[sdiy] Front Panel Express...

[James Patchell]

         It depends on how you look at things...as to weather you could 
make one for that cost or not.

         One problem is that I need to get the holes located very 
precisely.  Now, using my milling machine, I can do this, but, only over an 
area of 16" x 7".  I only have a small mill.  Drilling the holes in a more 
traditional way, I cannot locate the holes precise enough to meet the 
requirements of an easy to assemble panel (I know, I already tried, your 
mileage may differ).  With some 200 holes, all I have to do is just miss on 
one and I am hosed.

         So, like a lot of engineering decisions, this is a compromise.  By 
forking out a little bit of cash up front, I am looking at saving about 200 
hours of labor on the back side.  Now, if you have 200 hours of spare time, 
great...but it is amazing how hours can slip by...I am training (at my age, 
I can no longer do this sort of thing cold) for a 30 mile bike ride for the 
next couple of months ( http://www.santabarbarabiketour.com/index.htm ), 
which eats up just 1 hour every night, and it really taking a lot of time 
away from other things, like SynthDIY, so in my case I have to look at the 
positives...for $400 I get a panel that has very precisely located holes, 
has a legend on it that will not go away, and will hopefully save me a 
couple of hundred hours in construction time....money well spent, at least 
in my case ( until a couple of weeks ago, it did not look like a good 
decision, because I did not have the $400...)


At 11:52 AM 8/13/2003 -0400, 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