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Do It Yourself (DIY) paradise for tube and SET project builders.

RE: man, that's a handful for sure

Ahhh, those details are the nitty-gritty of the process. It's astounding how many posts I've seen on machining and finishing forums asking how to accomplish this. I should probably charge for this highly proprietary information. LOL, here's how it's done:

Lettering is engraved with 0.015" to 0.022" diam. end mills. The depth is typically .006" to .008" with the mill running about 10K RPM. The panel is smoothed one more time after engraving to remove burrs and sharp edges around the work. Next, the surface gets a brushed or swirl finish, depending on the look desired. After that, the piece is degreased and clear anodized. Finally, the engraving is filled with high-quality enamel and left to cure for a day or two. Filling is a process in itself, and the technique requires practice. Essentially, the enamel is flowed over an area containing markings, then most is wiped off with a squeegee. After curing for an hour or two, the area is wiped down with thin, lint-free paper dampened with a relatively slow drying solvent such as Xylene.

Really, if you could see how much time I spend on this, and how much I've spent over the last 10 years perfecting it, you'd think I'm nuts. Actually, I probably am. :)









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