Refresh a faceplate?

[Axtman]

Does anyone have ideas on how to fill in the missing white paint on this faceplate?

[J M Fahey]

It is technically doable but it takes specific skills and having all the necessary stuff available.
Plus A LOT of time.

That is a silkscreened panel, paint has not faded but was pysically removed by bumping into things, so you need to:

1) redraw that artwork on Corel Draw or Inkscape/Gimp/Photoshop or some kind of 2D CAD

2) Laser print it on transparency or Vellum

3) burn a screen with it

4) clean that front panel by sandblasting or wet sanding , then repaint it black with some metal compatible paint.

5) re-silkscreen it using white Epoxy paint.

Plan B:

1) redraw that artwork on Corel Draw or Inkscape/Gimp/Photoshop or some kind of 2D CAD

2) have it printed/plotted on self adhesive vynil

There is a cuple shops who can make new adhesive panels or high power Laser burn them on anodized aluminum sheet,

A well known one is: https://www.frontpanelexpress.com/ but there are others.

Cheapest option would be to have a local trophy shop print graphics on vinyl or thin polycarbonate , you then carefully cut holes away using a surgical/artist blade.

In all cases you must provide the artwork..



3) wet sand that panel to have a smooth clean even panel , no need to repaint it (IF Iron gets exposed, spray it with some rust protecting paint) , then apply new vinyl panel.

[mozz]

They sell fine and extra fine line markers at the hobby stores. It is a lacquer paint or something, not a regular marker. Also could use automotive pinstripe for the lines.

[glebert]

I wonder if you could do a fresh silkscreen using a method like this: https://www.instructables.com/From-a...in-15-minutes/

It seems possible to use a photograph to import what's left of the original printing and then fill in the missing bits, but that is just a guess.

[Chuck H]

JM2C...

If you're looking for a quick, cheap repair just replacing the missing ink it's going to LOOK quick and cheap. There is other wear on the plate and it's not likely you'll get a perfect color match.

There are a few services around that make custom faceplates for amp builders (and other stuff). I've had great results using these services. I did have a favorite but I'm no longer sure who it was. The last time I bought one was about nine years ago and it cost me US $65. But it was a pretty fancy and detailed plate done in negative relief. Your faceplate is a much simpler design. I guess it all comes down to the budget for a given project but just know that for a few tens of dollars professional results are possible. Your effort restoring the old plate would be as Juan outlined above or attempting to get straight lines and even coverage with art pens of a different color (and likely line width) as mozz suggested. With a print service your effort would be to provide the artwork. I've had no trouble submitting bitmap images but I think most places prefer raster images.

[The Dude]

JM2C:
1) A Randall RB100 isn't worth spending money for a new faceplate.
2) Nothing wrong with a classic amp that looks classic. I'd slap it back on there "as is" without giving it a second thought.
These days, there are those in the world who would probably pay extra to have you rub some paint off instead of putting it back on.

[glebert]

JM2C...

If you're looking for a quick, cheap repair just replacing the missing ink it's going to LOOK quick and cheap. There is other wear on the plate and it's not likely you'll get a perfect color match.

There are a few services around that make custom faceplates for amp builders (and other stuff). I've had great results using these services. I did have a favorite but I'm no longer sure who it was. The last time I bought one was about nine years ago and it cost me US $65. But it was a pretty fancy and detailed plate done in negative relief. Your faceplate is a much simpler design. I guess it all comes down to the budget for a given project but just know that for a few tens of dollars professional results are possible. Your effort restoring the old plate would be as Juan outlined above or attempting to get straight lines and even coverage with art pens of a different color (and likely line width) as mozz suggested. With a print service your effort would be to provide the artwork. I've had no trouble submitting bitmap images but I think most places prefer raster images.

Someone told me that they found trophy shops love doing custom faceplates just because it is some variety from doing tee ball participation trophies. I don't know if that is true or not.

edit: now that I think about it that was nameplates for amps, but maybe faceplates would be similar.

[mozz]

We have a local guy who does lettering on vehicles, also makes posters and banners. I had a beat up silverface drip edge front panel, sure you have seen how bad these get. He scanned it and i gave him pictures from the internet. He made me a decal. I sanded the panel flat and put on the decal, it wasn't perfect but it looked 95% better.

[R.G.]

+1 to Juan's Plan B.
I once scanned the faceplate panel to a Vox Beatle, used Coreldraw to touch it up, then produced a source file for the local vinyl sign shop. Worked. The complication here is that the faceplate to Thomas Organ stuff is nearly all a thin sheet of aluminum that has been silkscreened >>then bent 90 degrees over a corner of the chassis<<. It was fiddly to get the bend location right.

If you do this, get a clear plastic layer to go over the printed version, as printshop printing isn't as rugged as silkscreen.

[Axtman]

Thanks guys. Yeah, I know the Randall amp is not worth a fancy new faceplate. I was just hoping that someone had ideas to make it slightly better than it is now. I have used black and silver markers to great success on other projects.

[The Dude]

I use a Sharpie all the time for quick touch ups on the black parts of amps. Not the perfect solution by any means, but it's quick and easy.

[Chuck H]

I use a Sharpie all the time for quick touch ups on the black parts of amps. Not the perfect solution by any means, but it's quick and easy.

If you peruse art stores and office supply you'll find gray and silver pens. As The Dude mentioned this is a less than PERFECT solution but usually a lot better than what you started with.

EDIT: And as a house painter I keep Sharpie markers in several colors for touching up errors. Example: Paint drip on a black window screen... Clean it off as best you can and color it in with the black marker. Or a bad white wall paint bleed on a stained cabinet edge (NEVER MINE!!!) Color it in with the brown Sharpie. That sort of thing.