Now of course, if I had a press I could straighten the screws, but if I take the screws out I don't have a press
![:bang:](https://madmodder.net/Smileys/default/BangHead.gif)
One day I will make up a dummy screw from solid rod, and take them out one by one and straighten them - but it's a major dismantling job to get them out.
So another thing that I wanted to sort out was a calibration on the pressure gauge in 'applied tons' rather than just PSI. But as this sort of gauge (10,000 psi don't forget) is sealed and oil filled, it isn't just a case of opening it up and fitting a different dial. So I decided to make a suitable chart and fix it close to the gauge.
I went though various materials to engrave, and they all were unsatisfactory in one way or another having either a slightly rough finish or were too soft until I hit on 'Rear engraved PetG'
Clear PetG plastic is what I had bought to make a new bezel for the gauges on my JCB 803 excavator so I had some in stock. I wanted a black background with lines & lettering that were easily readable so this is what I did:
A: I spray painted a square of PetG with Matt Black paint
B: Then when it was dry I laser engraved a mirror image of my chart through the paint into the plastic.
C: Then I sprayed the engraving all over with my line colour - orange as I had a can left over from making some boxes for the Traub rebuild
D: Then as the graph was being fixed onto a previously painted surface I covered it in talc to hopefully stop the two paints sticking together over time
And this is the result - I am really pleased with it and will definitely use this technique in the future.
(Shiny black objects are confoundedly difficult to photograph!)