make a punch, laser print on a blank sheet, cut out with punch?
Or use a plastic that's easily cut, and a sharpie marker?
--
Tim Wescott
Control system and signal processing consulting
www.wescottdesign.com
Jon Elson
> Yeah, the labelers are nice for some applications. I've been using the
> bigger P-Touch and Rhino labelers for years. This is in a professional
> office, and I was going to try for a little nicer application if I can.
> It doesn't hurt that this is one of the nicest easiest to work with
> clients I have done business with in years and I WANT to do a little
> better job for them.
transfer that gets laminated, so the image is on the back side of the
clear cover sheet.
See http://www.vpcinc.com/Products/dynamark.htm
You can get it in a wide range of colors, I use their darker blue.
You need a way to make a sharp, dense master on a clear film. Lots of
people use a laser printer on transparency film. I have a laser
photoplotter I built, so I use that, it is dimensionally accurate to a
couple thousandths of an inch, so I know the artwork wull line up with
buttons, indicators, connectors, etc. on a CNC machined panel. Most
modern laser printers are pretty good at registration, though, much
better than years ago.
Jon
sta...@prolynx.com
What they used on submarines was the two-tone plastic engraving stock,
black outside with white inside, I'm sure you've seen the tags on
military equipment done that way. Should be easy enough to stick an
engraving cutter in your mill and program for lettering. Or just find
a company that does it. Much more professional looking than paper
tags. A lot more durable, too. Toner tends to fuse to plastic covers
eventually, given even room temperature heat. Inkjet ink is water-
soluble, if that's what you use, not exactly permanent, either.
Stan
Bob La Londe
news:ho0b6u$v7j$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
Well, I tried making a couple punches. The round one was easy and worked
very well. Just turned it out of a bolt on my mini lathe, but the
rectangular one for the rectangular buttons has given me fits. I've made
two so far. One with an inner taper and one with an outer taper. I wasn't
happy with either one. I am thinking I need to do some hardening to help
with results. A soft backboard results in poor cutting, and a hard
backboard results in 2-3 holes punching before the punch dulls and / or
folds over.
I started the sandwich plate thing, but got tired of the time it took to
machine each button hole in my top plate. I may still go that way though
since the punches are meeting with poor results.
Bob La Londe
news:ho0b6u$v7j$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
Ok, I suck at making punches. Finally I broke down and set my sandwich
assembly back up. I cut one hole, sandwiched 3 sheets of thick paper
between, and then pocketed out the hole the thickness of the paper. There
is a tiny ridge sticking up around the hole on each sheet, but over all it's
a very nice finish.. Now I am gearing up to do it en-masse. Geez-O-Peets.
At 13 minutes per hole it takes a while to mill out 25 button holes. (in my
sandwich plate, not in the paper) LOL. Atleast I figured out an easy way
to string multiple hole processes together so I can come play on the
computer while I am waiting.
I've got the pocket between the plates spaced to hold 20 sheets of the thick
linen paper. I'll do some experimenting on the 1st batch to see what I can
do to speed up the process of actually punching the sheets. I'll tell you I
better sell a bunch of these systems so I can label them for a long time to
pay back for all the time I spent. LOL.