CNC or Laser cut instrument panel

Rob Turk wrote:
"Bill Daniels" wrote in message
news:eEdbd.356130$mD.89885@attbi_s02...


At this point, I would consider anything. I've been talking to some of
the
dumbest phone sales people I can imagine. I've e-mailed the CAD file to
20
or so firms that advertise "custom panels" and, so far, no replies except
for one local CNC shop that quoted $855 for the 9-hole 18" panel in .125"
sheet.

Bill Daniels


Wait for the other shops to come back or follow up with a round of phone
calls. We had our panel laser cut in three separate sections, 2x 10" and 1x
5" wide. Cost about 175 Euro for a set. An extra 15 Euro for a second set so
we could experiment a bit before putting the final panel in.

Check that your CAD design is readable and well done. Sharp 90 degree
corners should be avoided, always specify a rounded corner (radius about 0.1
x panel thickness). If you don't do this yourself then the shop will try to
charge extra for 'design adjustments'.

Rob


I did not find that to true, I have perfect 90 degree corners in my RV-6 panel,
they cut is just as I laid it out on CAD. I saved it as a DXF file and took to a
company in Beaverton, OR called TRIAX and at that time they only charged me
$150.00.
That was about 10 years ago so I don't think it would be that cheap now.
It is really nice to have a laser cut panel because each screw hole and switch
hole and cutouts for the radio stack was perfect.

Jerry