What Material Do You Use To Make Aperture Scales Out Of.

[Jim Moore]

I am currently using "white" tape and a black marker on my shutters that need aperture scales.

Can anyone suggest something that can be run through a laser printer that would hold up well?

And along those lines would anyone happen to have a "template" created for a program like Work, Publisher, Photoshop, Etc. that they would be willing to share?

Thanks,

Jim

 

[rbarker]

Hmmm. Doesn't look like too many people are making their own aperture scales, Jim.

I assume the white (gaffer's?) tape/ink-pen scales aren't wearing well? Have you thought about using overhead transparency material, and then laminating that against a white plastic background? That way, you could cut the necessary arc from the larger sheet after warping the text to the appropriate diameter.

I'd try creating the text, and then flip it, so it's on the reverse side of the transparency sheet for protection.

 

[modafoto]

Can anyone suggest something that can be run through a laser printer that would hold up well?

And along those lines would anyone happen to have a "template" created for a program like Work, Publisher, Photoshop, Etc. that they would be willing to share?

Do it the analog way....this is APUG....No digital here! Or the purists are coming for you!

 

[Peter De Smidt]

Hi Jim,

I can't suggest anything along the laser printer lines, but I do what you do, and then I put a piece of quality clear packaging tape over the scale. This has worked well for me for years.

-Peter

 

[John Cook]

I would suggest a trip to your local trophy company. You know, those people who supply faux wood and marble creations to bowlers and highschool soccer teams.

They should have thin sheets of brass or small brass plates, together with a machine for engraving them.

Have them engrave a scale from your paper mock-up. Bend it to shape and glue it to your shutter. Brass is soft enough to cut and drill with common woodworking tools. I suppose you could do it yourself with a Dremel grinder.

 

[bobfowler]

I'm jumping in late on this, but here goes:

1. attach masking tape to scale as temporary surface (in the case of a shutter such as the Ilex, I attach tape to the front plate of the shutter)
2. calibrate scale and use tick marks on tape
3. scan the scale into Photoshop for clean up and adding "real" numbers
4. print new scale on a matte surface inkjet photo paper
5. cut out new scale and attach to metal scale (or in the case of an Ilex shutter, to the faceplate of the shutter housing) using a high quality artist's paper cement
6. remount scale and double check calibration

Pretty simple to do.