New Data Plate Source

[Srjeeper]

uhmm, ehrrr.... what about the brand, Nartron vs. Natron....??
Don't know, maybe it's done on purpose and not just a typo....?
No biggie, really.



G.

Had to be that way....Trademark thing...although when I contacted them about a replacement plate...they sent me to voice mail and 'NO ONE'...ever called back...so they can KMA...business went elsewhere...not that they cared..

 

[hendersond]

Looks darn good! Thanks for the post!

 

[dataplatesnet]

Dataplates.net

Hello, I'm the guy from dataplates.net. I've spoken to a couple of you guys either on the phone or through email. I'll try and clarify a few things.

Mostly we make stuff for the electrical, plumbing and HVAC industries. If your want things to survive constant direct sunlight there are plastics made specifically for that purpose. Metals just won't take the UV light, didn't 50 years ago, still won't today, hence the reason for your replacement needs.

Next, we aren't a duplication service, most of the dataplates were created with the technology of the time, for the most part that simply doesn't exist anymore. The fonts were mostly hand drawn art. Some of those may have been duplicated by font companies like adobe, but generally just don't exist in an electronic format.

We are also not a machine shop, creating specific radius and hole locations that were originally stamped out on press just isn't possible. I try and get things and close as I can within reason. Trust me, all you guys probably have better tooling to put the holes in the right spot.

Here is a layout I did recently. Apparently it wasn't close enough.

 

[Jeff Nelson]

To Dataplates.net: I can't speak for everyone else, obviously, but I do have some experience with getting data plates made by various sources with varying degrees of success. As has been said before, "It ain't easy." Note that I've bookmarked your company and will be using you as my Deuce comes together. I like your quality and responsiveness, going by what I've seen in this thread. Count me in....

 

[hndrsonj]

Looks like they would work good for the generic plates.

 

[dataplatesnet]

Some other info for you graphics arts types: We use lasers to do this work, I work primarily out of coreldraw x3, but adobe illustrator is very common as well. If you want something EXACT send vector art. Convert the fonts to curves, anything hairline won't engrave, that gets reserved for raster cutouts. On metal I'm limited to 12x12 inches, just don't have a shear bigger than that. As far as exact corner radius and hole placement your on your own.

 

[hendersond]

To Dataplates.net:
I'm not up to date on the technology you use to make data plates. How are they made? How difficult is it to make a "close" representation? Is there setup charge? What quantities do you need to produce for this to be worth your time?
From my perspective, I'm not looking for a duplicate or reproduction. I'm looking to replace the data plates on my new painted dash with reasonable representations. My alternative is dirty, scratched, bent or mis-matched crap.
If this is something you are interested in, what is the next step? can I send you the dataplates or a picture for a quote?
Dan

 

[dataplatesnet]

herdersond: send me and email from the website. Include pictures and most importantly the
dimensions of what you want. See my above post on what we use to make these.

For future reference, please don't leave posts here for orders, send me email at:

orders@dataplates.net

 

[Capt.Marion]

To Dataplates.net:
I'm not up to date on the technology you use to make data plates. How are they made? How difficult is it to make a "close" representation? Is there setup charge? What quantities do you need to produce for this to be worth your time?
From my perspective, I'm not looking for a duplicate or reproduction. I'm looking to replace the data plates on my new painted dash with reasonable representations. My alternative is dirty, scratched, bent or mis-matched crap.
If this is something you are interested in, what is the next step? can I send you the dataplates or a picture for a quote?
Dan

If I'm not mistaken, they use CNC (computer-controlled) laser engraving equipment. It looks like the biggest challenge is taking the existing dataplates and creating accurate computer representations of them to tell the machinery how to engrave the material. Based on this, the difficulty when aiming for close representations would be finding the correct computer font to recreate the same style of text on the original plate as well as correctly translating the dimensions and locations of the different features on the plates to computer-based vector graphics (basically taking the dataplate and figuring out how to draw the same images on the computer so the equipment can actually cut it out).

If we can find good-condition example plates that can be scanned in (or already-exisiting digital images of them that are to scale), that would (from my experience doing vector graphics and CAD and CNC work) make it a lot easier to generate computer representations that are as true as possible to the original dataplate.

NOTE: I am in no way affiliated with dataplatesnet and have no data-plate experience. I'm simply using my similar experience to extrapolate as to what the challenges are in using the method for making replacement plates.

 

[gringeltaube]

Welcome to Steelsoldiers, dataplatesnet - Greg!
Good that you posted this, as I was thinking what to write here or not, to explain the actual situation (and your limitations)...

