pucho812
Well-known member
Anyone know of a place to get 500 series metal work for modules?
Looking to make some 500 series stuff and my hold up is metalwork…
Looking to make some 500 series stuff and my hold up is metalwork…
Metal work for 500 series
- Thread starter pucho812
- Start date
Help Support GroupDIY Audio Forum:
Are you thinking of the L bracket specifically? Frank at frontpanels.de can make them for you with whatever drills/cuts you want, and I believe CAPI also offers un-drilled L brackets for DIY (drill it yourself!). As for front panels, of course, you would get those done for 500 series just like a 19" unit, but using the format's dimensions.
pucho812
Well-known member
both actually. But that is a good bit of information. thank you
Dimensions are available from VPR Alliance. Hope that helps!
john12ax7
Well-known member
If you are going to NAMM there are usually a couple booths of metal fab to talk to.
And MD&M West will be in Anaheim a couple weeks after. Lots of shops there, some that will do 100 pcs. Others will assume you mean 100k when you say 100.
So a lot depends on quantities needed. For a few faceplates it is often easier and cheaper to use front panel express.
And MD&M West will be in Anaheim a couple weeks after. Lots of shops there, some that will do 100 pcs. Others will assume you mean 100k when you say 100.
So a lot depends on quantities needed. For a few faceplates it is often easier and cheaper to use front panel express.
MidnightArrakis
Well-known member
[Anyone know of a place to get 500 series metal work for modules?] -- Essentially, -- ANY -- local metal-shop should be able to fabricate whatever it is that you are looking to have made. You don't need any kind of specialized place to have a 500-Series "L" bracket or front-panel made. Whatever you need to have done is all basic and rudimentary sheet-metal stuff!!!
[Looking to make some 500 series stuff and my hold up is metalwork] -- Give me a "detailed" sketch of whatever it is that you're looking for somewhat similar to what you see in my images #5 and #11. Then, I can provide you with what you need.
>> I don't find creating and designing of any kind of bracket, chassis, enclosure or panel metal-work to be of any problem!!!
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soulsonic
Member
I recently made some front panels for some DIY 500 modules I'm working on. I used a laser cutter to make them from acrylic. Still working out some details for how to get them to look the way I want, but first attempt was very promising. Only cost me pennies in materials and about an hour of my time. I am fortunate to have access to a large laser cutter at a university maker space, and I'm now learning its nuances.
For the L bracket, I'm going to likely cut it with a stomp shear and then hand bend it. They have a CNC plasma cutter there, but I haven't learned it how to use it yet, and it might actually be faster to do something like this by hand.
You might want to check out Ponoko for having things made. I put some files up there to get quotes and the prices for front panels made of acrylic were very much less than Front Panel Express. They do metal too
For the L bracket, I'm going to likely cut it with a stomp shear and then hand bend it. They have a CNC plasma cutter there, but I haven't learned it how to use it yet, and it might actually be faster to do something like this by hand.
You might want to check out Ponoko for having things made. I put some files up there to get quotes and the prices for front panels made of acrylic were very much less than Front Panel Express. They do metal too
following for L bracket info. For my 500 series units, I actually use aluminum PCBs for the front panels but it is a sort of janky process, especially with heavier modules with transformers and such. I know Jeff sells blank L brackets, but custom drilled at an affordable pricepoint would be ideal.
soulsonic
Member
Here is an idea I have:
Laser cut from 1/8" acrylic. The two bracket strips would slot into the front panel and the board would be bolted directly to them without standoffs. If my measurements are correct, it should precisely align with the card slot. The bracket strips extend out the front panel and provide convenient pull tabs so you can extract the module without having to yank on the knobs.
The biggest challenge I see with this idea is stability: I fear it may want to flop around, or the bracket slot may be a weak point that might snap off easily if abused. It might be necessary to add small metal angle brackets at the joint to reinforce it, especially if the PCB is bearing heavy transformers. The main advantages I'm seeing with this idea are the ease of aligning the PCB with the slot and the bonus pull tabs. I'm going to give it a try.
