[sdiy] Reusing panels

[Colin Hinz]

On Thu, 29 Jan 2004, Paul Perry wrote:

> At 04:25 PM 28/01/04 -0800, Tim Parkhurst wrote:
>> I think trying to do this will be more trouble than it is worth. You might
>> be okay with Paul P's epoxied sheet metal and bondo trick UNTIL you try to
>> drill a new hole that is on the edge of an existing hole. Unless you're
>> using a milling machine and a very cutter to drill the holes, the drill bit
>> will bend and try to pull into the existing hole.
>
> Oh, I agree entirely Tim!
> the only time I would dream of doing this, is if I had a nice box (like a
> dumpster find when a computer network is thrown out). And then personally i
> would rather just replace most of the front panel. Cutting away most of it,
> if it is like full of holes. Swiss cheese is not good panel material.

On occasion I've reused panel stock, particularly when it's an
indivisible portion of an interesting enclosure. My approach has
been to overlay new stock over the old, especially a material such
as Formica (aka Arborite) or plexiglass (aka perspex).

I've "recycled" a few of the Hammond sloping-front cases this way....
the used ones are vastly, vastly cheaper than new ones, and usually
come with useful switches, connectors, and other bits. Easily worth
the hassles required for re-use, IMHO.

- Colin Hinz
  Toronto, Canada