Mounting a Slide Potentiometer???
Have a question about construction, just weighing up my options about monting my slide pots to the front panel of my midi controller.
i thought about using a xacto/stanley knife (only using MDF as a proto)
or making a jig/Guide for a router with a 3mm bit (dont really want to build a jig)
if anybody has other ideas, lets me know!!
cheers guys,
btw, i think i have alread posted this, but you can follow my slow, process here! www.soundsparks.blogspot.com
so, you just want to knkow how to make the slot for the fader shaft?
I would probably use a dremel tool and a guide tbh… router and small bit seems like a bit overkill
If you could get a slot started, you could stick thin, small japanese saw in there and saw in either direcction to length.
I picked up a cheap router which came with a range of bits and guides it makes perfect ‘slots’ for sliders. I can even bevel the edges to provide a recesses for slider and pot knobs to sit in which looks awesome.
Be very careful though I lost the tip of my thumb when the router hit a hard section in the wood and jumped out, wouldnt be so bad but the flat surface makes using my iphone rather difficult!
Router, does sound like overkill. But it’s a $300 router.
That being said. I agree. ^^
just keen to see what other ideas are floating around so I can mix and match different methods.
The Japanese saw idea I like though, I will do some experimenting. Thanks for that.
And yeah, i’ve lost a fare few cups of blood over the years. Last was a drill on trigger lock that I dropped on my foot. Felt like a total idiot. Also needed stiches for the hole/gash but managed to heal up quickly. The crap thing is, the instrument I was building ended up being a shit prototype 
Jigsaw and file? That’s what I used on my 3mm aluminium case. I tried using a routing drill bit, but it proved impossible to control. I ended up cutting the full section out and showing the fader track as part of the case.
A lot depends on the material you’re cutting.
when i said cheap router mine cost £20 (so thats what $30) and it will cut thin sheet aluminum so long as i go slow.
As you say its a case of mix and match untill you find the appropriate method for the material your working with.
I’ve cut myself up pretty badly over the years. Most of them were actually with hand tools (planes, saws). I just counted myself lucky that they were not power saws, or jointers haha.
I mean, if your router is a plunge router, and you set up guides, I think you could do it no problem. It looks like you have woodoworking experience, based on you blog (I also make guitars in my spare time).
archie, that looks pretty sick!, im also doing the ps2 thumbstick, but hiding instead of seeing the joystick guts.
cerebral, looks like i will have to go guides after all, my bench is already full of Jigs and guides bolted down for guitars etc, so i spose another wont hurt, im just too lazy 
sine, yeah mate, plunge router, had it for years, im just sick if using it, havent had much experience with dremel though, i dont think dremel is a big craze in australia?? coz ive never seen one in use…
http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/uncyclopedia/images/3/39/DremelTool.jpg
Its just a small router essientially, that you can throw various bits into.
I compare it to using a pencil in comparison to a paint roller.
oh.. those..
yeah, ill have to check it out, are they fairly priced?
accept other branded bits apart from ‘dremel’
cheers for that.
Yeah… I just call it dremel tools cause the brand has become iconic with the tool, like a rotozip, or sawzall.
Usually you can get them for pretty decent. I would say get a wall powered one, the battery ones seem to be underpowered.
forsure wall power all the way, looks about $100AUD so thats pretty f-ing good i think, but the attachements are going pretty hard… thanks sine you are a saint.
Trim router. $17 USD
it works.
or this
A “Dremel” tool 19.99USD
Thanks cab. Trim router, forgot they existed!!
www.bigbluesaw.com <–where i get all my CNC/laser cutting done. Amazing prices. MUch easier than trying to do it yourself.
nice one tabs!! thats great, their designer is alot like front panel designer…
which is bad for me, being metric and all.
but good to upload my DXF files to, if they work..
cheers tho!
Simon from Big Blue Saw here. We’ve certainly seen an increase lately in customers making panels for MIDI controllers, mixing boards, and the like.
We’d love to have more of this business, so if there’s anything we can do to improve our service for this group, please let me know.
I would advise going over to http://forum.midibox.org/ and http://www.gearslutz.com/board/ and letting them know of your services also. I’ll also post up my acrylic top you just made when I get it also.
and Micko what is so badass is when u upload your DXF it shows the rendering right there so u will know if it uploaded right. Their prices are $100+ cheaper than everyone else I have found, it is simply amazing.
Thanks for the tip; I’ll try to figure out how to post on those other forums without spamming.
I’ve found it odd that very few people are taking advantage of the fact that we offer engraving. For the plastic materials, we can engrave labels for the various controls right onto the panel. Instead, most are opting for a Star-Trek-like unlabeled expanse of buttons, lights, and knobs, which I would imagine would be confusing.
I mean, who wouldn’t want a volume control that went to “12”?
the the dxf upload wasn’t working entirely for me, but simon got it sorted, thanks alot for the big blue saw link tabs, and all the help for your as well simon!
the local places in OZland were averaging at $325ish AUD per panel, i quickly told them to pull their finger out, but i guess they don’t care about the dude that makes music.
so yes tabs, it could even be about $200 cheaper, and thats with the O.S shipping!
@ simon again, i will be adding a ‘big knob’ that goes to “over 9000” just for your engraving satisfaction!
defiantly a resource that needs to be tapped!