Black front panel?

[Jon86]

I've started to design a couple of enclosure based projects, and I want to do a black front panel where the LED display is behind it, like on Dave's BK Precision Load.
Does anyone know how I could go about this? I was thinking of using black acrylic, but surely the LEDs wouldn't be visible? And if I use transparent and put something black behind it, surely the LED display's white plastic would show through?

[SeanB]

Smoked acrylic with a black self adhesive backing with cuts in the plastic for the LED's to show through. You can use a backlit display or a VFD or LED display there as well and it appears as a black panel. Screen print a front or print it on clear vinyl and stick it to the front for lettering and decals.

[geo_leeman]

I've seen some projects with one side of the acrylic (the back) taped off for displays then spray painted black.  Screen printing for the front labels, etc.  It looked pretty slick, but can't be that quick to do. 

[SeanB]

I used backlit panels that were cut and milled, then painted white with masking for the letters and such and then the whole panel was painted matt black as a front. That way lettering showed up as white ( lights were put inside the panel in pockets milled in the back) and lit up at night in illuminated according to the cover on the lamp.

[geo_leeman]

I used backlit panels that were cut and milled, then painted white with masking for the letters and such and then the whole panel was painted matt black as a front. That way lettering showed up as white ( lights were put inside the panel in pockets milled in the back) and lit up at night in illuminated according to the cover on the lamp.

How did you make the masking for the letters and label?

[SeanB]

I never made them, they came that way. Masking was mostly either tape or they just milled out the lettering after painting. All I ever did was fix up chips, and used a can of satin black paint ( looked better than the matt black paint) and simply gave the whole panel a coat or two, then used a scriber to remove the paint in the lettering along with a masking tape applied to the edges where light was desired. the lamps were 5V grain of wheat lamps (or some had a mix of both 5v and 28V lamps in places with 2 supplies) that were soldered into channels in the back, with the leads connected to wires and solder points that were in milled and filled slots along the panel. Not cheap panels to make, but they were aircraft cockpit panels and had to be durable and dimmable.

[Jon86]

I still don't know what I'm going to do about my 7-Segment LED displays, they've got a white case and I don't know how I can paint them without leaving white or covering the numbers...

[SeanB]

That is easy with a black permanent marker to cover the white. If you are worried use a dry wipe black marker for the front sections, and if you get any on the segments you can clean it off with a ear bud.