julianf

Only one week till the sale ends!

Hmm... Im pretty sure that i dont have it any more, however, i keep meening to go through things here, and find out exactly what i do and dont have! Im pretty sure i have a cheap (reject) 19" panel, but, if you have the desktop case, that's no good to you. I think standard price for the desktop panels is GBP 80 for the top, and GBP 35 for the rear, but, of course, if i do still have the panel in the photos, you would be very welcome to it. Ill have a look through things, and post again! Julian

10% off all mb6582 (standard cut only) panels paid for between 15th April to 30th April 2013. My MB6582 panel sets are usually GBP 80 each (which is already a huge saving on the other company : ) but, between the dates above, you will be able to get a further 10% off, giving a saving of about GBP 40 / Euro 50 on the alternatives! What's included - Any standard cut mb6582 panel (ie no custom designs) Any stocked metal colour Any stocked single infill colour What's excluded - Any panels *paid for* outside of this time frame (15th April to 30th April 2013) Any other panels / custom panels Postal charges still apply (always at cost only anyway!) Packing - its free anyhow, so i cant give you 10%-off nothing! Transaction charges (if applicable) Payment methods - UK Cheque (FREE) BACS in GBP (FREE) BACS in Euro (FREE) Google Checkout (standard charges apply) Paypal "Personal / Gift" with charges pre-paid (this is the *only* way that I'm happy to accept Paypal)

Price drop - GBP 60 (ex shipping etc) If it does not sell, ill be tempted to put the price up again!

Im amazed that noone has bitten my arm off for this one! Its a graded panel, sure, but two small marks by the window, and ive got it listed for aprox 1/2 what a 3mm panel would cost. But, hey... Ill knock another fiver off, and see what happens. GBP 55 (ex shipping etc)

Somone has said to me that they are finding it difficult finding the power jack / switch (?) that TK used for his build. As i have not yet milled the panel, i can change the cut-outs for these. Is the part TK used (i do not know what it is) hard to find? Would the panel be better with a standard 12.6mm circular cut-out for any number of the barrel connectors (most companies seem to make them for a 12.6mm cut out) My 'local' place sells these - http://www.rapidonline.com/Cables-Connectors/DC-Power-socket-for-panel-cut-out-12-6mm-63543 ...but i have checked that 'branded' options are available with the same cut-out hole. The 12.6mm dimension seems common enough. Im thinking a cut-out for a small round rocker switch too, for example - http://www.rapidonline.com/Electronic-Components/SPST-Snap-in-rocker-switch-71446 SCI parts are available all over, so i do not think there would be issues three. If TKs choice of parts are available, then i have no desire to change the holes at all - it is less work for me to keep them as-is, however, it is horrible not being able to find some obscure part for a build, so i always try to cut for the most available options. Can anyone give me feedback on this? Thank you, Julian

Probably not this time. But there is thought behind this - The panel you see in the photo is 1.5mm thick. Same thickness as the mb6582 units (dont worry - its plenty thick enough for strength!) With the 1.5mm metal the edge of the cut that you see around the screen is so much less (well exactly 1/2!) so (with the mb6582 units) i have suggested to people that they cut a screen themselves, with a hacksaw (cheap option!) as the whole part can then affix to the rear of the panel, and none of the edges of the acrylic of it would be visible. If you profile an acrylic part to 'slot' into the hole in the metal, the edges of the acrylic are right where you are looking. So they need to be clean. But, if the whole part is under the metal, the edges are out of sight - so it becomes a DIY part once again. Having a large 'step' of 3.0mm on a thicker panel, and then an acrylic screen below may look a bit 'odd' but with the thinner metal, i think that the DIY option explained above reduces both the complication and expense for the end user. note - of course, there is nothing to stop anyone getting an acrylic part profiled to match if they want to - indeed, they can try the option above first, and then, if they dont like it, go to the trouble and expense of buying a profiled part (but i doubt that many would! : ) note #2 - the 1.5 metal is availible in many more colours / finishes than 3.0 too. as above, the 1.5 is what i use for the mb5682 units, so any colour / finish that you have seen those in is possible for the mbseq unit. my personal unit (if i ever have time to build it!) will have a matt red panel, in a black case, with black panel hardware : )

Some will have noticed that ive been about these parts a little more often just recently : ) The reason for the radio silence was a drawn out relocation, and then quite a while recently battling with technical issues. Anyhow, i posted these photos in another thread - This was only a test panel, as i needed to check the dimensions of the panel. The datasheet for the desktop case is a fair way out on some of the dimensions, hence the need to take real-world 'actual' measurements, and then cut the test plate. So, the top is now confirmed. I have just engraved a test for the rear panel, and will cut that over the weekend. This is the set that i have cut - The rear panel is basically TKs file, but with the typeface altered to match in with the top panel, and the addition of the Sync port between the last midi and the BLM. I want to get the rear finished before talking pricing, but its looking like the whole set (top and rear) will come in cheaper than buying just the top from FP.. Anyhow, i guess this is pre-warning. They are on their way (eventually) so, i guess, time to start thinking about it if youre after one : )

thank you, i have your mail - i will engage my eyes and brain on them later in the day : ) thanks again, julian

