[sdiy] Front Panel Express...

[harrybissell]

Try Front Panel Designer.... it will do the quote for you.  If you don't get
crazy, the
price stays fairly low.  Consider that they do all the holes (machining) as
well...and
its really a good deal.  I don't have a drill press...

The cost of the blank, anodized panel...with you choice of inked or bare aluminum

lettering, all hoes included, as well as non-round holes... on a panel thick
enough to
BE the front panel... is well worth the cost.

I did a 2U rack panel recently for $50 including shipping.  Its beautiful.  If I
used AlumaJet
it wouls have cost prlly $10 in material, $5 in ink used, and I'd have to make
the panel
in two halves (with a seam).  Then consider I'd have to make the holes align with
the front
panel... something I've found HARD to do so far. My best attempt was to scan the
actual
drilled panel, then use PaintShopPro to do the graphics.

Front Panel Designer did all that for me, in less time than it took to make my
first failed
AlumaJet artwork.  You can even export an HPGL file and their engraver will
follow.

If you consider your labor time worth anything at all... Front Panel Express is a
good
deal. But its not for everyone. You can get good results for less money, with
much more
effort...

H^) harry

Glen wrote:

> At 10:16 AM 8/13/03 , James Patchell wrote:
> >The panel I sent off for is a 19" x 14" panel at a cost of about $400 (just
> >a tad below, actually).
>
> First, let me say I'm not trying to criticize the quality of your front
> panel. I visited that company's website, and they do make very nice panels.
> I'm sure you'll end up with a beautiful end result, but it does seem I
> could make several home-made front panels for that price. Okay I *might*
> butcher a few of them, but that wouldn't matter. I'm sure some of them
> would turn out nice.
>
> Of course, mine wouldn't look like theirs, because I wouldn't be using
> engraved lettering. I probably wouldn't use anodizing either, which is what
> I think this company uses to color their panels. I'll be honest. I'm not
> sure what I'd be using, but I think I could come up with an acceptable
> substitute for Panel Express, for a significantly lower price.
>
> Yeah I know--you fellows will believe it when I've done it.  :)
>
> Out of curiosity, is your panel costing you more than what's going behind it?
>
> I wish I had your money to spend on panels.  :)
>
> admittedly envious,
> Glen Berry