To all:
hopefully every company I had ever to deal with would be so quick to respond to emails...! And willing to spend so much time and effort in something bringing so little!...

I am the one who said that his prototype DP does not match the given size and proportions I had requested.
Besides font style and minor details the main thing is that in most cases we need to respect the existing hole pattern, plus overall outer dimensions and aspect ratio, of course. (see the differences, below)

After some email exchange I do understand now, that what I have done so far in BMP may look "correct" but does not help him at all. .... that we need any dataplate artwork made in CORELDRAW!

So my next step, now: see (eat) all these tutorials and hopefully learn (fast!) how to import a bitmap into CorelDRAW...!?


To Captn.Marion:
I have already done the homework for this particular dataplate, at least.
We need a volunteer to convert the original BMP file into vector graphics....!!!


G.

 

[Capt.Marion]

There is a free Vector Graphics program out there that I know many people have used fairly successfully. It is called Inkscape and is available here: Inkscape. Draw Freely..

I'll see if I can't find some decent tutorials for it, too.

 

[dataplatesnet]

If I'm not mistaken, they use CNC (computer-controlled) laser engraving equipment. It looks like the biggest challenge is taking the existing dataplates and creating accurate computer representations of them to tell the machinery how to engrave the material. Based on this, the difficulty when aiming for close representations would be finding the correct computer font to recreate the same style of text on the original plate as well as correctly translating the dimensions and locations of the different features on the plates to computer-based vector graphics (basically taking the dataplate and figuring out how to draw the same images on the computer so the equipment can actually cut it out).

If we can find good-condition example plates that can be scanned in (or already-exisiting digital images of them that are to scale), that would (from my experience doing vector graphics and CAD and CNC work) make it a lot easier to generate computer representations that are as true as possible to the original dataplate.

NOTE: I am in no way affiliated with dataplatesnet and have no data-plate experience. I'm simply using my similar experience to extrapolate as to what the challenges are in using the method for making replacement plates.

Capt.Marion is basically correct and I can tell he has more than a little experience in the field of computer graphics. So very nice explanation! I will expand upon it:

Once upon a time, in a galaxy far far away.........Or more closely think of the era of the TV show Mad Men. ALL typography was laid out by hand, and most of the fonts were hand drawn. Picture cut out letters or stickers, now think of that drawn by artists and then cut out with scissors and then using a lighted table placing these along lines and curves, spacing all done by what it looked like and by hand. That is how the vintage stuff you have was done. Some of those fonts have been redone into modern font libraries but they are rarely perfect or even that close, so looking for a match is pretty much pointless.

Onto what you guys want, if someone has the originals in good shape. And you can scan them in black and white preferably or grayscale (don't bother with color) at 300-600 dpi I can import them into coreldraw and then use a slick program to trace them into a vector art format. Adobe has similar tools. This is when I realized that no way was I going to get what Gerhard wanted by doing it by hand. Really the fonts aren't perfect if you zoom in on them, but on the finished product you will never know.

Does that help?

 

[gringeltaube]

Sorry, my internet connection is so slow today.....

UPDATE! to my previous post...
Greg (dataplatesnet) has managed to convert my files (!) and this round it came out - I would say ... "perfect" enough! (see below, after superposing both....)

BIG IMPROVEMENT so far, and.... it can only get better from here on.
Now looking into the material itself: finding anodized aluminum in the correct thickness (0.030") and maybe we even end up with Durablack which is what the military uses nowadays!

Fingers crossed!

G.

 

[Capt.Marion]

Looks good! Keep us posted.

 

[dataplatesnet]

I'll get some durablack. I have other customers that require that from time to time.

 

[Capt.Marion]

For future reference Dataplatesnet, what file format do you prefer to receive vector graphics in for making plates? (i.e. .ai, .pdf, etc...).

 

[dataplatesnet]

Vector art, usually .eps coming from Illustrator, save it down a few versions and convert the fonts and lines to curves. Also editable .pdf usually work well.

 

[quickfarms]

Interesting

I have been looking for a kaizer Willys serial number plate for a m38a1

 

[dataplatesnet]

I'll be the first to tell you, I don't know a darn thing about what the different plates are, what they look like, what they come from ect. I'll recreate them the best I can if I know the dimensions, color, what they say and look like.

Greg

 

[Torisco]

My sincerest thanks to gringeltaube, capt marion, et al for thier efforts at getting the proper formats and software to create better representations for dataplates.net so we at SS can have a good source for obtaining hard to get data plates.

gringeltaube has assisted me on MORE THAN ONE occassion and I am grateful...

Sincerely,
Gordon Felice