Front panel design - Recessed nuts - alignment pot pin

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dirtyhanfri

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 16, 2011
Messages
677
Location
Madrid - Spain
Hi guys

I've been doing some 19" front panels and even with nice results I'd like to push the limits a bit.

There are two things that I'd like to improve, first of all I'd like to add small blind holes in the back to insert the pot's alignment pin (not sure about the exact name of this). It looks easy and only takes to mirror the design and mill it from the back of the panel. Not the best but not a big issue actually.

I've seen some videos of people doing front panels with pockets for recessing the pot nut. like this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=327X9yfrp1g

I think it's a nice idea to have the knobs closer to the panel, but I think you need to add washers or another nut in the back to keep the pot further from the panel so only a few threads and the shaft protrudes from the panel, or I'm overthinking it and should just grab some scrap aluminium and perform some tests?

Anyway I would need at least 4mm depth front panel to allow the nut (2.5mm) to be completely flat while keeping some material for rigidity. Even more thickness to use both features together, right?

Is really important the alignment pin? Or usually is enough with tightening the nut as much as possible?

An experiences or ideas about it?

Machining is an art by itself, I'm just scratching the surface...
 
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