DIY tuning dials

[Radio_Dave]

Hi,

I've just finished making a replacement dial for my Armstrong tuner amp .

The original , broken, dial was scanned and repaired using photo editing software.

Tuning dials, mostly, need to be both opaque and transparent in different areas. An inkjet printer will print on transparency film, but the inks will be transparent and printing on paper will produce an opaque image. My solution was to use both mediums and cut the transparent areas from the paper version with a scalpel. The transparency is then carefully aligned and stuck over the paper using a very thin line of pritt stick, just, around the edges. Then, simply, sandwich it between two pieces of glass (I cut the glass from a 40 X 50cm picture frame from a 99p shop ).

Anyhow, I've attached three pictures, the first is the paper copy, the transparency and then the finished article

Hope this will act as encouragement and inspiration to anyone who is unfortunate enough to faced with a broken dial

David

[Colin]

Well done Dave. A great piece of work, it really looks the part.

You must have the patience of a saint!

rgds
Colin

[Mike Phelan]

That looks perfect, David - well done. I fear that forum members will be beating a path to your door.......

[paulsherwin]

Very nice job David.

Does anybody have any suggestions as to how to print white lettering on a transparent background?

Best regards, Paul

[joe]

Paul et al

Have a look at www.craftycomputerpaper.co.uk and go to "Decal papers & transfers". Then go down to "embossing powders for lettering". I bookmarked this page from another thread but I'm afraid I've no idea who posted it. Anyway, it sounds interesting & for £1.99 it isn't much to gamble. Personally I haven't tried it, but probably will in time.

Originally Posted by stretch289

You must have the patience of a saint!

Patience is the art of losing one's temper gradually!

Joe

[Radio_Dave]

Thanks for all the nice comments

Originally Posted by paulsherwin

Does anybody have any suggestions as to how to print white lettering on a transparent background?

Unfortunately you can't . I'm pretty sure all home printers and the majority of commercial ones assume the background is the white.

There are ways around it though, I am at this moment trying to repair the dial for my Pye Fenman II. The middle waveband (white) lettering was flaking badly, so I washed it away completely . Hopefully I will, soon, print that section onto transparency film but with the colour of the letters changed to black . If I'm not happy with that outcome I'll print the whole dial (with the correct coloured writing) onto matt photographic paper with a dark blue background and place it behind the tuning indicator with a piece of plain glass in the front ... Ok neither will look totally original but it's the best I can think of

David

[Dave Moll]

Originally Posted by joe

Have a look at www.craftycomputerpaper.co.uk and go to "Decal papers & transfers". Then go down to "embossing powders for lettering". I bookmarked this page from another thread but I'm afraid I've no idea who posted it. Anyway, it sounds interesting & for £1.99 it isn't much to gamble. Personally I haven't tried it, but probably will in time.

Joe

That looks quite a clever idea - using the wet ink to stick down the powder, then melting it on to make it permanent. Presumably good results depend upon applying the powder before the ink starts to dry, so need to be as quick as possible.