Working on a new panel... what do you think?

[luvdunhill]

so, I'm working on a rear panel for a preamp. I'm going to use the high-density Neutrik XLR connectors and some nice compact RCA connectors. So, what do you think so far?

(rename the .txt to .fpd to see the entire panel, not just the subsection that the .jpg is zoomed in on)

I still need to add a umbilical cable connector (6 conductor) and a barrel jack and tidy things up a bit...

Opinions?

[Pars]

Very nice! The XLRs are a bit tight together, but I suppose to fit everything in they need to be. I'd like a bit more material left between them if it were me.

[n_maher]

Yeah, that's cutting things seriously close on the material left around the XLR's. So much so I wonder if FPE will agree to fabricate it.

[luvdunhill]

Originally Posted by n_maher

Yeah, that's cutting things seriously close on the material left around the XLR's. So much so I wonder if FPE will agree to fabricate it.

That's the distance specified by Neutrik if using the PCB mount versions of the A, AA, B, BA series connectors. This will leave 1mm of material at the narrowest point. At some point I asked FPE and they said 2mm was the minimum they'd recommend, but they had instances of people going lower with shapes other than rectangles.

[luvdunhill]

Originally Posted by luvdunhill

That's the distance specified by Neutrik if using the PCB mount versions of the A, AA, B, BA series connectors. This will leave 1mm of material at the narrowest point. At some point I asked FPE and they said 2mm was the minimum they'd recommend, but they had instances of people going lower with shapes other than rectangles.

so, FPE got back with me.. they can go all the way to 0.5mm, given the fact that the shapes used are circles, and the pattern I used

now I just need to decide if there is a good reason to go single case over a separate case for the 2 r-cores and 2 PCBs. Now that I have my Tangent LNMP, perhaps I'll put it to good use and measure the difference(s).

[Pars]

You might also check to ensure that your intended XLR cables can fit that close together... probably not a problem for XLRs, but with some of these guys building garden hoses...

[luvdunhill]

Pars:

good point, but I think Neutrik plugs should have no problem fitting, as they designed the sockets as well

well, still cannot decide on 1 or 2 box, so why not have both options? Seems nice and versatile. Final panel attached. Am I missing anything?

On to the front... I would probably have the PCB be attached to the rear of the panel with some momentary tactile switches. Thus, I'd like to find / make some nice metal buttons, but not sure how to go about laying out the panel. Would I just drill out the back of a small cylinder and press fit it to the tactile switch, then have that poke out through the panel? Seems like a flange would be nice to hold the button in... what is the best way to go about this?

[Pars]

Originally Posted by luvdunhill

Pars:

good point, but I think Neutrik plugs should have no problem fitting, as they designed the sockets as well

well, still cannot decide on 1 or 2 box, so why not have both options? Seems nice and versatile. Final panel attached. Am I missing anything?

On to the front... I would probably have the PCB be attached to the rear of the panel with some momentary tactile switches. Thus, I'd like to find / make some nice metal buttons, but not sure how to go about laying out the panel. Would I just drill out the back of a small cylinder and press fit it to the tactile switch, then have that poke out through the panel? Seems like a flange would be nice to hold the button in... what is the best way to go about this?

I think it is kind of a blind bore, or like one, where the hole from the rear is larger than the hole in front and "stepped" somewhere within the thickness of the panel. I know the FPE designer lets you do stuff like that. Figuring out what dimensions, etc. to use is another thing.

[luvdunhill]

Originally Posted by Pars

I think it is kind of a blind bore, or like one, where the hole from the rear is larger than the hole in front and "stepped" somewhere within the thickness of the panel. I know the FPE designer lets you do stuff like that. Figuring out what dimensions, etc. to use is another thing.

so, the actuator is a similar stepped shape with a hole to accept the end of the tactile switch?

[Pars]

I really don't know since I've never used tactile switches and never done anything like this.

Check Bergran's CD player out as he used 8 of them. I thought he had pics of the buttons he machined but I couldn't find them:

Bergrans CD-Pro2M controller

[luvdunhill]

Originally Posted by Pars

I really don't know since I've never used tactile switches and never done anything like this.

Check Bergran's CD player out as he used 8 of them. I thought he had pics of the buttons he machined but I couldn't find them:

Bergrans CD-Pro2M controller

hm... I'll probably just use one of these:

http://www.mouser.com/catalog/specsheets/MS-100656.pdf

and the recommended switch for that part. Then just drill the panel with a simple through hole that will accommodate the above part. Then I can attach a PCB to the back of the panel and then adjust the height of the entire assembly via standoffs until things feel right.

[Pars]

Yeah, that would probably work. I would prefer a button with a shoulder on it, but if the buttons fit the switches well (as in tight), etc. those would be good. One thing that can help alot, particularly if you are going to be attaching PCBs to a front panel, is to back the front panel with a piece of clear plexiglass. I don't know how thick you were planning your front panel to be however.

[luvdunhill]

finally getting around to finishing this. Waiting on FPE to see if they can do elliptical holes

[luvdunhill]

so, I'll post my panel tomorrow, but... in general..

I have a very large VFD display that I'm putting in the middle and trying to squeeze a small IR receiver in this spot. Then I have 2 knobs and a small Lemo jack as well as a place for a small power button (momentary, but I haven't found a good switch that matches the scale of the 4-pin Lemo connector that will be on the front too... the Bulgin switches look nice, but they just look too big). At this point, the layout moving from left to right is: knob power VFD Lemo knob... but I'm just not super satisfied with it. I ditched the ideas of using buttons and everything will be remote controlled, including perhaps the power if it doesn't look right on the front.

I guess it's hard to get feedback without the design, but hey ... any other layouts I could think about? The knobs are 1" in diameter and the VFD is Newhaven M0220MD-202MDAR1-3. The Lemo connector is EGG.00.304.CLL. The entire panel is around 12" wide and not much taller than the VFD, just to give you an idea.

... just not happy with the look, consider what I'll be paying for the panel ... you know how it is.

[luvdunhill]

as promised...

[deepak]

Looks good. Just my personal preference, but I'd make the Japanese text straight instead of at an angle.

[luvdunhill]

Originally Posted by deepak

Looks good. Just my personal preference, but I'd make the Japanese text straight instead of at an angle.

will do. Just playing around with that anyways.

Do you feel that the order of the knobs and connectors makes sense? I wish I could find a nice momentary switch that looked good and was the scale of the (tiny) Lemo jack, but no dice. Something like this perhaps, or does it look a bit pedestrian?



(can find those anywhere in stock around here though...)

[luvdunhill]

revision with different knob layout...

[grawk]

needs moar cowbell

[luvdunhill]

Originally Posted by grawk

needs moar cowbell

those are cow bells on the headphone icon...