Is there a screen printer on board here?

[86GT635]

Wondering if a screen printer could wipe over seat switches to put new pictures on them. Even the best ones are worn by now.



If you've ever tried to clean them even with just water they probably look like this



I'd be glad to pay 20-$30 for some fresh paint, and I'm positive a bunch of people would also.

[davintosh]

I'm not a screen printer now, but have been in the past, and have thought of that possibility as well, but it would be difficult for a printer to do this inexpensively. Screen printing isn't exactly rocket surgery though, and on a hobby scale the printing part wouldn't be difficult to do; lots of stuff on YouTube about DIY screen printing. The tough part I think would be getting alignment just right on those small buttons.

I think a better bet would be to figure out how to make either slip-on or dry transfer decals, like the kind you'd use on a model car. I'm not sure what the usual process is for creating them, but I do know you can buy inkjet-printable decal sheets. The only trouble then is finding an inkjet printer that will print white, which right now is a trick only done by the pricey high-volume commercial machines. If you could find a small poster printing shop that has one of those printers you might be able to work with them to get the job done.

http://www.amazon.com/Papilio-Inkjet-Cl ... 005D5H0L4/
https://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/jsp ... 0/FandB.do

[rmiddendorf]

NLA? I'd just replace with new if possible.

[wkohler]

Still available for about $100 ea.

[rmiddendorf]

Still available for about $100 ea.

I'd spend that on the M5. I'd live with it on the other cars.

[86GT635]

I'm not a screen printer now, but have been in the past, and have thought of that possibility as well, but it would be difficult for a printer to do this inexpensively. Screen printing isn't exactly rocket surgery though, and on a hobby scale the printing part wouldn't be difficult to do; lots of stuff on YouTube about DIY screen printing. The tough part I think would be getting alignment just right on those small buttons.

I think a better bet would be to figure out how to make either slip-on or dry transfer decals, like the kind you'd use on a model car. I'm not sure what the usual process is for creating them, but I do know you can buy inkjet-printable decal sheets. The only trouble then is finding an inkjet printer that will print white, which right now is a trick only done by the pricey high-volume commercial machines. If you could find a small poster printing shop that has one of those printers you might be able to work with them to get the job done.

http://www.amazon.com/Papilio-Inkjet-Cl ... 005D5H0L4/
https://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/jsp ... 0/FandB.do

Solid post man, thanks.

I'm thinking it was done by screen printing originally. Even though it doesn't last, I think most here would prefer it over stickers.

I don't know much about screen printing so forgive me for any inaccuracies in my thought process/questions.

Is it possible to digitally scan a good condition switch assembly and have that transferred/printed to the printing screen? Or is it all cut out manually?

If a jig was made to keep the switches in the same position, accuracy could be spot on if a bunch of switches were done at once.

That's what I'm wondering, if we as a community would like to have a screen printer do a hundred switches in one day, we could probably find somebody to do it, and the price per piece would go down. Kind of like a group buy/service.

[rmiddendorf]

That actually almost sounds like something a board member could do and offer it as a service. Maybe even as a core.

Xlnt idea on the jig.

[adrian in florida]

I thought that the image might make a good T-shirt

[davintosh]

Solid post man, thanks.

I'm thinking it was done by screen printing originally. Even though it doesn't last, I think most here would prefer it over stickers.

I don't know much about screen printing so forgive me for any inaccuracies in my thought process/questions.

Is it possible to digitally scan a good condition switch assembly and have that transferred/printed to the printing screen? Or is it all cut out manually?

If a jig was made to keep the switches in the same position, accuracy could be spot on if a bunch of switches were done at once.

That's what I'm wondering, if we as a community would like to have a screen printer do a hundred switches in one day, we could probably find somebody to do it, and the price per piece would go down. Kind of like a group buy/service.

Decals aren't exactly stickers; usually it's a super thin film that basically carries the ink and provides some protection and adhesion to whatever you attach it to. With the slip-on decals, you usually have to wet the film first to get it to separate from the backing, then it just slips off of the carrier and onto the switch (or whatever you're putting it on. With the dry transfer decals, after the image is printed, the ink is peeled off with a carrier film, aligned on the switch, then you rub to transfer the ink & carrier film to the switch.

Here's a video that shows how screen printing works; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXUakh5JmmM

It basically takes a fine-mesh screen coated with some light-sensitive emulsion. Usually the image you want to print is transferred to the emulsion by first printing the image on film then exposing the emulsion using the film as a mask, but with simpler designs you can also use hand-cut stencils instead of film. The ink is pushed through the screen using a rubber/polymer squeegee. Some screen printing machines can be pretty elaborate, but they're all pretty similar to just a simple hinged frame with a screen against the printed substrate.

Yes, using a jig to align the screen image with the switch would work, but how many switches are in an e28 interior that could possibly be done this way? I suppose if someone (on a hobbyist level) were serious about doing this he could have a small screen with a matching jig for every switch in a car, then pull them out as they are needed. A guy could make a few bucks on the side and provide a great service to the e28 community. Like I said earlier, it's not a difficult process, but does take some fairly specialized equipment/chemicals and a little knowhow.

[oldskool]

I can do it. My dad is a T.V. repairman and has an awesome set of tools.

[wkohler]

Too bad he doesn't have an ultimate set of tools.

[Karl Grau]

We're in the basement, learning to print.

[oldskool]

I successfully printed out a stack of 20's one time. And then there was that other time. And another time.

[86GT635]

Thank you for taking the time to write that Dave. I really appreciate it. I learned a lot. I'll try to find a screen printing company that will make the printed substrate/screen, and sell it to me. I doubt I could cut a stencil out accurately enough by hand.

[rmiddendorf]

I can do it. My dad is a T.V. repairman and has an awesome set of tools.

You must still be sober because you used the italic command properly.