Homebrew PCBs

Steve,

How would the stepper fit into my plan to etch the dial?

Rick

-----Original Message-----
From: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of AlienRelics
Sent: Monday, March 18, 2013 2:44 PM
To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: etching the OD of a cylinder to create a
graduated dial

Metal etching is on topic.

What about a stepper motor? 200 steps per revolution. Or if that is not fine
enough, bring that down with toothed belt and pulleys?

Steve Greenfield AE7HD


--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Rick Sparber" <rgsparber@...> wrote:
>
> This has been a favorite problem of mine for a long time. 
> 
>  
> 
> It is standard practice to engrave the outside diameter of a cylinder 
> with tick marks and numbers in order to make a graduated dial. I have 
> done this by laser printing, mirror image, to clear plastic and then 
> bolting it on the OD with the toner on the inside:
> 
>  
> 
> http://rick.sparber.org/Articles/CD/CDM/d.pdf
> 
>  
> 
> It is fairly rugged but not as nice as engraving. I've always thought 
> that chemical etching would be idea.
> 
>  
> 
> I'm not interested in super expensive methods or ones requiring more 
> than average skill. Sure CNC can do this task, so can a laser cutter. 
> Maybe Wal-Mart sells them. No fun there.
> 
>  
> 
> One idea that I just thought of uses a previously engraved dial. I 
> would turn a cylinder with the same OD as the dial. Then I would fill 
> the grooves in the dial with softened paraffin wax and strike off so 
> the rest of the surface is wax free. Then I would chill this dial 
> while heating the cylinder to be etched. By rolling them together, I 
> hope to transfer the wax from dial to cylinder. If that works, the 
> etching process should be easy. I realize this generates raised 
> features rather than recesses but that might actually be better. Since 
> something like this works for printing, maybe there is reason for hope
here.
> 
>  
> 
> Has anyone tried this? Any warnings or suggestions?
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks,
> 
>  
> 
> Rick
> 
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>




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