RE: Reproduction Updates.

Tom,
        My parents own a Linotronic L300, so I can get you film real cheap
(probably even for free)

-jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: TomW [mailto:twisnion@enteract.com]
Sent: Friday, March 19, 1999 2:34 PM
To: vectorlist@mcfeeley.cc.utexas.edu
Subject: Re: Reproduction Updates.

Ok,

  I've gotten a ton of response on the bellows, so its a go, hopefully
the hardness samples will be nice, and the mould tests will come out
ok. Probably take me around two months to finish this process..

I've also gotten requests on the design process for both the overlays
and the bellows... So, I'll give out the process here.

As for the bellows, I'm NOT using rubber, that requires high temp
and pressure to inject in to a mold. VERY expensive, the initial
setup costs were around 10K for that. What I am planning on using
is a Durathane, this is a two part (an A and B) that sets at 70F, 48 Hr
cure time. It comes in hardness A60 through A100 (which are the samples I'm
waiting for) My plan is to redesign the donut so that its like a soloflex
rubber if you've ever seen that, it will be a different look but will still
fit in the
joystick and provide the same response... Unless your a diehard
restoration guy.... you'd never know the difference.... The mould is
being cut out of aluminum, and is a Single, Vs a two piece mould .

Its final shape, will not be the same, only one metal ring on the
inside, that is the current plan, we shall see what testing reveals.
As for toughness, this is the same material used in bumper pads, diaphragms,
dust boots,gaskets,liners, foundry patterns, wear pads,O-rings, Motor
Mounts
and structural parts (per the manuf). Should handle our measly
joysticks :-)

Now,
    Control Panel art, there is a few ways to do this, each with its own set
of problems.

Option 1:
    Scan the image, use PhotoShop or other SW and 'fixup' the Artwork,
now take it to a SIGN PRINTER or Kinko's (A Chicago copy firm) and have
them print it on a DESIGNJET, any model, this printer is just a BIG
DeskJet, then request it to be DRY LAMINATED, and either use 3M 77
or 3M 90 to Glue it to the panel. Expect around $14 a Linear foot charge.
This is generally what you see on the net, its cheap,fast, and looks ok from
a distance...

Pros:
  very fast development time, you can print on a DeskJet to QA the art, it
will
look practically the same when you print it. If you kick up the cost per
unit a bit
and print on vinyl, it will have the glue on it already.

Cons to This:
   That Printer is a CMYK device, so in order to get some of your colors
the computer is forced to 'mix' them, but as you know an inkjet cannot
really
mix ink, so it pixilates the image, this make the image pretty 'dotty' to
the naked
eye. I really don't like this process, in some cases you 'have' to do it. On
my
Tapper overlays, due to the wood grain, I had to. I really dont like the
feel
of the dry lamination material compared to lexan.

Option 2:
  Same process as above, but if you want it on Lexan, (the original
material)
find a sign shop that has a GERBER PRINTER (Not the Cutter), they can print
on various materials I used a thin white plastic and reverse imaged the
Tapper
art, instead of vinyl. I felt vinyl stretched too much when you applied it
and did
not have the tensile strength to keep the overlay down long term. I did have
them
print directly on the lexan but, it was too transparent, didn't look good.
Conversely,
you probably could laminate the design jet image to lexan by hand, but the
gerber
does a nicer job of printing a raster image.
So I had them hand laminate it to lexan and apply the 'sheet' glue.
Expect around $50 for a average overlay..

Pros:
  very fast development time, you can print on a DeskJet to QA the art, it
will
look practically the same when you print it.

Cons.
  Expensive, colors are still not perfect(CMYK), image still pixilated. But
the machine
can handle color sep layers, but requires more effort on the printer to deal
with and
usually a higher cost as they need to buy the specific ink (colors) for it,
and requires
that the operator know how to use the machine. Very few print shops that I
went too
actually knew how to use the computer attached to the printer. Very
frustrating, as I just
wanted to push them aside and play with the bugger myself.

Option 3:
   REDRAW the art with a Vector based program (Corel, Adobe Illis) Then you
send it out a a company that will provide you color Separations. Then you
give these
separations to the printer with the PanTone Color Numbers to EXACT match
your colors, they print it directly on the Lexan and apply the glue sheets.

Cons.
   Very TIME and $$ extensive to redraw the art, Scans will NOT work. I've
talked with
Herb at FabFan in person, and this is how he does it. You Pay for the color
Seps, about $15 each
color, then for the printing process. The Development cycle for me is about
2 months
before I get one out... But, Heck, I've got a regular job too...

Pros.
   VERY High quality, once you own the separations, you can reuse them, a 1
time
expense. This is what I used for my Missile Command Overlays, if you want to
see them, www.enteract.com/~twisnion

Then there is DIE cutting, pretty pricey, as a DIE is made for you, I've
gotten quoted from
$300+ for the missile commands, not worth in in small quantities... I've
dropped hope of
every having this done....

Well, thats how its, we shall see how it goes.......

TomW
Received on Fri Mar 19 15:28:45 1999