more MetalPhoto info

[Christopher_List at Sonymusic.Com]

     > Well I happened to look at one of the sites today.
     > What I discovered is that they can do them ON 1/8" aluminum panels.
     > So why bother with the thinner stuff and hassle with glue when you can
     > just get them to do the whole faceplate itself?  All you have to do then
     > is drill the holes, pop the pots and switches in and then bolt it onto
     your rack.

     ...yes, I saw this as well. The reasons are;

     1. Shipping will be easier and cheaper for the thin stuff.
     2. The versatility - like I mentioned before - of getting a sheet
  larger or smaller than the plate you want to put it on. Getting a full
  plate requires more agreement for everyone who chips in because it's hard
  to add/takeaway parts...
     3. The stuff comes with a self-adhesive backing that sticks very well
  to anodized aluminum (yes, I've already called a place and I'm waiting to
  get a quote back from them). Just peal it off and apply - no muss no fuss
  no glue...
     4. 19" x 1/8" rack panels are common for us, but not for everyone
  else. My experience with silk screening was that the cost for fabrication
  of panels - small run - custom - was about the same as going down to Sam
  Ash and buying them - and you can get them for up to half the price if
  you find some mail-order place like Sweetwater doing a blowout.
     5. This also gives people the option of doing budget panels made from
  raw aluminum (not anodized), raw steel, or even plastic.

     I will get prices for doing it as plates, though. Who knows, maybe the
  difference is neglegable - in which case it'd be worth it....I'll post
  prices as soon as I get 'em.


     > On the issue of color, the company I was looking at,
     > Schilling's Graphics, can do a variety of things to an etched panel.
     > One of the samples of MetalPhoto I saw on the web used a gold metal
  with
     > black lettering.  Very sharp.  Also less glare.  :)

     Yeah, I saw that too - it was pretty sharp - looked almost like brass.
  I, personally, am leaning towards the more "traditional" with a satin
  finish, black with silver letters. I guess if we can get a decent number
  of people to go in on it, we'll have to take a vote :).

     I've already mucked up one attempt at getting something like this
  together for the ASM-1 (due mainly to the high cost of silkscreening) -
  but I'd like to give it another go. As you all know, I've got a layout
  that I think is really rad (cool symbols and dial markings - not just
  lettering) - so I'll probably be getting some of these made regardless
  :).

     [quick aside] Sad thing is, while I was one of the first to get an
  ASM-1 board, I still haven't built any! This was due mainly to a summer
  hiatus - but now I'm back in the flow. I just ordered the MAT-02's for
  the ASM1, just built a Moog filter (finally), and am working on a
  redesigned version of my 2 channel cv mixer that uses 2024's rather than
  2164's and uses Juergen's method for 100% panning (long story - deserves
  another post) BTW, Juergen, the resitor network method works great! I've
  renounced VCAs with exponential CV response as heretical...

     One more question for Stew -
     How hard is it to cut the .005 and .012 thickness stuff - any idea?
  Will an office papercutter fold / screw it up? If this works as well as
  it looks, and isn't too expensive, I may get some sheets made to re-do my
  modular panels - and I'd like to do several panels at a time on 8.5x11
  sheets and just cut them up...

     - Chris