[sdiy] Front Panels for DIY.. using a arbor press for holes

[Jean-Pierre Desrochers]

I bought this arbor press in Canada at Busybee Tools:
http://www.busybeetools.com/products/ARBOR-PRESS-2-TON.html

They now ship to USA!

A machinist built me some adapters to make the punch usable
like the upper part that would accept male punch bits,
the lower part that sits at the punch bottom and
accepts female punch cylinders,
(around $100 for both upper and lower adapters to be made)
punch bits that fit with my punch press and have
the exact hole's diameters for my needs (males and females) like
3/8" for switchcraft jacks or some types of pots, 
5/8" for Alpha pots,
1/4" for toggle switches,
and some others for leds and panel retainer holes
etc..
The bits pairs  cost me around $25 each to build
See here:
http://membre.oricom.ca/jpdesroc/projects/Modular/MIDI_Interface/Module%20pictures/Bits%20for%20bench%20punching%20press.JPG

You can see the holes sharpness here:
http://membre.oricom.ca/jpdesroc/projects/Modular/MIDI_Interface/Module%20pictures/Front%20panel%20PDF%20sticker%20on%20panel.JPG

And yes this is so much more clean and precise than drilled holes..
I'm working with 1/16" thick aluminium here
so drilling is not a good idea...

JP



 On Mon 04/10/10 18:24 , "kinrat" kinrat at dsl.pipex.com sent:
> Can I ask where you got your punch press and punch tools?
> Looks a lot easier than drilling!
> 
> PL
> 




> -----Original Message-----
> From: synth-diy-bounces at dropmix.xs4all.nl[synth-diy-bounces at dropmix.xs4all.nl] On Behalf Of
> Jean-PierreDesrochers
> Sent: 04 October 2010 15:02
> To: s
> ynth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nlSubject: Re: [sdiy] Front Panels for DIY
> 
> 
> I bring my PDF artworks (USB key)  to a specialized photocopy shop,
> then they print them on auto-adhesive vinyl. This does a very nice job
> but not scratch proof.. So the second step is to bring the 8.5" X
> 11"photocopies
> to a laminating shop. 
> (The places where they 'oven' transparent plastics
> over big pictures then glue them on a wood frame.)
> The idea is to just oven that transparent film over my
> layout vinyls to make them scratch proof and that's it !
> I just align the final artwork over my aluminum plates
> and stick them over.
> I punch all the holes and VOILÀ !
> By the way I have some 'real' silkscreened modules
> in my modular mixed with my own 'vinyled' front paneled
> modules and you can't barely see the 'look' differences.  
> 
> JP
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> 
> 
> On Mon 04/10/10 10:49 , legion at helpwantedproductions.com sent:> Very nice work!
> > 
> > What kind of paper and printer do you use to
> make the sticker?> 
> > D_
> > 
> > 
> > > Just a bunch of pictures showing
> another> way> to make front panels with
> professional> look..> My dotcom synth front panels are laid
> out> using> this technique.
> > >
> > > http://membre.oricom.ca/jpdesroc/projects/Modular/MIDI_Interfac
> > e/Module%20pictures/>
> > > J-Pierre
> > >
> >
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