Professional custom-made front panels

[aeberbach]

I just got the January "Circuit Cellar" and saw an ad that might be very interesting to DIYers. The pcbexpress.com concept is familar, you download their software, use it to design and submit the PCB and they make it and ship it to you. These people do the same with front panels: www.frontpanelexpress.com - I don't think it's the same company just a similar name.

If anyone has a project underway and tries out the software or gets anything made, please let everyone know what it's like. I am not building anything right now.

 

[aos]

I am considering ordering from them. I'm surprised no one else picked up the concept - which is great. It's not cheap though but I haven't seen anything else.

 

[CaptBubba]

I recall reading somewhere that they anodize the Al and then cut it to your specifications. This means you'd have to seal the edges in some way to prevent oxidation.

But that's a small price to pay for getting a professional panel made!

 

[antness]

with Front Panel express you are paying a huge premium for the convenience of the proprietary program, like ExpressPCB. A machine shop, or the manufacturer of the enclosures you are using, is just as capable of creating panels to your specifications if you provide them with whatever kind of drawing/file they require.

 

[damonpip]

and... It isn't too hard to make good panels yourself, print out a template (with Front Panel Express if u want) and cut it out with a dremel. I can't imagine their panels being worth the extra money.

 

[aeberbach]

damonpip, unless you're superhuman you're not getting panels as good with a dremel.

 

[aos]

And unless you thnk people working in McDonald's are overpaid, it will end up costing you more when you count your time in. Not to mention having to clean up afterwards.

That said I'm sure a good machine shop can do it cheaper. The trouble is finding one. Yeah, I know, Yellow Pages...