probably a ridiculous newbie question but i had to ask!

Hi all,

My question relates to the enclosures for the rack mount or rather the face plates for the projects discussed on this forum...

Can these faceplates be made from wood?

The reason I ask...
it would be cheaper,
they can be spray painted to a high gloss finish (which i like)
easier to drill holes in for knobs, meters, etc

Thanks
hally

Hi hally,

It can be done, but it'd take plenty of experimentation to get a decent result.

Wood tends to move (change shape) over time, especially when subjected to variations in temperature, like the heat generated by the gear in the case.

Also, wood may not be strong enough to support the weight of the case and its innards when racked.

It's by no means impossible, but the best option if you wanted a wooden front panel would probably be a thin strip supported behind by a normal metal front panel.  Thus, it'd be more work than just creating a metal panel on its own since everything would have to line up perfectly for the results to look any good.

Cheers,

Rob

I've thought about doing this as well but so far have stuck to aluminum just to keep things simple. An aluminum front panel can actually be quite cheap if you get creative with the labeling (transfers or metal stamps instead of laser engraving). And, as long as you don't need to do too many odd-shaped holes aluminum is ridiculously easy to drill. Just make sure to drill slowly to avoid heating the aluminum and having it bond to your drill bit.

I've done this in the past. I used dry plywood and glued aluminium foil on the back to get a form of screening.

Wood doesn't provide any shielding/grounding of the electronics. I've seen some nice projects doing what was suggested above, with laminating wood over metal. It made for a very nice front panel.