BYOC pedal aluminum enclosure decorating advice

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I've just ordered my first BYOC kit - an Overdrive 2 pedal - and while pondering about what I might need to do for best results when it gets here I realized that I'd probably be wise to label the enclosure. The pedal's got 4 knobs, 2 regular switches and 2 foot-switches, so I'd very much prefer to know which is which.

I've researched the thing, and it turns out that I can either go with painting the pedal (some coats of paint, a decal and some clear coating), or etch the aluminum pedal face with acid (ferric chloride - which I can get pretty easily and cheaply).

But I'm a total novice about the whole thing. Ive read all I could about both methods, and I think the paint option is too expensive and it takes too long, and I'd probably end up with smudges and blobs - and I prefer the look of polished bare aluminum anyway.

On the other hand, I'm pretty much afraid of the acid thing. Obviously it needs to be disposed of carefully, and it shouldn't come into contact with metal sinks or pipes, it can probably hurt me physically, I don't know how long I should let the acid burn the aluminum, and so on.

So I would appreciate advice as detailed as possible about etching. For example, how do I wash the acid to check the progress? Obviously I can't do it in the sink. Do I just put some water in a plastic recipient and get the pedal out of the acid bath and put it into the water bath?

Also, the BYOC pedals are pre-drilled, so if I put the face of the pedal into an acid bath, I'll end up with acid inside the pedal eating away at the aluminum from the inside... Do I use an eyedropper or a paintbrush instead only on the face of the pedal only over smaller areas that need to be etched? How much acid do I let accumulate on the surface?

Anything you think should be mentioned at all, please let me know. Things that might feel obvious to you are not to me, so you'd be doing me a great favour.

If you have any other safer alternatives for labeling each control I'd also love to hear your suggestions. I'd actually be very relieved to be able to do this some other way (except I want it to be a serious job, I'd prefer not to use regular stickers).

Thanks!

[thekiwidisciple]

Painting it is not very hard, and not too expensive. Go to your local auto store and get some of those aerosol car touch-up cans.

[markb]

Personally I'd get DVM to do it for me :)

But, since you asked, getting a good finish on metal is quite easy but very labour intensive. Lot of thin coats rubbed down carefully one by one is the only way to do it properly. If you go for the etching technique you can neutralise the waste acid with a solution of caustic soda pellets from the hardware store before disposal (sold as drain cleaner). Stand well back when adding caustic soda to water and try not to drop the pellets in your trouser turn-ups (don't ask how I know this is a bad thing). A garden pH testing meter will tell you if you've got it about right, pH 7-8 means harmless.

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Personally I'd get DVM to do it for me :)
Oh, believe me, getting somebody else to do that for me was my first thought! But, I live in Romania. Sending the pedal over to somebody in the US really isn't an option.

Thanks for the advice!

[markb]

Oh, believe me, getting somebody else to do that for me was my first thought! But, I live in Romania. Sending the pedal over to somebody in the US really isn't an option.

Thanks for the advice!

But you're already shipping the kit to Romania. 'Vood buys direct from BYOC, builds and finishes the pedal for you, does any mods you ask for and you'll only pay about the same shipping you'd pay BYOC for plus the labour markup. Search for posts by Duhvoodooman in the pedal forum to see his work. He's our very own boutique pedal secret ;)

[Kazz]

I would go the Duh Voodoo Man way too.....much easier on you.

[red]

But you're already shipping the kit to Romania. 'Vood buys direct from BYOC, builds and finishes the pedal for you, does any mods you ask for and you'll only pay about the same shipping you'd pay BYOC for plus the labour markup. Search for posts by Duhvoodooman in the pedal forum to see his work. He's our very own boutique pedal secret ;)
That would have been true had I bought the kit from the US - but I've ordered it from the UK distribuitor, so no it's not coming from the US.
And even if I would have, it's already paid for and on it's way - so it would still come to sending the enclosure to the US.
I hope I've explained my situation better this time. :)

[duhvoodooman]

If this is your first time finishing a pedal, I'd stick with paint & decal, even with the added expense. My main reason for this is because a good quality etch takes some practice, from what I've read. I've seen some photos of first efforts posted that were....ugly, to be kind. The other issue is disposal of the chemicals, which can be something of a hassle, as you've read here.

There's an extensive "how to" thread on the decaling HERE (http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php?t=6235)...

[markb]

That would have been true had I bought the kit from the US - but I've ordered it from the UK distribuitor, so no it's not coming from the US.
And even if I would have, it's already paid for and on it's way - so it would still come to sending the enclosure to the US.
I hope I've explained my situation better this time. :)

Fair enough. Who's the UK distributor of BYOC by the way?

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There's an extensive "how to" thread on the decaling HERE (http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php?t=6235)...
Thanks, I'll read that and see what I can do!
Yes, it is my first time finishing a pedal, in case I couldn't express my desperation well-enough in my initial post. :)

[red]

Fair enough. Who's the UK distributor of BYOC by the way?
Vibe-O-Tronic Distribution (http://vibe-o-tronic.co.uk/). There is probably more than one store in the UK selling BYOC kits, but this one was the one I could find from the BYOC official international distribuitors page, and they seem to be very decent people - fast response, fast shipping.

The nice thing for me is that ordering from the UK (or another EU country) does not incur additional customs taxes for me. Romania is an EU country and the EU countries are all part of a common economic system - ordering from the US costs me at least 20% extra at the customs for whatever I order plus the shipping costs. So I tend to avoid it whenever I can.

[red]

In case anyone is interested, just thought I'd post this here - I found something called a stamping alphabet set (http://www.banzaieffects.com/Stamping-Alphabet-Set-pr-24777.html). Apparently you just pound those with a hammer a couple of times and there's a letter shape in your aluminum enclosure. Should probably work fine for simple things like labeling a few knobs, seems to be cheaper than all the paint + decals I'd need to paint the pedal, and definitely less dangerous than using ferric chloride.

I just hope it works and doesn't mess up the enclosure in some way...