Hey man,
Love your posts and am really psyched to see you posted a supplier list for all the parts, the one thing I’m missing is where to find a metal plate in the right dimensions to use as front panel. I’ve been looking around for a bit but I can’t seem to find it and I would know where to look for it anylonger. UK/Eur would be perfect!
Thanks in advance anyway!
Hi all,
I just came on here to ask a similar question and saw this post 
so I’ll add to it.
Sam I see you’re using matte black PCB for all your new and DIY panels, have you considered selling different sized blanks with the mounting holes like https://www.ctrl-mod.com/collections/cases/products/black-blank-pcb-panels but for your Kosmo format? Maybe with some of your artwork / doodles top or bottom between the holes for that true LMNC look.
Also thanks in advance 
I just finished building a 1222 VCO, worked first time except I think I need to get better matching 10K resistors for the octave knob 
I Own a CNC Business. I’m thinking of making Stainless Steel front panels using my cnc plasma cutter. I will try run a few tests when I get a spare minute as I want to make some for myself
holy crap. thank you for this.
In the US at least, you can usually find a suitable 1mil aluminum sheet with the modeling metals at hobby, craft and hardware stores. It takes to a table saw really well and is just the right thickness for EuroRack.
What I’m really interested in is Sam’s new “using PCB as the face-plate” mode. That seems like the most logical setup. I’ll be honest, I have had the Kicad image on my desktop for months without installing it-does that allow for the 3/8"-½" holes you’d need to put in them in order to mount a jack/pot?
I was having difficulties sourcing aluminum in my area (southern US). Its not as if i didnt have a distributor, they just never returned my calls and were completely unresponsive.
I had good experiences just making the panels from PCB. Its only a bit of light CAD work, results are good and you have a lot of control. Plus its not bad on the wallet. I got the ones pictured at this rate: (5pcs for $10.70 / £8.15 or $2.14 / £1.63 a board). I designed them in 1 day, and they were built in 2 days (cause they were green). I received them within a week of the day I designed them. Got them from https://jlcpcb.com/. If there is interest i can cover my experiences in more detail including my process. First time i did anything like this, but if i can help another out with this id gladly do so.
This is genius, this might actually be a nice intro into modelling pcb’s in cad, haven’t done that before but this seems like a perfect project to get me started!
Did you order five pieces of the same vco and filter just as backup or are you planning on selling them to some friends? I’d love to hear where you found the resources to learn this.
I search up on Ebay aluminium 1.2mm cut to size, they usually come already in 10cmx20cm and 20cmx20cm options!
Yes, please! I’ve been dabbling and ordered my first two boards from JLCPCB last week, but I haven’t figured out how to properly make the panel graphics and text yet. Can you import an SVG? Does it have to be bit mapped?
Yes please, that would be most interesting.
Yes I would love to hear your process!! I’m really interested in how you make and design front panels in KiCad or other software.
I found a FabLab in my city where you can lasercut any design of your own but you have to share it afterwards, so that’s no problem, but they can only cut wood.
Would that be a problem for interference and what not?
Wood is a great material. I don’t think it will cause any problems.
Probably fine, but you could always line the inside with aluminum foil.
I’ve been looking at A5 plywood as a prospective front panel material. Both aluminium and acrylic are attractive alternatives, and I certainly may incorporate perspex and aluminium composite card in some designs, but for ease of working and low cost plywood beats them easily.
The A5 form factor is close to Kosmo, but has some advantages. For instance, a double-width module panel is A4. It’s also quite a bit wider to begin with, which means I can easily combine existing small designs behind a single panel.
I’ve been 3D-printing my euro rack format panels from the start. I didn’t so much like to work with wood or metal. Drilling holes the right sizes can be a pain if you don’t have the right drill and using a file to make a small hole wide enough for a switch or something else to fit is a pain. Designing a panel is not complicated at all. The holes are part of the design. The only thing I’m wondering about is durability. The printed plastic is quite sturdy to the touch so I’m not expecting any problems. I guess I will find out as time passes .
Stepper drills are great! But I get it all kinds of ways to make it perty.
In England they probably do. In the US all you get is imperial.