Laser cut from 1/8" acrylic. The two bracket strips would slot into the front panel and the board would be bolted directly to them without standoffs. If my measurements are correct, it should precisely align with the card slot. The bracket strips extend out the front panel and provide convenient pull tabs so you can extract the module without having to yank on the knobs.
The biggest challenge I see with this idea is stability: I fear it may want to flop around, or the bracket slot may be a weak point that might snap off easily if abused. It might be necessary to add small metal angle brackets at the joint to reinforce it, especially if the PCB is bearing heavy transformers. The main advantages I'm seeing with this idea are the ease of aligning the PCB with the slot and the bonus pull tabs. I'm going to give it a try.
soulsonic
Member
I just did a quick quote for the above design at Ponoko, and it says a quantity of 10 would cost $58.61, plus setup and shipping. Grand total says $79.61.
That's less than $8 per module for both a front panel and bracket. Haven't seen anything cheaper. Price will be a little higher if you add more holes and text, etc... but not very much more.
And if you're completely put off by acrylic, the grand total for quoting the same design cut from 0.126" aluminum was $117.69 for quantity of 10. That's less than $12 for each module. Still a crazy deal compared to everything else I've seen. Of course you would need to insulate the board with fish paper or something if you use metal brackets - or you could recalculate the slot to account for some nylon washers - or take the metal brackets into account when designing the PCB so no components would touch it. Lots of ways to make this work.
That's less than $8 per module for both a front panel and bracket. Haven't seen anything cheaper. Price will be a little higher if you add more holes and text, etc... but not very much more.
And if you're completely put off by acrylic, the grand total for quoting the same design cut from 0.126" aluminum was $117.69 for quantity of 10. That's less than $12 for each module. Still a crazy deal compared to everything else I've seen. Of course you would need to insulate the board with fish paper or something if you use metal brackets - or you could recalculate the slot to account for some nylon washers - or take the metal brackets into account when designing the PCB so no components would touch it. Lots of ways to make this work.
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MidnightArrakis
Well-known member
[Here is an idea I have] -- Can you both create and provide me with a set of detailed mechanical drawings calling out -- ALL -- of the dimensions shown here in your idea? Having them will then allow me to create a 3D CAD-model of your idea for further "checking out". Can you do that???
Off-hand.....my gut-instincts tell me that your idea won't work because there isn't anything shown here to both support and prevent any back-and-forth movement in the "X" direction of your "Side Brackets". Once I have a 3D CAD-model made, I could then show you a couple of possible solutions. But, "One Way Or Another" (Blondie), your "Side Brackets" are going to need to be held firmly in place.
In addition, are the slots in your front-panel and all of the other associated mechanical details dimensioned "just so", so the PCB fits exactly into the EDAC connector? If that single detail isn't "dead-nuts on", then the whole idea becomes instantly worthless. Just sayin'.....
Provide some detailed mechanical dimensions and we'll see where things go from there, OK???.....
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soulsonic
Member
I had to edit the design. The slot was too close to the center to measure correctly, I moved it over.
The drawings from API say the center edge of the board should be 0.438" from the center of the panel to line up correctly with the connector. Assuming a 1/16" thick PCB, it should line up right with the dimensions shown here:
I had said that I figure the weakest point is that they might want to move, but that is only when it is loose outside the chassis. When it is installed in the 500 chassis, it will all be held tightly by the mounted front panel on one end and the EDAC connector on the other.
The drawings from API say the center edge of the board should be 0.438" from the center of the panel to line up correctly with the connector. Assuming a 1/16" thick PCB, it should line up right with the dimensions shown here:
I had said that I figure the weakest point is that they might want to move, but that is only when it is loose outside the chassis. When it is installed in the 500 chassis, it will all be held tightly by the mounted front panel on one end and the EDAC connector on the other.
