I was wondering if anyone has had any recent experiences with Pedal Parts Plus UV Printing.
Some people were experiencing problems in the beginning:
http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=9110.60 (http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=9110.60)
Have they sorted out the inconsistencies? Would you recommend the service, or is Mammoth screen printing preferred?
I'm pretty sure things have been sorted out at this point. IIRC they were having issues with printing on textured enclosures or specific powdercoats. PPP has a much better reputation compared to Mammoth so I would bet that they would be a better option for UV printed enclosures.
I've had no issues with PPP's printing. It's durable and looks great.
Most issues I've seen are chalked up to either the early mistakes they made that no longer happen, or mistakes that the DIYer has made in their design file.
Jacob
Is a clear coat or epoxy needed for protection using their IV printing?
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I did this one awhile ago: http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=15556.msg146727#msg146727 (http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=15556.msg146727#msg146727) It has an orange sparkle enclosure with UV print from them and it is very durable as is, out on world tour now and the buyer says it is holding up very well. It is pretty pricey for a one-off to do the enclosures that way, but a production run would be pretty cost effective using them if that is what you were wanting to do.
I only had some issues with them having trouble with my file formats. It seems they can do a good job if you give them exactly what they ask for. I'm still not sure what the problem was that they were having. I had to re-create my artwork, the exact way I originally made it, and then it worked. Go figure. Otherwise there is no tech help from them. The final product came out really nice though.
They seem to have figured out what works and what doesn't (the process still doesn't work on satin black).
I had a recent batch on the anodized blue and that is flaking a little bit although not as bad as the satin black. Going forward, I think I am just going to avoid the UV on any matte finish enclosure.
That said, it's very durable with a compatible finish. I have an extra box here that they had a minor goof-up with (they accidentally deleted part of the artwork). I can't use it, so I've tried to get the UV off and I haven't found anything that will remove it. It even stood up to carefully applied acetone. In the end, I'll probably just sand the top off of the enclosure.
And I totally agree about PPP vs. Mammoth. It's been a learning curve for PPP, but I still prefer them to Mammoth, especially since the Mammoth powder coats have always had chipping problems for me.
Quote from: pickdropper on August 20, 2014, 05:59:54 PM
That said, it's very durable with a compatible finish. I have an extra box here that they had a minor goof-up with (they accidentally deleted part of the artwork). I can't use it, so I've tried to get the UV off and I haven't found anything that will remove it. It even stood up to carefully applied acetone. In the end, I'll probably just sand the top off of the enclosure.
Yep, I've got two enclosures that I had made spelling mistakes and artwork doesn't line up with the PCB I made. I've also used acetone. I've tried sanding it with 2000 grit paper on my kitchen marble countertop and it sanded through the layer of power coat. Kind patch gold and silver...
It took a flathead screwdriver to scrape some off for me. It's delicate work, but it can be done.
Jacob