As per i needed to cut a test panel for the mbseq desktop enclosures to check all the measurements. Because i did not actually think the job would work, i used a bit of scrap metal, that had been heavily engraved on one side. The test panel actually came out perfect, and is way too good to put back into the scrap. Photos below - So, what's wrong with this panel? a) there are no pcb mounting holes cut. youre on your own here, with JB weld, or whatever epoxy resin brand you have local to you : ) b) the panel was heavily engraved on the rear side. i was doing testing with it, and there were some deep cuts, two of which punchered the panel on the left hand side just below the LCD window (two little dots in the last photo) c) this isnt actually a real issue, but its somthing ill adjust on later panels - ill cut the panels 3/4 of a mm longer in the future. there's a tiny (well, 0.75mm) bit of slack in the case, which is identical to the slack in the other sections, but, hey, now that i know about it, ill adjust the cutting files to get rid of it : ) The engraving and holes are flawless. So, visually, its the two dots by the right hand LCD window. Again, the rear of the panel is a mess, so dont expect anything pretty there! I think Wilba's 3mm design works out at about GBP 120 ish from the big engraving companies. How about this one at half that? GBP 60, ex shipping / transaction costs (where applicable) Usual terms - Postage at cost. Packing free. Payment by bank transfer in GBP or Euro, or... By google checkout (usual processing fees apply) or... By paypal, but *only* if marked as a gift, with fees pre-paid (basically i hate paypal, and have never taken it up until now, but, if you want to use it, that's the only way ill do it : ) Insurance / tracking is optional (at buyers risk) for items paid for by bank / paypal gift Insurance not optional for card payments by other means. ps. im sure its obvious, but we're talking just the engraved panel, not the whole case : )

weeks later, ive managed to point the camera at the job - Im pretty pleased with the fit : )

thank you, work email is -

Quick question: Is this - http://www.ucapps.de/midibox_seq/tk_mbseq_backpanel_v1_1.zip The correct file for the current v4 pcbs from Smash? I just want to make sure nothing has changed before i cut a test plate. Thanks, Julian

Bumping - I had some interest in this, but, as of yet, noone has actually given me any cash for it, so its still up for grabs : )

Bumping - Some of these are sold, but ive had a couple of cancelled orders, so have some remaining. Thanks, Julian

I have now cut a test panel for the mbseq. I have only cut the top so far, but i am very happy with the result. I took 'real life' measurements of the case and cut to those measurements (which differ slightly from the datasheet / wilba's fpd) - i am very happy with the fit of the top panel. It is a much firmer fit than it would have otherwise been. I have not yet cut the rear panel. All the mb6582 panels i cut are also not cut to the datasheet. If you measure my panels, they are larger than the datasheet dimensions. Cutting the mb6582 panels to the datasheet dimensions leaves a gap at the top or the bottom of the panel! This is exactly why i purchased one of the 17" desktop cases - as you can not always trust datasheet dimensions! I will take a photo of the top plate tomorrow.

i dont have one. my post was not an attempt to start a group buy - it was an offer to check details if there was no other reasonable supplier in place. so, if you have a supplier, and want to run a group buy go ahead! but, if it doesn't work out, ill start looking up prices etc. again, i dont enjoy making the acrylic parts. its not something i especially want to get involved with. but its possible for me to do so, if people had no other option.

I hate working with acrylic, as it scratches so very easily, but, i guess, if people were stuck, then i could see if it were viable. (viable being that i have no stock of acrylic here, and it seems crazy to buy a whole sheet for a few windows) To be clear though, its not a load of fun for me, and cutting windows is never going to make me a millionaire, so its only if other group buys dont work out : ) Julian

Same terms as the mb6582 post ive just made, but different fault : / Perfect panel in all respects, apart from that i gouged the edge as i took it from the machine : ( Photos (again, theyre not great, but its raining too much for me outside at the moment!) Please ignore the 'dust' on the panel. It is just from the tissue i wiped the panel with. Normally i would take more care with photos, but not today... This panel was cut before the bearings failed on the engraving head. There is no issue with the engraving. It is just the gouge on the left hand rack ear. Note - this panel is cut in 2.0mm 'bronze' anodised. Yours for GBP 67.50. (there is only 1-off this panel) Usual terms - Postage at cost. Packing free. Payment by bank transfer in GBP or Euro, or... By google checkout (usual processing fees apply) or... By paypal, but *only* if marked as a gift, with fees pre-paid (basically i hate paypal, and have never taken it up until now, but, if you want to use it, that's the only way ill do it : ) Insurance / tracking is optional (at buyers risk) for items paid for by bank / paypal gift Insurance not optional for card payments by other means.

