Archive of the former Yahoo!Groups mailing list: MOTM

The problem with this is that I don’tthink we can punch a panel after the Polan isapplied.  We haven’t tried ityet, but our tool & die guys here think the paint will chip badly if it’spunched after the painting.  Thepanel would have to be punched first. If the panel is punched first, then the registration of the silkscreenmust be within a very tight tolerance, much tighter than if the holes are putin afterwards.

 

We are looking at all sorts ofpossibilities.  We could mill ordrill the holes after the Polan is applied.  It is also possible that we may be ableto take a Polan panel, laser etch the lettering, etc.and then wipe the panel with a paint or ink so that the paint or ink remains inthe etched lettering creating a look virtually identical to the presentpanels.  We will be experimentingwith this as well.

 

Paul H.

 

 

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: motm@yahoogroups.com[mailto:motm@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of ScottK Warren
Sent: Friday, December 02, 2005 1:17 AM
To: MOTM list
Subject: Re: [motm] My initialtake on the panel discussion

 

Me again --

If the Stooges do supply punched Polan panels toPaul S, I hope you'll
also offer punched Polan for Stooge Panels and mycustom panel designs,
even if you don't want to mess with silk screeningthem.

If you don't want to offer silk screening, then Iwill be happy to buy
blank (non-engraved) punched Polan panels and silkscreen them myself.
This would be easier if you gave away artwork forStooge Panels, but
I would also be willing to create my own artworkfor silk screening.

FrontPanelExpress says they will take my blankPolan panel (which I buy
from Paul S) and fabricate my .fpd design into it.If my design has just
the holes and not the graphics, this is not tooexpensive. But it would
really be great if I could get the same resultfrom Stooge Industries
without the hassle of ordering a blank, waitingfor it to arrive, and
then shipping it to FPE. Even better for StoogePanels, since I probably
wouldn't need to provide an fpd file.

In any of these cases I'd do my own silkscreening. I would rather have
somebody else do it, but I'll do it rather thanswitch to engraving.

Thanks,

skw



On Dec 1, 2005 , at 10:41 PM , Paul Haneberg wrote:

We are in fact trying to find a solution in terms of away to make panels
for Paul S.a few at a time.
It is anunreasonable situation for us all to expect Paul S. to buy 50 of a
given panelat a time and hold them for 4 years.
The onlyalternatives at present are a higher selling price so that Paul S.
can offsetthe higher per unit panel cost that would come with not buying so
many, or tofind a different process.

To get anidea of how panel costs go up with a smaller quantity just look at
what thecost of the present Stooge Panels are, or look at what FPE charges.

We think wecan solve part of Paul's problem by punching out panels in
house. This would also mean that we could punch out Stooge Panels.  The
panel finishcould be anodized, powder coated or Polan painted.  For Paul S.
we wouldstick with the Polan, expensive though it is.  For Stoge Panels the
possibilitiesare open.  That is why we are asking your opinion.

This leavesthe silk screen problem and the associated costs.  We do not yet
know if wecan come up with an alternative for Paul S., but we do know that
we can comeup with an alternative for Stooge Panels if some of you are
willing toswitch away from silk screening.  That is where the trade-off
comesin.  A lot cheaper and  lot faster, but not quite identical.

Personally,I love the idea of new panels with enhanced graphics.  I fully
intend toreplace all my panels with something different.  The form factor
of thepanels could stay true to the well established MOTM standard although
it wouldn'tabsolutely have to.
Everymodular synth is in someway unique and reflects the tastes and
personalityof its owner.  This is a way of making it a little more personal
and a littlemore unique.

There are alot of different ways we can go with this.  The possibilites are
endless. Over the next couple of months we will be experimenting.  As much
as we wouldlike to get to making a Stooge Panel run immediately, we are
still tryingto line up a reliable source of the panel blanks.  Whether we
stay withthe present Stooge Panel format or change, the time before we do
an actualrun will be about the same.

Please letus know what you think.  Your opinions will influence our
decision.

Paul H.




-----Original Message -----
From:"Paul Schreiber" <synth1@...>
To:"MOTM litserv" <motm@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 01, 2005 11:07 PM
Subject:[motm] My initial take on the panel discussion


> a) Ithink that the discussion is mainly for continuing the Stooge panels.
>Production MOTM panels will remain as they are (even as such a pain as
> theyare)
> simplybecause changing this late in the game (6500+ shipped) doesn't make
> sense.The slight cost savings to me is overshadowed by having a
>completely
>different finish.
>
> b)anodized panels ∗will∗ show fingerprints. Which is odd is that the
> rougher
> theinitial finish (aluminum is belt-sanded before painting/plating), the
> more
> likelyanodized panels will show prints. You can get glossy anodizing and
> you
> can'overcoat' with a clear finish. For example, I think the Millennia
> Media
> Originis drop-dead gorgeous and it's anodized:
>
> http://www.mil-media.com/docs/products/origin.shtml
>
> Forpainted panels, having a textured finish (which is a special nozzle
> that
>'splatters' the paint) ∗reduces∗ fingerprints (and glare).
>
> c)anodizing is sensitive to the aluminum. Most people do not realize that
> there
> areabout 8 ∗different∗ alloys of aluminum. The most common (and what is
> used on
> MOTMnow) is called 5052-H3. However, anodized aluminum is better with a
>∗different∗ alloy called 6061-T6. Of course, 6061-T6 is about 15% more
> costthat
> 5052(6061-T6 is commonly used on hang gliders and small aircraft). Blacet
> panelsare anodized, 120 grit sanded, 6061-T6 aluminum. As well as Moog
> modular
> panels(they are sanded to a finer grain, around 320 grit).
>
> Also,the current press-fitting PEM studs and standoffs (on the rear of
> the
> panels)have a tougher time gripping 6061. A solution is to eliminate the
> older
> blackpc brackets (that use threaded PEMs and KEPS nuts to attach to the
> panel)
> for100% Stooge brackets (the silver ones that fasten behind the pot
> nuts).This
> stillleaves issues with the 900, 950, 600 and 650, though :(
>
> d) Ireally don't see a point to changing, just for the sake of "fancier"
>graphics like the CMS modular:
>
> http://machines.hyperreal.org/manufacturers/CMS/Modular/images/mc24b.jpg
>
> withouthaving to jack up the price. I think Paul H. is trying to find a
>solution +-10% of what I am paying now for say 50 pieces at a time, that
> now I
> canonly fab say 7 pieces. The reasoning behind ∗this∗ is that there are
>some...errr..."slow selling" modules that may need 14 panels/year.
>
>Certainly, that CMS modular is quite a sight to behold, but so is the
>pricetag
> :)
>
> So,official MOTM panels will remain as they are for 2006. For DIY/Stooge
> panels,those can be whatever is best in terms of cost and delivery.
> Stooge
> panelsare a 'pretty big business' and help to promote the MOTM form
> factoras
> theleading industry standard in 1/4" jacks.
>
> If I dodecide to make a change, it will be 'radical' like the Modcan
> SeriesB:
>something removed far away from the original. Let's face it: I never
> dreamedof
> selling6500 of these things in the first place. I was hoping for 500 so I
> could
> get agood stereo :)
>
> Paul S.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo!Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>




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