Restorer32 Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 Is there anyone set up to reproduce early etched and silk screened data plates in small (very small) quantities? We are restoring an early Kissel and the data plate is unrestorable, good for a pattern only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Braverman Posted October 24, 2007 Share Posted October 24, 2007 Pulfer & Williams reproduces data plates.Pulfer & WilliamsP.O. Box 67 / 213 Forest RoadHancock, NH 03449-0067 Tel: 603-525-3532 FAX: 603-525-4293 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted October 24, 2007 Author Share Posted October 24, 2007 Mr. Williams passed away about a month ago and the business is being sold. They have nothing for Kissel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ted sweet Posted October 24, 2007 Share Posted October 24, 2007 try www.datatags.com. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted October 24, 2007 Author Share Posted October 24, 2007 I shot them off an e-mail but it appears from their website that they do only embossed or printed plates. Early ones like the Kissel are etched. Easy to get them done in large quantities but we need just 1, unless someone else is restoring a '27 Kissel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted October 24, 2007 Author Share Posted October 24, 2007 Nope, they do not do etched plates but thanks for the suggestion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GP Gleason Posted October 24, 2007 Share Posted October 24, 2007 It depends on if you want perfection. I like to do things myself and, if you have the patience to learn, I would not hesitate to try this kit on eBay. It may not be the right size. I know you can find metal etch kits a lot of places. http://cgi.ebay.com/Etch-O-Matic-Metal-Etching-Starter-Kit_W0QQitemZ7563696042QQcmdZViewItemWho knows; it might work great or it might fail miserably.Even if you failed many times and then got it right it would still be less than paying someone else to make you one.Silk screening is a little more difficult but all of it depends on the artwork. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Braverman Posted October 25, 2007 Share Posted October 25, 2007 If you have the original for a pattern, find a graphic artist to re-draw the data plate using a program such as Adobe Illustrator. There are then several options for printing the image onto various surfaces. Check with your local silk screener, it's not too expensive for small quantities. Not the same as an etched plate, but better than nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan Saxton Posted October 25, 2007 Share Posted October 25, 2007 Etching is well within the technical capability of anyone who participates in this forum; because they have a computer. Depending on how you obtain the basic digital image, you may have to sharpen the outlines and adjust to correct size before printing a dense black-on-clear master.The etching chemicals, spray-on photo-resist, developer, and etchant, are economically available at any electronics supply house, because the same materials and technique are used to make circuit boards. You should recieve adequate printed instructions with the kit. You need to make a simple light exposure box with a high UV light source, and experiment with exposure time needed. The black image on the master protects the photo resist beneath it, so it will remain on the stock material while the exposed areas are stripped by the developer solution. The etching solution is Ferric Chloride. Some may suspend the work upside down in the etchant. Another trick is to agitate the etchant with bubbles from a small fish tank air pump. Be prepared to have a play, and experiment. It is easier to do this work yourself than the original craftsmen were able.I can give you reference numbers to Kodak books on the topic; but you should get all the instructions you need with the materials.Regards, Ivan Saxton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted October 25, 2007 Author Share Posted October 25, 2007 We've done the process ourselves before, most recently to produce a set of sill plates for a '58 Cadillac Flower Car. Problem is, doing it ourselves is very labor intensive and I would prefer to outsource the job in the interest of saving the customer a few dollars. If there isn't someone providing this service for early vehicles there certainly should be. And you're correct. It is much easier to do now with computer graphics. On the '58 we scanned good sections of the original sills, repaired them on the computer and eventually ended up with the entire 46" long sill digitized to a disc which we forwarded to a commercial photo etch shop that printed and etched a full 4 ft by 8 ft sheet of stainless steel, giving us 3 sets of sill covers at a final price of about $1200/set. Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Friartuck Posted October 30, 2007 Share Posted October 30, 2007 Jeff, Is this the type of Kissel data plate you're looking for? The last period in U.S.A. looks awkward, but the No symbol in Engine No looks about right. Amazing what you can find in your local auto parts store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted October 30, 2007 Author Share Posted October 30, 2007 Looks good to me. Guess I should have checked Auto Zone. I only checked Advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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