Custom Laster Etching - Sources?

po0k

http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=91580

I've been googling and googling and read and browsing and I'm having a real hard time finding a place that does what I'm looking for.

Anyone have any ideas?

.:worklog:.

WizZard

www.mountainmods.com do it, and ship to Europe via USPS GEM which is generally the cheapest tracked service to us in Ireland.

You give them the design, tell them the shape of the window and sit and wait for it to arrive

po0k

Excellent, any guide on price?

So they'll take a negative-colour monochrome image, etch it into the material?
What materials can they use?
Can you supply a CAD drawing for the shape of the window?

WizZard

Haven't a clue about materials or CAD. Price is roughly $21 per window
I'm sure they'd do a complicated custom job for a bit more.

Jammer

...http://www.kustompcs.co.uk/acatalog/Kustom_PCs_Shop_Appliques___Etches_40.html

Dont think thats quite what your lookin for but might help? The very first item...

Dundhoone

http://www.ulsinc.com/english/laser_systems/product_line/VersaLaser.html

I'll go halfs on it with ya, its only a measly eight thousand dollars:D

that Kos-mos etch looks amazing.......definately putting my dremel etching on hold till I can find out more about frickin lazer beams

po0k

Aye, laser etching seems to be a far neater option - as long as the cost is right

po0k

Dundhoone, might you fancy going together to get an etched window each and hopefully cut-down on shipping?

WizZard

SyxPak wrote:

Dundhoone, might you fancy going together to get an etched window each and hopefully cut-down on shipping?

I'd be interested if it's not too expensive, and if I can think of something to get etched!

Dundhoone

Most certainly, depending on cost of course!

I'll have a chat with ya on friday about it

Jammer

me too

astrofool

Didn't know they laser etched steel SyxPak

Dundhoone

Right,

Heres where I've found
http://www.voyeurmods.com/index.php?action=category&id=18

I also mailed Mountain Mods and got the following reply:


"Price is dependant upon multiple things –

1) if you are providing acrylic or we are.

2) the complexity and size of etching

3) 2d or 3d etching.


Currently we only have 14x14 inch sheets of extruded acrylic 1/8 inch, some 16x12 sheets of ¼ cast acrylic and some 18x18 sheets of UV blue and green acrylic 1/8 inch thick

Image format can be anything. Best results are 300-500 DPI.

Generally you are looking at $20-$40 if you provide plastic and $25-$50 if we provide it"


Got any info to add folks?

WizZard

Forgot about VoyeurMods - they're quite good, and very nice to deal with

WizZard

Looks like www.kustompcs.co.uk are launching a new laser cutting service! And anodizing!!
http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/2005/11/13/multiplay_i26_report/3.html

unklerosco

Purfect... They'll be getting my case next year for a bit of work ;-)

Dundhoone

zzz not enough panels in one case for all the cutting I'd like to do.........:D

Kustompcs are a great shop to deal with, I'll be posting them a top panel and the motherboard side face if the price is right

I'd like to get the etching sorted first though!

po0k

I'm dragging up this thread again.

Anyone have any thoughts regarding the best way to mount the window flush the the case?

I'm not overly enthused by H-lock moulding etc. or bolts.

Hot-glue may well be the easiest, but I have reservations about how safe it would be to use depending on the material for the window.

What I'd *like* is to have no visible evidence of mounting on the exterior of the side panel ie. not even flush counter-sunk fan screws. I would settle for such screws if it's possible to get a tight, safe mounting without cracking the window or having to use an excessive number of screws.

I've been toying with the idea of coloured or UV-reactive windows (UV will be how I illuminate much of the case), but I'm also warming to the idea of one-way mirror/automotive silver film on the back of the window. Ie lights off: mirror, lights on: the interior is magicly visible.

On top of that I'd like to embed leds in the edge of the plexi to highlight the etching artwork.

kustompcs.co.uk recommend block shapes, whereas I need shading for the desired photo effect.

{edit} kustompcs make custom appliques - which are stickers. They are very nice stickers though.
It'll be mountainmods or voyeurmods for me unless there's somewhere in europe that can do what I need.{/edit}

All the fan and lighting circuits will be independently controllable from a bay-bus I'm looking to build, complete with a master kill switch (anyone know good sources for unique switches?).

I'm currently milling over what material to use for the window. Something I hadn't considered until I read this was the UV resistance of the plexi - ie. what use is it lighting my case with UV if it can't be seen properly through the window? Does it instead/also apply to sunlight and discolouring of the plexi over time? I dont' want to have a yellow-tinge on it in a year's time.

Dust is my final concern. I flipping hate dust.

DemonOfTheFall

Maplin have one really slick switch, "Bulgin vandal proof switch" or something like that. I think its about 8 euro. Some custom PC places resell them for like 25 quid.

It'd be best off as a PC power button though.

po0k

I want to have buttons and/or knobs to control the lights and fans, and I'll need roughly 4 of each, plus the killswitch which should be different/larger than the fan/light channel on-off switches.
Thing is, all buttons, switches and knobs need to fit the style of the stacker, which kinda limits me.
The vandal-proof switches are what I'm looking for, but need them in smaller diameter as all this has to fit in a 5.25" drive bay. Dunno what I'm going to make the baybus chassis or frontpanel out of yet.
Small-and-solid-yet-easy-to-turn knobs are another quest, particularlly because I would like to have a tiny wee tricolour led that goes from red to blue to green/yellow/white in each, possibly indicating the setting of the knob or just to differentiate the knobs. I dunno, I think it's too much to ask finding something so specific.

I really need to start sketching and dusting off my AutoCAD skillz :v: