[Hallicrafters] Panel lettering NEW THREAD

[Paul Kraemer]

Greg, Todd, Carl, group et al
To clarify, that would be me you are probably talking about, Paul K0UYA 
located in SE Iowa.  I purchased the assets of films (approximately 60 
pieces) for panel screen printing from Lynn, N0ALO, about a year ago.
I did it for two reasons. One, it represented a potential opportunity to 
accomplish something I always wanted to do. Two, I could see the entire 
collection being disseminated piecemeal and lost forever so I did what I 
thought was responsible and bought the entire collection with the intention, 
if nothing else, scanning and saving the lot to disc where it could become 
available to others.
At present it is a collection of photgraphic film as used to expose and 
develop screens for the purpose of screen printing. Each piece is an actual 
tried and proven work which Lynn actually produced panels from. Many are in 
reality pieces of film taped together to establish the proper registration. 
I don't think I have to elaborate that in this form it is only a matter of a 
few years until it is probably lost forever. In any case, there is a whole 
lot of time, talent and expense involved in the steps between these films 
and a finished piece that anyone would want.
As many may know, or are finding out, The days of printing by pushing ink 
through a screen are going the same direction as large sheet film cameras, 
producing circuit boards from taped artwork, and buggy whips. The method 
today is by a large flat bed printer driven by artwork on a computer and uv 
cured ink (actually paint). The technique still can't compete with high 
volume work (T shirts) produced on semi automatic printers run by third 
world operators making nothing in wages but it certainly is a no brainer for 
the only reasonable method for one off custom work.  I do have a local asset 
which has such a printer (the bed is 4 ft x 5 ft) and I am currently working 
with them to purchase small blocks of custom time when they are not busy 
making their own product. It may come down to train me to do it so I can 
rent it off hours. We have a close relationship where I provide significant 
engineering and service work to them so the possibilities are positive at 
this time. But, we are all busy, and it does take time. Theirs and mine. All 
that said I believe it is THE way to go. With four paint colors plus white I 
don't think I need to elaborate on the possibilities. I have seen downloaded 
images of artworks reverse printed on lexan sheets with white printed over 
the background to make very high resolution backlit images  A panel with two 
or three colors is a proverbial piece of cake. A quantityof matching panels 
at one pass, easier than one at a time.
OK, so what are you waiting for, why haven't you done something with this? 
That is your next question is it not?  All I can say in my defense is that I 
am living one of life's lessons that you play the hand you are dealt. At 67 
years young self employed entrepreneur I am finding I am far from 
retirement, have no one to pass on the business to, and living in a small 
rural area have many customers counting on me to keep doing what I do for 
them as long as there is life in my body. I am grateful for their past 
support (and as self employed that is exactly what it is) and feel it is not 
the resposible thing to do to suddenly say sorry, can't help you, I'm 
retired, go find someone else if you can. I have, on ocassion tried, and it 
keeps coming back home. Then there is also the reality that it is what pays 
the taxes and utilities on keeping this shop open to the possibilities of 
doing hobby work at reasonable cost.
All that being said, I felt , and still do, that painting and printing of 
panels was something that was a nice fit to my existing business of 
industrial circuit board design and manufacturing.  Through that, in 
addition to my own in-house resources,  I have access to local assets of 
bead blasting,  powder coating,  metal fabrication, and nc machining and 
have always been willing to share with anyone who asked for help.
If anyone has panel that just absolutely needs done---email me off list and 
we will make that happen. If anyone has a web site where I can post a list 
of current artwork I have available I'd be happy to do that. If anyone wants 
to help me develope a website of my own---the job is open.
As far as other questions of who bought what ---you should ask Lynn. After 
purchasing the film and realizing the breadth and depth of his business I 
inquired to him about the paint formulae and Lynn told me that someone in NC 
had already bought those along with some of the mechanical printing assets 
but was not going to pursue that and in fact wanted to sell them back.  A 
brief look at the asked price of some paint formulae,  the knowledge that 
the world of paint is changing,  plus recognition of difficulties of 
inventory and actual shipping made me disregard that aspect of the business 
rather quickly.  After all, the color is never exasctly how we remembered it 
and that is a whole other service problem.
That is my story and I am sticking to it.
Please don't hesitate to ask if you have some specific request or if you 
just want to jaw. I always seem to find time to answer every email in a day 
or two.
One final BTW, if you have a panel you want reproduced and it is not in 
inventory my posture has always been send it to me, I'll do the artwork (at 
no or very little charge) and return the panel to you unharmed. I would 
rather duplicate the panel totally than take a chance making a booboo on 
someone's priceless one of a kind only one in the world panel.
One final word on artwork. It is just that. We artists grow weary of hearing 
"all ya gotta do is take a picture with a digital camera and that is all 
there is to it" Remember WYSIWYG.
73
Paul K0UYA