Lettering onto black leather-look metal

[ban-all-sheds]

I'm going to be making something with a panel made of steel with a black leather-look finish.

There will be various switches and sockets on the panel.

Any suggestions on how I might make labels?

Dymo or those tape-labelling systems will not do.

I was wondering if yellow ink might show up?

 

[crank39]

Laser etching/engraving

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I was hoping to do it myself...

 

[Burnerman]

Is there anything in the Letraset rub down transfer systems that would suit? Surfaces do need to be smooth though.
They also do pens for any situation, if you're feeling artistic!
John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Possibly.

But the surface isn't smooth.

Haven't used Letraset in years - I'm surprised to learn it's still going. I remember it as being really time consuming to get right - used to spend hours as a student doing the Film Society programmes...

FYI - this is (probably) the final layout for the panel:

Pens aren't going to hack it either.

I guess unless I hear from people who would rather consort with a leather-winged dæmon of the night than use inkjet transfer paper ever again, I think I'll invest in some of that and see if yellow ink shows up.

 

[KenGMac]

ban-all-sheds, hi, again,

Have you had a look at the health and safety signage web sites? they go on and on and on. just like dome posts on this board, I will now shut up?

There appear to be a plethora of various signs covering all Industries one of which may be your answer?

Ken.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Ken - not quite sure what you mean.

Are you suggesting that there might be a H&S signage company who would have a sign like this

made of something which I could transfer to my panel?

 

[mattylad]

Have you looked into the reverse toner method?
It's used a lot by PCB making hobbyists, if you have a colour laser printer you can print it off then rub it on.

Not sure how that works on leather - its usually done to copper.

There is also a french system that uses chemicals, very messy but allows you to print onto film what you want, expose it then wash off the unwanted bits - then rub it on and as that went onto ripple effect metal panels I can't see leather not working.

However all these are likely to be ruboffable, so if leather have you tried perhaps burning/stamping then filling with ink\paint?

 

[Gerrydelasel]

With an uneven surface any transfer method is likely to be fraught with difficulty.
Perhaps you could make individual 'tags' (from sheet aluminium or plastic) with the relevant text etched/transferred/punched on. Each tag would be held on by the respective panel-mounting sockets/switches?

 

[crank39]

Why the leather look finish though, if it were flat them a local vinyl sticker maker could knock something up in half hour, you'd have all the text printed on vinyl, my brother does this sort of thing mainly WEC race teams, dashboards, switch labels etc etc

I'll show him your pic and ask him how much

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Why the leather look finish though

Only because I happen to have a sheet of it which I could use.

I've also got some aluminium of the right size, but it's a bit shabby, so TVM for the idea of a vinyl sticker - the ally would be much easier to bend and cut than the steel.

Have you looked into the reverse toner method?
It's used a lot by PCB making hobbyists, if you have a colour laser printer you can print it off then rub it on.

I used to have one, but now only an inkjet

However all these are likely to be ruboffable, so if leather have you tried perhaps burning/stamping then filling with ink\paint?

As with using pen, it would never be neat enough.