The Pedal Finishing Thread - Painting, Coating, Drilling, Envirotex, etc

Philtre · May 2018

@Paul_C that artwork looks excellent! What brand of clear acrylic will you use on it?

Paul_C · May 2018

Whatever I can find amongst my paint cans

The satin clear I've got is Plasti-Kote from Hobbycraft.

SteveF · May 2018

I had decent results from Plasti-Kote on my Timmy. I find it takes a good few fairly thick layers to get a nice smooth finish, but it seems to have come out well and seems to have hardened ok.

Winny_Pooh · May 2018

After reading this I'm going to try the Posca pens and Envirotex route on my supreaux. Q, can you use white spirits to wipe the Envirotex edges or only the methylated stuff?

SteveF · May 2018

I haven't tried but both are thinners so should be fine as far as I am aware.

lasermonkey · May 2018

I bought a pack of the PPD clear printable stickers a while ago and the results I got were consistently rubbish. Poor opacity, "roller marks" (i.e. ink splodges in bands where there shouldn't be and don't appear using other media) and very fragile, with the corners showing white stress marks when the backing is peeled off.
Does anyone else have these issues or am I doing something wrong?

Adam_MD · May 2018

I’ve been using this paper for a few years with no problems

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004BF8X2W/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Philtre · May 2018

I did a couple of pedals with the clear PPD suff (same as @Adam_MD) and found it more prone to show bubbles and other artefacts, but now prefer to use the white PPD stickers as it is thicker.

SteveF · May 2018

Yep, I'm using the white PPD stuff too. Good results. I have some white waterslide stuff too, but haven't tried that yet. I would have thought that the clear stuff wouldn't print as well, but if that's not the case I might give some a go. I quite like the idea of being able to see the enclosure's colour through in the voids. Presumably it only works well with dark print on light enclosures though?

Philtre · May 2018

SteveF said:

...Presumably it only works well with dark print on light enclosures though?

Yep. I tried it on a blue enclosure and it doesn't work. The colours need to be on a white opaque background to work.

Adam_MD · May 2018

Philtre said:

I did a couple of pedals with the clear PPD suff (same as @Adam_MD) and found it more prone to show bubbles and other artefacts, but now prefer to use the white PPD stickers as it is thicker.

I found once you pour the envirotex you can’t see most little bubbles. Any big ones I use a pin to prick then roll as flat as possible.

Adam_MD · May 2018

SteveF said:

Yep, I'm using the white PPD stuff too. Good results. I have some white waterslide stuff too, but haven't tried that yet. I would have thought that the clear stuff wouldn't print as well, but if that's not the case I might give some a go. I quite like the idea of being able to see the enclosure's colour through in the voids. Presumably it only works well with dark print on light enclosures though?

Yeah I use white if going on a dark enclosure, clear if using a light or bare metal depending on the look I want or gold and silver work well on either.

SteveF · May 2018

Hopefully doing my first attempt at ET later. I have three pedals to do, so contemplating whether to play it safe and just do one to start with or throw caution to the wind and do the batch in one go.

How much ET do you think I will need for three 1590B pedals?

Philtre · May 2018

I reckon around 32ml would do it (16ml of resin and 16ml of hardener). For my last pour on a 1590B I used 14ml (7 + 7) and there was plenty left over so I reckoned on a 1590B using 10ml (5 + 5). Maybe mix 40ml to be on the safe side? I would err on the side of over-estimating proportions slightly.

They key is to get the mix exactly 50/50.

(The first time I did it I mixed enough for about 6 pedals!)

SteveF · May 2018

Cheers, I’ll do 40 to be on the safe side. Glad I asked as I’d have probably done way more than that!

SteveF · May 2018

OH MY GOD THIS IS THE MOST STRESSFUL EXPERIENCE EVER!!!

SteveF · May 2018

I think I either did too much or went to close to the edges. Or both. I'm fighting a waterfall!

SteveF · May 2018

Been mopping ET off the sides for the last half hour. I think the worst is past. Unfortunately the Tayda enclosure I poured onto first is suffering a bit. It was the worst one for running so I've ripped the sides with meths so many times that the powder coat is starting to thin.

SteveF · May 2018

On the plus side, the tops are looking great

Philtre · May 2018

I pour just enough in the middle of the enclosure and then use the wooden stick to gently coax it to the edges. I don't pour it on too thick, maybe a couple of mm deep.

SteveF · May 2018

That's what I tried to do. Apparently "just enough" was less than I thought!

SteveF · May 2018

Starting to get there now though. The running has largely stopped, just the odd drip now so I should be able to relax a little and just check back periodically.

Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/vuv2gn61n29e1w6/IMG_2006.JPG?raw=1

Image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/lp8qc915ypgted1/IMG_2007.JPG?raw=1

Philtre · May 2018

Cover them and watch out for flecks of lint, and bubbles that mysteriously appear from nowhere. A lighter flame can sort them out, but don't try that after an hour as it gets more sticky. I bought a BBQ lighter thing from B&Q but stopped using that as it gives a black smokey flame that marked my ET.

SteveF · May 2018

Advice to fellow newbies. Do a single one on your first go. You will thank me later!

SteveF · May 2018

Philtre said:

Cover them and watch out for flecks of lint, and bubbles that mysteriously appear from nowhere. A lighter flame can sort them out, but don't try that after an hour as it gets more sticky. I bought a BBQ lighter thing from B&Q but stopped using that as it gives a black smokey flame that marked my ET.

They're covered, just had them out for the pics.

I have a lighter thing too but its a gas type one that has a clear blue flame so seems to be working fairly well so far. I'll keep an eye out for bubbles. The odd drip keeps coming along, but much less now. The first enclosure I poured is definitely the worst off. The other two are actually looking ok. Luckily the first one is for me and the others are a birthday present for a mate.

SteveF · May 2018

Happy that the 16 oz ET pack is going to last ages too. That has barely dented them. I didn't realise just how little was required!

Philtre · May 2018

Yeah, you need less ET than you think.

I nudge the ET just to the edges so that it just stops short of going over.

I also keep the excess ET in the cup so I can see how hard it's getting by poking it.

up to 1 hour - bubbles can still appear
1-2 hours - no more flame throwing!
2-4 hours - should be going off
12 hours - should be hard, but sticky (don't touch!)
24 hours - you can touch it, but it's still not hard enough
48 hours - hard enough, but best to leave it for...
72 hours - you can drill out the holes
96 hours - have at it!

SteveF · May 2018

Ah, good idea about keeping the cup. I have binned it already.

Thanks for the guidance on the time to leave it. I won't be tempted to go too early this time anyway as I have a couple of the circuits to build yet.

SteveF · May 2018

All seems to have settled now. The odd bit trying to run off the edge, but it's thick so not even running down, still wipe-able with some meths. Oddly haven't had any bubbles whatsoever through the process after the initial pour.

Philtre · May 2018

SteveF said:

Oddly haven't had any bubbles whatsoever through the process after the initial pour.

That can only mean bad news I'm afraid...

...joking.

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The Pedal Finishing Thread - Painting, Coating, Drilling, Envirotex, etc

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