Etching Own Face plates

[Silvas]

I saw your high-res pics. They definitely remind me of my favorite PC game : " Thief " in it´s 3 versions. If any of you ever played this, you know what i´m taking about. Now i´m obsessed with getting that kind of front panel for a couple builds ! Mind-blowing!

 

[kato]

From where does one get a brass front panel? anyone know?

 

[sethyrish]

I payed $40 AU for enough to do 3U and got it from a sign making shop. The same one that quoted $200 for laser etch. It's just a piece of 1.2mm brass sheet metal, cut to 2U size and held in place by the knobs.There doesn't seem to be a lot of brass around anymore. I had trouble finding brass handrail for G7. It's expensive and old fashioned, so no one stocks it. Mind you, in America I would have thought you could get it at the corner store!

 

[Freddy G]

Huh..I guess I'm lucky. I called a store near me called "Metal Supermarket" and they quoted me $50 (CAN) for a 1/8" thick brass panel and that included being cut to size of 19" X 5 1/4" (3 rack spaces).
After seeing sethyrish's panel I'm planning on building my PM670 in this style. ;D

 

[lofi]

I call into question your legitimacy!!

That is absolutely stunning, I am in awe and bow down in deference

 

[gemini86]

that's awsome...

(kinda reminds me of that movie, The Rocketeer)

 

[mcfarlane_audio]

last time i was in need of brass i went out to home depot (or any hardware store) and bought a brass door kickplate, then cut to size

just an idea

 

[Sarcastic Sound]

these panels... all I can say is "sexy" 

 

[kato]

last time i was in need of brass i went out to home depot (or any hardware store) and bought a brass door kickplate, then cut to size

just an idea

Hey, good suggestion!

I found a brass door kickplate at Menards for $13. (Currently on sale from $20.)
Downside is it's thin - only .83mm thickness, or thinness, in this case. But Menards specializes in the cheaper products. Perhaps Home Depot would have a thicker version. (The brand I bought was Schlage. It's 32 mils thick.) They also had aluminum and brushed nickel.

For $13, I bought it anyway figuring I can use it for practice - or perhaps double it up with an aluminum panel for strength.

 

[livingnote]

Now we're talking

Basically if you had a hot press to laminate on photoresist you wouldn't have to worry about toner stuff peeling (although it does have a very beautiful handmade appeal).

What I'm really wondering about is this: how do Zippo make their Spectral series lighters? It's obviously heat, but what is reacting with what - zinc and something?

 

[livingnote]

Oh and Edding 780 paint marker! It's the best for covering up anything going in acid. You could conceivably paint a panel by hand and then etch it.

 

[kazper]

I checked around for metal in 1/8" thick.

Best price is Fastenal or Mcmaster. Either option you will have to go to a sheet metal shop and have them trim it..
Estimate about $35 for a 2U 4"x19" and about $25 for a 1U 2X19" again this is less trim down to proper rack size.

Before you go that route, check for sheetmetal shop or a boat repair shop that may have a shear and some reasonable thickness brass stock.

You may be able to get it all in the same trip.

Kaz

BTW the front's are very nice, I'm going to follow in your footsteps for a couple build.

 

[JoleFIN]

These are hands down the most unique self-made front plates by far. Very beautiful, and reminds me of Pirates of the Caribbean stuff

 

[rob_gould]

I payed $40 AU for enough to do 3U and got it from a sign making shop. The same one that quoted $200 for laser etch. It's just a piece of 1.2mm brass sheet metal, cut to 2U size and held in place by the knobs.There doesn't seem to be a lot of brass around anymore. I had trouble finding brass handrail for G7. It's expensive and old fashioned, so no one stocks it. Mind you, in America I would have thought you could get it at the corner store!

And is 1.2mm strong enough on its own to hold up the whole case when the brass panel is screwed into the rack?  Or did you somehow just use the brass as decoration for a thicker and stronger frontplate behind?

Also, presumably to do this etching, you submerged the whole panel into the etching solution.  How did you take into account brass that would be lost from the height and width of the panel itself?  Or was the amount lost from these dimensions so small it doesn't matter?

 

[Ptownkid]

I think i read some where that he used etch resist on the back of the plate...

 

[rob_gould]

Hmm yeah I suppose you could do the same for all the edges as well.  I'd still be interested to know if 1.2mm is strong enough because for example the poor man 670 project is going to be a heavy mutha when it's done.  I can see that brass panels are easily available here in the UK up to thicnesses of 3mm and more, but they start to get pretty expensive as they get thicker.

 

[Ptownkid]

I don't really see why you would want to use the brass to support everything. The best option would be to use thin brass in conjunction with an alu or steel panel behind it.

 

[kato]

I think i read some where that he used etch resist on the back of the plate...

You can use masking tape on the back.

 

[bdubya]

Yeah, thats what they do on this altec mixer i have (its labelled as a muzak max 5, but i think its a rebranded 1592);  a very thin plate of sheet metal for the cosmetics over a thicker backplate, probably made rebranding the product easy.  there's all these potential cutouts on the thick back plate, for extra pots and switches, but not all are used on the front.  I'm going to gut it and build an 1176 into it.  The thin brass plate  sounds like just the ticket to replace the black painted aluminum one thats on there.  Although i do love seeing "muzak" on the panel.  But it's on the meter, too . . . Really inspiring way to go with the etching, thanks for sharing.  

ben

 

[kato]

I don't really see why you would want to use the brass to support everything. The best option would be to use thin brass in conjunction with an alu or steel panel behind it.

I definitely want to try this.
What would you use to permanently bond the two sheets of metal together?