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[80hinhiding]

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[JohnRoberts]

Bail and find a viable vendor...

There are web based metal knockers/fabricators.

Have you tried any of them? It's been years but i've used https://www.emachineshop.com/ probably a decade ago or more but they were solid...

I don't know if they are in your budget

JR

 

[JohnRoberts]

Used (big) consoles are probably dirt cheap... maybe put new guts inside an old shell?

JR

 

[boji]

Wow just for the record, the CNC guy I'm trying to use is playing the exact same game with me. And the first  shop I went to said they couldn't do what I asked and referred me to him! Small world.
My situation was/is even worse as I've called 5 times and been reassured 5 times it would be done. The owner is a nice, super agreeable person who doesn't know how to upset anyone with the words 'No, I can't'.  So annoying.
I also get the impression since I'm a 1-off customer, he don't care what it does to his reputation.

Edit: To be fair, he is VERY busy with super large jobs always in queue, but still...man, be a standup guy. You're 40+ years old. Speak truthfully.

I wanted to do this locally, but if you find a reputable source that's not super $, let me know!

 

[ruffrecords]

I have several times looked at using local suppliers and I have found they are not really tuned to our industry. There are plenty that can do 19 inch electrical and electronic panels but they are relatively expensive. The really local ones I have found are more used to making ducting.

Bottom line, is there are several on line companies that serve our industry and their prices are reasonable and their quality is excellent.

On a technical note, if you want proper right angles you are unlikely to get them with any company that makes panels using CNC. This is because they have to use a round drill so the corners must be rounded. This does not excuse poor milling but it is a point to bear in mind when designing panels.

Cheers

Ian

 

[Scodiddly]

Back a few years when I was more active in building mics I had decided that the standard Alice capsule, the TSB-165A, would maybe sound better if the perforated high frequency boost front plate was taken off. Not an especially simple task since it's part of the capsule body itself, but I managed a somewhat dangerous drill press hack and came up with a proof of concept that did what I thought it might.

Then it became a matter of finding somebody who could actually do a decent job of it. I went to one or two local machine shops, one did try it but (after waiting a few days and having to call once or twice and finally just show up there) but totally chewed up the two capsules they'd tried to mod. They were nice about it, but clearly it was something not in their usual line of work.

I finally found a guy who (among other things) did jobs like machining parts of artificial heart valves. He took on the job, figured out where the other guys messed up, and was able to do the job with good quality and a reasonable price. But it did take a while just to find him, since he didn't even advertise.

 

[desol]

Isn't this something frontpanel express could handle? They do excellent work. At least on the panel I spec'd...it was far better than my expectations!

 

[TwentyTrees]

For me right now, the bottom line is getting this project finished to a high standard, without spending too much more money. I saved these panels from despair and thought this would be celebrated on a site about DIY.  I'm happy to find out just how cleanly you can do this by hand.. with a few not so expensive tools.

Hats off to you Adam - I hate doing metalwork, I  have neither the space nor the tools so my efforts always turn out pretty ghastly! Glad to hear you manage to save these panels.

 

[boji]

I'm happy to find out just how cleanly you can do this by hand.. with a few not so expensive tools.

No you're right, and yes props!  For me it's just the sheer amount of repetition that also requires tight tolerances. As if I did not have enough of that with soldering and assembly of channels on my plate.

 

[boji]

Post picts good sir! Here, I'll post annoying little mounting tabs I need for the HPF.  I've since remedied this with a board revision that lets me use 'euro' cubes, but for the first bucket, not my most joyous activity.

 

[boji]

It's hard work, and very involved.  It'll take over your life

++1 

Whale hunters keep no wives