MOTM

I just KNOW somebody here has already dealt with this problem, so here 
it goes...

Here I am, doing the math for a 24U cabinet. I just got my order for 
300 zinc hex drive inserts from McMaster.com (they're cheap AND fast 
too!) and I'm ready to go. 24U = 42 inches internal, check. With 3/4 
in. wood (of a type yet to be determined) we get an external length of 
42 + 1 and 1/2 in. = 43 1/2 inches, check. And two 1/2 in. thick pine 
strips on the inside horizontal,  to hold the inserts (huh...huh...I 
said inserts ;-)

Now comes the tricky part; figuring the *slop factor* (MOTM-spec is 
0.015 in. or, 1/64 in.). If we assume 24 *slop gaps*, then 24 times 1/
64 in. = 24/64 in. = 3/8 inch! Yikes! Can this be right? That's a lot 
of slop. So, should I add 3/8 in. to the overall length? I was planning 
to set the inserts by setting a '800 in the completed box, mark the 
holes, drill and set the inserts, bolt the '800 down, insert 1/64 in. 
spacer between it and a blank 1U panel, mark the holes, ect. so I'll 
need to know the correct length beforehand. I see there's enough play 
in the mounting holes on the panels to give me some wiggle room, so I 
guess my question is, am I being too anal about this *slop factor* 
stuff?

Somebody mentioned something about plastic strips for use as visual 
separators between modules (plastistruct?), ala Moog. I need to look 
into that and I'm too lazy to look it up in the archive ;-)

Chuck
being anal AND lazy