Right - i have some photos (not great photos, but the light is not good inside, and there is too much rain outside!) Ignore the infill residue in the holes. I am not going to remove it on these panels, but it will push out when the LEDs are inserted. Remember, all the holes are perfect - it is just the engraving that is rough. For example - Does not look terrible, but is not as it should be. If we take a closer look - Look at the "02" - the / section of the "2" is wider than it should be. The cutter will have moved to one side on the second pass. So two shallow, rougher cuts, that do not hold infill well. This is a better example - Look at the lowest waveform. I think this is the most extreme example i have seen. It is rare that you can properly see the exact problem with your eyes - normally the cut just looks 'rough' but a microscope tells you why. So there you have it - the panels are milled fine - there is no problem there, but the engraving is rough. If you want perfect panels, these are not for you, however, if you want a unit to use, and you want cheap panels, then these could be good for you. They really are not terrible, but i would not consider selling them at full price at all. Thank you, Julian

Thank you, i appreciate your patience - but at least you know im working on it : ) My main machines engraving spindle is at a re-builders at present - i have a couple of pre-engraved panels to mill at the start of the week, and then some outstanding work as soon as the engraving head comes back, but, assuming i can clear the delayed works, i hope to get back on with the mbseq testing in the 2nd half of the coming week.

Due to some failed bearings here, ive produced a handful of mb6582 panels that im not happy with. The holes etc. are fine on them - they are cut with a different cutter / bearing set, however, the engraving is not as sharp as it should be. I will take some photos later, but im not certain how well the photos will show the issue, so i will describe first - A cutter spins in bearings, such as its cutting tip is held in the same position with limited 'run out' (deviation from the center point) Bearing failure increases the run out, or deviation from center point. In this case im measuring about 0.125mm. It means that when a line is cut, normally the cutter passes over the same line again, in a cleaning pass. With the increased run out, it may not pass exactly over the line again, but be offset by as much as 0.125mm. What does this mean in real terms? This obviously isnt something that's easy to asses with your eye (i have measuring microscopes for this kind of stuff) but the end result is basically that, whilst all the text is in the right place, the edges of the cut are imperfect - they just dont look as clean as they should, and the infill doesnt take smoothly. The bottom line? Yours for GBP 67.50 per set. They are all matt black with white infill (however, i have 2 bronze sets which i have not milled yet, and probably wont bother, unless someone specifically wants them) Ill take some photos. I think that the price is good for the level of error - theyre not even really that bad at all, but theyre not as they should be, and im not going to send out items that i know have even the smallest defect without mentioning it / reducing prices. Usual terms - Postage at cost. Packing free. Payment by bank transfer in GBP or Euro, or... By google checkout (usual processing fees apply) or... By paypal, but *only* if marked as a gift, with fees pre-paid (basically i hate paypal, and have never taken it up until now, but, if you want to use it, that's the only way ill do it : ) Insurance / tracking is optional (at buyers risk) for items paid for by bank / paypal gift Insurance not optional for card payments by other means.

Right, ive just redrawn the panel in CAD, messed about with spread sheets, and datasheets, etc, and, after all that, it dawned on me that theres a nice simple way to take a physical measurement after all! So, in conclusion - Assuming all cases match my one (which i think is a fair assumption) i will be cutting the top panels to a 134.8mm dimension in the visible y-axis : )

Thanks for that. I just dont understand it. I have a 19" panel here, that ive just measured - 131.88, which is 1/10 of a mm slim on both edges, so 1/5th of a mm down overall. If i lay this in the case that i have here theres *about* a 2mm gap. If i then just get the case, by itself, and 'tilt' the rails so as theyre at the correct angle, and measure the gap, i get 134.6mm on the top (ie not including the profile grooves) 134.6 minus the 131.88 that i measured the panel to be actually gives 2.72mm, which i guess ties in with my visual "about 2mm" gap that i see when i lay the 19" panel in place. So all this is telling me that a panel to fit the case i purchased from one of the group buys (specifically for measuring - i have not built a mbseq myself!) should be just over 134mm in height, on its visible surface. But 5.25 inches = 133.35 millimetres so that's over 1mm out. Or 1/2 mm on each edge. I guess this could be taken up by the rails tilting slightly? Maybe im just being too fussy. I guess a half mm doesnt look that much. Do you think there could be 0.5 mm of groove either side on your 'cut to datasheet dimensions' panel? As a side not from all of this - the mb6582 panel i cut for people are not, and never have been to datasheet specification. They're larger than spec. Which means that they fit the pactec case nicely : ) If you cut them to the dimensions given on the datasheet the y-axis is a bit on the slim side, and creates a groove between the panel and the case. Sure, its no big deal, but its nicer to get it right : )

So, im trying to cut some test panels for the 17" desktop case. Wilba's 19" panels were 132.08mm high (ie 3u - 1u being 1.75", less a fraction on each edge for clearance) - no problem there. Wilba's design for the desktop case gave the front of the panel as 133.881mm with the profiling at the edges in addition to this - i can see no issue there either (5.25 inches = 133.35 millimetres) ...however Ive just picked slid the remains of a 19" mbseq panel into the top of the desktop enclosure, and it needs to be larger. By almost 3mm?? Going by my figures above, this would mean it would need to be more like 135mm high - ie probably 2mm greater than 3u size. So, where is the error? The case is hard to get precise measurements from, as the rails 'rock' changing the space, but im just confused. Often things are not as they say on the datasheets, but 2mm is a large difference, so am i overlooking something somewhere? Thank you, Julian