The Smell of Molten Projects in the Morning

Ed Nisley's Blog: Shop notes, electronics, firmware, machinery, 3D printing, laser cuttery, and curiosities. Contents: 100% human thinking, 0% AI slop.

Homage Tek Circuit Computer: Yellow Variation

, ,

An on-sale pack of yellow Astrobrights card stock tempted me:

Homage Tek CC - Yellow Astrobrights paper
Homage Tek CC – Yellow Astrobrights paper

The somewhat wrecked cursor comes from my collection of discards, because I haven’t yet figured out how to mill the outline and engrave the hairline on raw stock.

The paper isn’t quite the same color as my Genuine Pickett Model 110-ES circular slide rule:

Homage Tek CC vs Pickett 110ES colors
Homage Tek CC vs Pickett 110ES colors

Nor, of course, are the ticks and legends nearly as fine as you get with real engraving, but it’s probably Close Enough™ for anybody other than a Real Collector™.

The Pilot V5RT ink bleeds less on Astrobrights card stock than on the previous, somewhat coarser, card stock:

Tek CC - Yellow Astrobrights paper - bare
Tek CC – Yellow Astrobrights paper – bare

An automagic color adjustment bleaches the yellow and makes the black ink much more visible.

Laminating the paper crisps the contrast a bit, although it’s more obvious in person:

Tek CC - Yellow Astrobrights paper - laminated
Tek CC – Yellow Astrobrights paper – laminated

You can see tiny air bubbles over the darkest part of the ticks and letters.

Comments

4 responses to “Homage Tek Circuit Computer: Yellow Variation”

  1. William Walder Avatar
    William Walder

    For engraving your cursor, and possibly to ease up on sanding issues, have you considered a cheap 1w or 5w laser?

    1. Ed Avatar
      Ed

      A friend with a GlowForge has tinkered a few test pieces for me. He won’t burn anything other than acrylic, which seems a reasonable restriction, so styrene & PETG are off the table.

      I’m running the only two retinas I’ll ever be issued, so I’ve categorically rejected free-air lasing: there is absolutely no way to make it eye-safe. I lust after a Lasersaur, but refitting a 50 W 12×20 inch Chinese laser with better firmware & software seems more practical … and isn’t on the to-do list.

  2. bCNC Rounding vs. G-Code Arcs: GRBL Error 33 | The Smell of Molten Projects in the Morning Avatar
    bCNC Rounding vs. G-Code Arcs: GRBL Error 33 | The Smell of Molten Projects in the Morning

    […] cutting the top deck of the Pickett-flavored Tek Circuit Computer on the MPCNC, this […]

  3. Tek Circuit Computer: Cursor Milling | The Smell of Molten Projects in the Morning Avatar
    Tek Circuit Computer: Cursor Milling | The Smell of Molten Projects in the Morning

    […] hairline came out so fine it makes the Pilot V5RT ballpoint pen lines look downright […]