Front panel layouts and labelling

[Circuitbenders]

This one is kid of directed at Oceanus as i noticed he just signed up and i've seen some good looking stuff on ebay by him:

How do people produce front panels and any kind of vaguely professional looking control labelling? I've had a couple of professional CNC milled front panels made by schaeffer apparatebau in germany but what with the pound dropping against the euro its getting a bit pricey.

The other option i've considered is to print panels using a inkjet printer onto big stickers and just stick them onto a panel, but i'm assuming you'll need tome kind of varnish or something to protect them.

Rapid do a kind of 'rub on' labelling system from transparencies printed by a laser printer but its not cheap.


Any ideas?

[Oceanus - XD515]

Hi,

It's quite simple, I first design the panel in word ( see attached panel_drill.doc ) then I print it out and use it as a template to stick on the panel / keyboard ect and drill the holes. I then modify the original file to remove the lines and holes and just colour it in. I then print it onto photopaper and laminate it (patch_panel.doc) and stick it over the holes I have previously drilled. It's just then a matter of using a sharp craft knife to cut the holes out :-)


The attached files are for an SK-5 patch bay.

Cheers

Paul.

[Circuitbenders]

hmmm, thats kind of how i did this this one:



but on that i designed the keypad on photoshop then printed it onto a big inkjet sticky label and gave it a few coats of spray on varnish before cutting it out and sticking it down

The varnish makes the image blur slightly but it still works pretty well.

Are you printing onto sticky labels or using spraymount or something to stick it on?

[Oceanus - XD515]

Nice Looking Speak :-)

No, I just print onto Glossy photo paper and put it though an office Laminating machine. Once laminated I peel off the back giving a paper backing with a laminated front and then in good ol' blue peter tradition I use double sided sticky tape!, which holds it really well! plus the nuts for fixing the switches down help a bit.. I've never had one peel off.

Looks ok on Speaks.. but no where near as artistic as yours!

Cheers

Paul

[Oceanus - XD515]

 I have found this tecnique very effective on additions ( polysynth picture ) and complete build from scratch ( noisebox picture). and it also lets people send in there own designs if you are 'bending' for a client, so they have something personal to themselves:-) which can be done for little or no extra cost as I have to import a .jpg into the layout anyway, it makes no difference if I drew it or not..

Cheers

Paul

[davethedoobie]

Thanks Paul

I've been looking for this solution for a while.  You are a legend!

All the best

Dave.