An interesting service

[Mark Hammer]

http://www.frontpanelexpress.com/?gclid=CIjCk4nEy8UCFZOFaQodHJgA1Q

We can get software for PCB layout and send it off for pro etching.  Now we can get front panels made for us.

[mth5044]

I just downloaded that this morning... very strange! Seems they have been around since at least 2005 though.

[bloxstompboxes]

I seem to remember something like this being posted very recently. But, I am too lazy and sore to look it up right now.

[mth5044]

Turns out it's insanely expensive. Maybe it's just how much amp face plates tend to be, but I have a faceplate that is 12" x 3", 16 standard holes and labels for each hole, over $100 on bare aluminum. The words are what add it. It was anywhere between $1.50 and $3 per word. PER WORD! Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but that seems absurd.

[Mark Hammer]

Perhaps the price is why we haven't heard about them for a decade!

One of my sons made a faceplate for an A/V patch panel he made for himself last year, and did all the cutting and legending with the laser cutter in the hackspace he belongs to.  Mind you, it wasn't aluminum.

[slacker]

They're quite popular with the DIY synth crowd but yeah probably too pricey for the likes of us. I think the software can output in a format that you can print so you could use it for designing panels without using the rest of the service.

[alanp]

Yeah, I normally email the DXF files from FPE's software to Rullywow, and he lasers some plastic panels for me, muuuuuch cheaper.

FPE's quality is very, very high, though.

[mth5044]

I see rullywow's site, but don't seem to see anything about fabing panels? Is there a different contact?

[alanp]

Email him directly about it, he's a great guy

[Brisance]

This thing is great for drilling templates as well!

[~arph]

I've used them on my quad pt 2399 project a while back. Good software and great product. Bit expensive yes, but not too bad for small panels

[Ice-9]

Thanks for the info Mark, as said though these have been around for years, I thought they this service was common knowledge. I have never used them before but have played around with the software.