The AM Forum

For many people, the front panel is a very difficult part of the equipment to do well.

http://www.frontpanelexpress.com/

It's similar to pcbexpress, a turnkey shop.

Does anyone make a re production of a DX100 panel?

How about an SX-100 front panel?

I wouldn't mind having a DX-100U (British version) front panel for my Dixie 100.  I think it looks better.

I haven't seen one.  The problem is the silver paint.

Terry asked:

You may want to try Dee W4PNT. He doesn't refurb rigs anymore but he may be able to point you in the right direction.

You have to run it off 250VAC/50Hz power. 

I like that UK front panel too but I think some other changes would have to be made to use it on a US DX-100. A far as a replacement front panel is concerned, I would not be too particular if the color scheme was not the same as the original. The plastic Heathkit emblem may also hard to find.

Last week there was a UK DX 40 on eBay. Don't know if it still u[p?

Thanks Mike for the lead, I'll email that person tonight.

I've never used this company, but I have been aware of them for a number of years.

I am fortunate that here on Long Island, there are several very high quality machine/sheet metal shops that I have used over the years for my various homebrew and restoration projects. There is one shop I have used for close to 20 years, but his lead-times have really stretched out for my kind of work, although he will still take on the work for me, and fit it in to the shop schedule as best as he can. Boeing and Sikorsky, however, really pay his bills, so they always come first.

About a year ago, I found a retired machinist here on the Island with essentially a full machine shop in his large 3-car garage. He does spectacular quality work for a rate of about $20.00 per hour, and the guy is extremely cool and he can appreciate my interest in homebrewing and restorative work. His turn-around time is super fast, unlike most of the commercial shops I have dealt with, where this short-run/prototype type of work goes to the bottom of the shop queue list. He's been to the W2XR shack, and he told me that it's great to see how the work he has done for me has evolved into finished products. To further reduce the cost of fabrication, I provide the rough cut stock to him, which I can purchase quite cheaply locally.

I am suggesting that there are probably many of this type of home-based machine shop operation where a retired or semi-retired machinist can do the kind of work we need for our various projects, at a fraction of the rate you would normally pay for comparable quality work at a full-time business. Typically, here on Long Island, most machine and sheet metal shops charge around $50.00 to $75.00 per hour.

Give them a dimensioned sketch or drawing, and you are on your way.

My experience has been wherever I have had machining or sheetmetal work done, these guys love what they do, they are eager to be of help to homebrewers like us, they take tremendous pride in their work, and they are a pleasure to do business with. They really are gearheads like us.

A facility like Front Panel Express requires full, detailed documentation in electronic CAD/CAM format in order to fabricate a given piece of work to your requirements, but nothing beats providing a machinist with a detailed drawing and still being able to explain the subleties to him in person of exactly what you want.  I don't think you can do this with Front Panel Express.

Just my 2 cents. As always, your mileage may vary.

73,

Bruce

Talk to this guy, http://www.hayseedhamfest.com/overlay.htm
See if he has any plans for a DX-100.

Or from Eham forum:

I agree with talking to a machinist personally but I have not found any in Dallas that work for $20 per hour. One wanted $100 per hour to drill and tap holes in a copper plate and talked as though it was an inconvenience.

Is that in British Pounds or dog years, OM?


BTW, if the guy won't drill and tap holes for $20 an hour, just yell, " I want it now!"  - and call J.G. Wentworth.

But seriously, a new panel is well worth pursuing. Makes an old rig look like a million bux. For an old rig, most bang for the buck and personal satisfaction you can get.

T

Furlongs per fortnight.

Really?  What changes?  I'm not seeing what you might be seeing, Terry.  Everything looks to be in exactly the same location (excepting maybe the TX light, easily relocated).  The other difference I see in the photo is the addition of another toggle switch on the right side middle, but that looks to be an owner modification.  

Eric - WB2CAU

Has anyone used FRONT PANEL EXPRESS to have a front panel repainted and labled or do they do that.

John W9BFO

Per Pete's suggestion above I have contacted Hayseed and he seems approachable. I would suggest you contact him directly with your request. I haven't answered an email from him but will later today. Here is what he sent to me about a DX 100 panel:

Terry, I would sure like to give it a shot.

Development of new overlays has virtually come to a standstill here,
because of the increase in can-capacitor sales, and also the process of
designing and installing new tooling to take facilitate that increase.

For that reason, I can't guarantee anything except that I'd give it my
best shot and if it can be done, I'd get it done in a timely fashion.

Can you give me the dimensions of the DX-100 front panel?  Also, what
kind of condition is your panel in, particularly the lettering?

73,
Tom NØJMY
Hayseed Hamfest Co.  .       .

Drilling and tapping is simple to do, you should be able to do that yourself.  You will need the proper drill size.  Most common threads require NUMBER drills for the correct size hole.  6-32 #36 drill,  8-32 #29, 10-32 #21, 1/4-20 #7.  If you are tapping holes in thin plate (less than 1/8") just drill the holes with a hand drill and tap by hand holding the tap wrench perpendicular to the plate.  If you are tapping into thicker plate you should drill the holes on a drill press to keep the holes perpendicular and tap by hand.

I just tapped some 10-32 threads in 2" thick material.  Drilled the holes straight through on a Bridgeport milling machine and tapped the holes by hand on both sides.

I've been building my 813-811 rig for the past 3 months.  I think I must have drilled and tapped some 200 threads with more yet to be done.

It always seems, as with every project, that the mechanical work takes longer than the electrical work.

Fred