[sdiy] Re: [sdiy] Cheap method for front panels

[xamboldt]

I've used a similar method too - make up the panel, print a drill guide and
tape that to the panel, drill the holes, then, using adhesive paper
(sometimes adjustments have to be made before I print it to the adhesive
label, as I don't have a drill press and my holes wander a bit from time to
time), output a laser print of the final design. Then I cut it out, put it
on the panel (very carefully to make sure it's lined up correctly), then I
use an exacto blade to cut the holes out. I then put on a few coats of clear
lacquer spray paint. This seems to protect the label well enough for my
purposes.

This has served me well, but I'm about to try some front panel express
panels to see how that works for me...

-Chris

On 11/3/05 5:34 PM, "rdrake" <rdrake at data2action.com> wrote:

> I've done a bunch of modular panels in very similar fashion... except i
> 
> * print 2 copies to regular paper
> * glue one on with rubber cement, center punch
>  where i'll drill, and then disguard first copy
> * drill, deburr, and clean the drilled panel w/
>  alcohol & steel wool
> * use industrial spray adhesive to mouth the second
>  copy (w/ overhang)
> * trim the edges, then apply self-adhesive laminating
>  film, wrapping film around the edges & onto back
> * trim the holes w/ an exacto blade
> 
> I like your use of color, but haven't trusted the permanence of colored
> ink/laser prints, so mine are all boring black&white...
> 
> bbob 
> 
>> ----- ------- Original Message ------- -----
>> From: seb at burnit.co.uk
>> To: peterc at onwe.co.za
>> Sent: Thu, 03 Nov 2005 20:35:50
>> 
>> Peter Cornell wrote:
>> 
>>> Hi Seb
>>> 
>>> using the 'Blue Peter'
>>> 
>>>> method (UK people will know what I mean ;) of a
>> computer-printed
>>>> sticker and a layer of sticky-back plastic ..
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Can you expand on this? Any links?
>>> 
>> I will write it up properly and put it on my
>> website soon (I'll mail a
>> link when I do), but to expand on this a bit ...
>> 
>> 'Blue Peter' refers to a childrens TV programme in
>> UK where they always
>> make things with sticky-back plastic.    It's not a
>> well known SDIY method
>> of making panels!
>> 
>> 
>> I used a sheet of 1mm Zintec for the panel which is
>> a kind of steel 
>> that's fairly easy to cut and drill and, although
>> it feels smooth to
>> touch, it has a very fine rough surface that makes
>> it quite good to
>> stick stuff too. (The reason it's made like this is
>> so that paint sticks
>> easily to it - this type of metal is very often
>> used for equipment cases
>> when it is generally electrostatically powder-paint
>> coated, then baked
>> to give a smooth hard finish).  To be honest though
>> any type of sheet
>> metal would have done - I just happened to have
>> this lying around.
>> 
>> I first cut the panel to size.  Then I printed my
>> design on paper, cut
>> it out, and blue-tacked it to the front of the
>> panel. I used a 
>> (automatic) centre punch to punch through the paper
>> where the position
>> marks were printed, marking the drill holes and
>> cutouts in the panel.
>> Then I drilled and jigsawed out the holes in the
>> panel.  Deburring is
>> important otherwise the sticker won't stick flat.
>> 
>> Next I printed the design onto a normal
>> self-adhesive paper label and
>> carefully stuck it onto the panel.  I printed some
>> bleed so I just 
>> trimmed the edges of the panel with a scalpel to
>> get an exact edge.
>> Because the sticker sheet was only A4 size, there
>> is actually a join
>> just to the right of the DATA pot area, but you can
>> hardly see it ..
>> http://burnit.co.uk/sdiy/images/joykontrol/front_pa
>> nel_populated.jpg
>> 
>> Then I stuck some sticky-back plastic over the top
>> to protect the print
>> and give a smooth glossy finish.  I folded this
>> over the edges by about
>> 1cm and stuck it round the back to make sure the
>> front will never peel off.
>> 
>> Finally I cut through the paper and sticky-back
>> plastic with a scalpel
>> around the holes.  This is just a question of
>> gliding the blade round
>> the edge.  For the LED display window (the only
>> place where the edges of
>> the cutouts will be visible) I cut about 5mm away
>> from the edges and
>> folded the flaps around and stuck them to the back
>> of the panel.    This
>> gives a really nice edge..
>> http://burnit.co.uk/sdiy/images/joykontrol/front_pa
>> nel_unpopulated_closeup.jpg
>> 
>> 
>> Hope this is clear enough .. like I said, I'll
>> stick it all on my
>> website soon.
>> 
>> Cheers,
>> Seb