fresh paint

[Andy Le Blanc]

You can do a lot with spray and tape.

Its the "your name here" that works for most clients.

The process was very quick, less than a couple hours for a custom logo.

All by hand, one off, works pretty well.

I am surprised, the more I do the cleaner it will get, I'd like to keep it
totally a hand process, I'm very sure there is product out there to speed things
up, but there is a lack of craftsmanship otherwise, I fabricate as much as I can my-self

[Structo]

Did you use frisket to do the logo?

[dartanion]

Looks good Andy. Did you exacto the paper into a stencil?

Another option is waterslide decals. You can buy the waterslide paper for either inkjet or laser printers. I just did it for a face plate a while back and it worked out quite well.

[Andy Le Blanc]

last night I made a mess, I made a stencil and sprayed, it worked but not cleanly.
After cleaning around the letters I over sprayed clear and it washed out.

So ...... this morning I sanded it off.... I started with the lettering color and let dry.
Then put down a piece of tape, then secured the logo that the computer printed
over the tape and went over it with a pen knife, peeled away the extra tape
which left tape letters, sprayed the chassis color and let dry.
When you peel the tape letters you reveal the logo color and end up with a
clean edge to the lettering in the chassis paint, hot rod auto garage stuff.

The simple tools let you have a liberty, its just masking tape and a pen knife.
You can put anything you want on paper, and then put it in paint.

It's funny how simple things can be, didn't have to buy nothin.

[Structo]

Andy I do quite a bit of work with lacquer paints and guitars.
When you start your clear coats you should always start with a light misting coat to lock down the colors or it will melt the previous paint and bleed as you found out.
I try to use all compatible paints.
That is, if I use a nitro lacquer for the sealer and color coat I use a nitro clear lacquer.
You can use acrylic color coats and top them with nitro clear, but you must let the acrylic dry for a couple days to gas off, then start the clear with the misting coats to avoid reactions.

Good job on the lettering.
A lot of guys use a low tack frisket which is a clear vinyl with adhesive on it.
You stick it on then cut out your letters with an Xacto knife.
You can use a template over it if using a particular font or style.

[Andy Le Blanc]

Low tack frisket... I'll look for it locally

Ya.... the mess last night was depressing... hilarious...

I got to the same conclusion pretty fast there...

ordinary scotch paper masking tape did good, I was expecting another mess.

And I only got who knows what for paint, Just glad it worked in a pinch.

The next few will be better, Its so easy to over think fabrication, it seems
to be the most bang for buck, beats dealing with silk screen for the one off.

[Bob-I]

Another trick for clean masking lines... before you put on the lettering color, spray a light coat of clear to seal the edges of the mask. Once that's completly dry apply the letter color. It won't bleed under the edges of the tape.

Nice looking lettering.

[M Fowler]

Nice job Andy but the heck with the paint stuff what are you buildiing for Floyd?

[Andy Le Blanc]

Ef86, high impedance danelectro tones, the usual el84 power side, SS rectifier w/choke.

Vox based head, the only different thing is the tone controls, very simple.

the treble cut will be pre instead of post, no feedback.

[M Fowler]

Nice are you using a turret board or all PTP Andy?

[Andy Le Blanc]

sockets mounted on a sub board and PTP....

it'll be a ptp, terminal strip, with eyelets and a pcb, with extra jimmy's.

To go.....

doing repairs you see so many ways to accomplish the same thing.
especially in vintage gear.

I used to build based on a fender layout, good place to start, but most amps
just don't need it, and fabrication has its own demands, why waste the
materials?.... PTP has a better overall tone where you can apply it.
And every fabrication approach has its strong points.

I can fab a basic 50w in three days, today the amp will be fully dressed and
tested, tomorrow is cabinet day, yesterday was chassis day, I spent an extra day
figuring how to execute a BASIC custom logo, and the amp will be out the shop by the end of the week.

No sense lolly gagging around, Its not the design of the amp, it's whether
or not you can turn it around with manufacture.

[M Fowler]

Andy I really appreciate your work and attitude

Its funny when the build process starts it can lead to a variety of building methods. I have done that myself may have had the idea of going all board then adjusted that to some turret strips at the tube sockets with a mini board here and there it just evolves. Fun to deviate as long as the product is soundly constructed, low noise floor and tone smacking your ears.

I can't wait for cabinet day to see what you came up with.

Mark

[dynaman]

OMG, someone else has a cheap streak like me?? Ahhh...the old paint and masking tape technique! What a PIA! I've ran in to all the same problems you have. I was kinda liking this box with the wannabe deco design I made polishing stainless (don't do it) and using spray paint and good marker....until I put the stupid looking white rub-on letters on the thing. A smarter fella than I might have stopped after two letters. No matter, as the amp sounded like crap and I immediately gutted it. It's been collecting dust for four years now...

Bob-I, good tip on sealing the edges of the masking tape. I often use stuff with a crinkled basecoat and always wind up having to waste time gently removing paint that bled under the tape. It's a nerve wracking job when done with an exacto knife!

Damn, three days? That's pretty good! That's what it takes me to do an amp in a toolbox. Not counting the hours wasted making the board and chassis drawings.

[Andy Le Blanc]

It lives, tomorrow is cabinet day. Can't wait to make some noise in the morning.
Even with the crap bench tubes the first go was nice.

Ef86 with the run of the mill AC 15 values, lot of blow, might be after a different tube,
but otherwise it seems like it will play very nice, have to wait for the shake down tomorrow.

[Andy Le Blanc]

better shot,