program_insect Posted November 18, 2005 Report Share Posted November 18, 2005 Hi...I plan on building the full control surface version of the MIDIBox SID at some point in the future. I don't mind assembling electronics, but I am a bit leary about the physical mounting and control surface fabrication. What are people using for the front panel? Is it hard to find a case that can accomodate the different modules? How do I match the front panel to the actual pots and LEDs beneath it? Any tutorials or advice? THANKS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurbo Posted November 18, 2005 Report Share Posted November 18, 2005 Yep, the casing is the hardest part, although there are less difficult solutions, as browsing through other people's boxes will show. Take a tour around the gallery. And then take another tour of the gallery. And then take... You get my drift, I'm sure. :)Some pointers that might help- Think what materials you have easy/cheap access to- Think what tools you have easy/cheap access to- Think who you know who might be able to help you with skills / materials- Think where you will place your box when using it (easy reach, a fitting size)Then the more detailed planning:- Plan the casing very thoroughly before doing any actual work on any materials (you could even make a cardboard preview version!)- Measure how much room does an encoder/button/lcd/module need on the inside- How far apart must the encoders/buttons/leds etc be to be usable (depeds on hand size etc)I'd go as far as saying that good planning is two thirds of the job. And don't be afraid to try many things you have never done before!!! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gimpoid Posted December 11, 2005 Report Share Posted December 11, 2005 you can also download a free peice of software called front panel designer ;)it does what it says on the tin.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raphael Posted December 12, 2005 Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 How do I match the front panel to the actual pots and LEDs beneath it? Any tutorials or advice?As Jurbo said: Plan the case first!I do my designs in front panel designer. Then I print it on paper and cut out the holes tor buttons, encoders.... For bigger panels I glue the paper to a cardboard).With this method it's relatively easy to find the right spacing and placement of the parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jidis Posted December 12, 2005 Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 program_insect,I hate to sound like a broken record (or laser printer salesman), but I've been very lucky with the toner transfer process on various materials. There should already be a few threads here on it. I've got an eighth inch piece of aluminum beside me with a print on it that looks almost exactly like what was on the computer, and it was only about a second attempt. You can wipe the stuff off with solvent and do it again if it doesn't work, plus the material cost is minimal. Both a Sharp FO-2850 multi-fax-laser and an HP LaserJet 6L have worked well here, and if you only need it for PCB's and panels, you can go with a model from a couple years back for real cheap. Some of the toner carts also last a ridiculous length of time too (I've heard of 20,000 sheets), and someone on the Homebrew PCB Yahoo group recommended the no-name eBay stuff over the original toner (lower melting points). They've also recently recommended a new Reynolds "Release" aluminum foil as the carrier. I bought some, but haven't had a chance to try it. I've been fine with Staples and JetPrint photo paper. There's also several types of toner reactive foils that you can iron over the stuff afterward to get weird colors. It's all cheap and convenient enough that it's at least worth a shot, plus the tools and materials are good for lots of "regular people" stuff if you can't get the transfers going. I think with adjustments to the amount of heat/time and maybe some pre-coating, a pretty wide variety of substrates might take the transfers. - My future goals are Plexiglass (Lexan) and fiberglass (most likely painted FG). I've already seen it go on plastic laminate (for countertops), so there's a wide range of possibilities there. If you should end up trying it, one trick I learned on non-PCB stuff was to get a light coating of spray acrylic on the surface before the toner ironing. I used Krylon brand on aluminum and for some topside component labels on a PCB. There are probably other sprays that would do, but I'm not sure what. I tried lacquer first and I think it's a "no no".I think the alignment issue would actually be better with the toner way. I can use the same picture and same hole markings for a front panel template as for the board, so they have no choice but to end up with the same spacing. Depending on what app you use, you can delete or mask elements that you don't want in the hole template. I haven't done any big stuff that way yet, but will be soon. I'm debating over whether to do my template transfer and cut my holes first, or to do the whole label first (with crosshairs and markings for the holes). The two factors are- Will the panel with gaps and holes already in it be any more difficult to transfer labels to, and if I do it all first, will I be able to keep from ruining all my hard work by gouging into something during the hole cutting stage? ??????It takes some practice and getting used to, but it's fun and rewarding if you experiment for a little while.                                Good Luck!George  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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