Front panel material

[Microtonal]

Why reinvent the wheel when Moog-like panels are available from
http://www.synthesizers.com ?

John Loffink
microtonal at worldnet.att.net

----- Original Message -----
From: "terry michaels" <104065.2340 at compuserve.com>
To: "Synth-DIY" <synth-diy at node12b53.a2000.nl>
Sent: Monday, October 09, 2000 10:08 PM
Subject: Front panel material


> Hello list members:
>
> I am planning to make some front panels similar in appearance to those
used
> in the Moog modular systems.  Basically, those panels are 0.063 inch
> aluminum sheet, with the sides bent back to create a shallow U shape to
> increase rigidity.  The panels are black anodized, and then lettering is
> added by etching, although white silk screening is a possible alternative.
> The question I have is, what alloy of aluminum was originally used, or
> should used be used today?  6061-T6 is by far the must available alloy,
but
> it doesn't appear to be what was used in Moog modules, a few of which I
> have here.  6061 is fairly soft, when you drill a hole in it, the back
side
> of the hole mushes out and always has a burr, and the drill bit tends to
> clog.  I have a few scrap pieces of another, harder alloy, I'm guessing it
> might be 5005 or 5052 or something similar.  This alloy gives you a clean
> hole when drilled, the drill bit cuts small chips which don't clog the bit
> as easily.  Also, when you bend it, the outside of the bend develops tiny
> longitudinal fractures, identical in appearance to the bends on the Moog
> modules.  The same material seems to have been used in my Minimoog also.
> Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
>
> Terry Michaels