electro-music.com   Dedicated to experimental electro-acoustic
and electronic music
 
    Front Page  |  Radio
 |  Media  |  Forum  |  Wiki  |  Links
Forum with support of Syndicator RSS
 FAQFAQ   CalendarCalendar   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   LinksLinks
 RegisterRegister   ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in  Chat RoomChat Room 
go to the radio page Live at electro-music.com radio 1 Please visit the chat
poster
 Forum index » DIY Hardware and Software
Front panels
Post new topic   Reply to topic Moderators: jksuperstar, Scott Stites, Uncle Krunkus
Page 1 of 1 [14 Posts]
View unread posts
View new posts in the last week
Mark the topic unread :: View previous topic :: View next topic
Author Message
Yorky



Joined: Feb 14, 2005
Posts: 244
Location: Boston, UK

PostPosted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 12:19 am    Post subject: Front panels Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Does anyone have any tips please on how to make 'pro' looking front panels.
I'm making 10-step sequencers in a 1U rack and a decent front panel is important as I intend to sell them.
These are CV/gate out and 1 to 10 steps, voltages on pots.

Thanks, John

_________________
Lots of new albums at Ambientlive
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
slave to this



Joined: Oct 23, 2005
Posts: 93
Location: nyc
G2 patch files: 7

PostPosted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 12:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

i'd start here at the synth diy (if you haven't already gone this route). just by typing front panel, i receieved a bunch of hits.

http://search.retrosynth.com/synth-diy/index.html

these other two are more diyers that created some how to's that could be of use that i have found over time.

http://www.mikmo.dk/synthpanels.html

http://www.hotrodmotm.com/drill_howto.htm

hope this helps at least some.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Uncle Krunkus
Moderator


Joined: Jul 11, 2005
Posts: 4761
Location: Sydney, Australia
Audio files: 52
G2 patch files: 1

PostPosted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 2:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Here's the new artwork for my dual saphire flanger. The actual image is three times this resolution, and when I print it I'll turn off the "controls" layer and replace it with cross hairs for drilling. It's all done in photoshop. I'm going to print it onto Lazertran and then bake it onto the panel, which I'll paint yellow first. (guess where I got that idea from!)
I like doing it this way 'cos I can turn layers on and off, add effects, change fonts etc. and get a really good idea of what it will look like.
Any questions, you know where to find me. Smile


Front-Panel.jpg
 Description:
 Filesize:  59.37 KB
 Viewed:  7518 Time(s)

Front-Panel.jpg



_________________
What makes a space ours, is what we put there, and what we do there.

Last edited by Uncle Krunkus on Wed Nov 22, 2006 1:25 pm; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
zonkout



Joined: Oct 12, 2006
Posts: 33
Location: ozztin, teggsitz

PostPosted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 8:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

I plan to use this method:
http://www.sdiy.org/xyzzy/panels/
http://electro-music.com/forum/topic-13993.html
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Yorky



Joined: Feb 14, 2005
Posts: 244
Location: Boston, UK

PostPosted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 2:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Thanks guys, I'm going to try Lazertran

Any suggestions on layout s/ware ?

_________________
Lots of new albums at Ambientlive
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Uncle Krunkus
Moderator


Joined: Jul 11, 2005
Posts: 4761
Location: Sydney, Australia
Audio files: 52
G2 patch files: 1

PostPosted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 3:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

There are dedicated panel design programs, but I like Photoshop. Mostly because I've just gotten to the point where I know how to do what I want to do and I don't have time to learn another program. I also use Photoshop for image manipulation in general, and website design, so it makes sense for me to use it alot. Plus, Adobe just bought Macromedia, so I think we're all going to be using Photoshop (or something like it crossed with Flash) for a while yet.
_________________
What makes a space ours, is what we put there, and what we do there.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Yorky



Joined: Feb 14, 2005
Posts: 244
Location: Boston, UK

PostPosted: Wed Nov 22, 2006 8:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Indeed, I use Paint Shop Pro.
I could use Visio as well, it has the symbols.
But I se PSP instead, because I'm happy with it for all my artwork, not just panels.

_________________
Lots of new albums at Ambientlive
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Mikmo



Joined: Dec 01, 2005
Posts: 150
Location: Copenhagen - Denmark

PostPosted: Thu Nov 23, 2006 1:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Check my site (mentioned above) www.mikmo.dk

I use a program called front designer (not to be confused with front panel designer)

It's really good

demo downloadable here www.abacom-online.de

_________________
Stay Cool
Mikael
http://www.mikmo.dk
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
bugbrand



Joined: Nov 27, 2005
Posts: 846
Location: Bristol, UK
Audio files: 1
G2 patch files: 1

PostPosted: Fri Nov 24, 2006 2:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

In the past I've used Front Panel Designer and then printed it to file (maybe by printing it as a pdf document - you can get a free demo software called Virtual PDF). This PDF can then be taken into Photoshop (or other editing software) for the final tweaks and whatnot.

Its a shame that the www.cncpanels.co.uk guy has had to stop doing his service 'cos it looked very good and well priced.

_________________
http://www.bugbrand.co.uk
http://www.bugbrand.blogspot.com
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Yorky



Joined: Feb 14, 2005
Posts: 244
Location: Boston, UK

PostPosted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 10:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

I've got Front panel designer but it's a bit much, all I want to do is lay out some pot dials and switch legends.
I could do that in Word or Paint Shop Pro or Visio.

All I need is the 'dials' images etc ... any ideas please ?

_________________
Lots of new albums at Ambientlive
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
jksuperstar



Joined: Aug 20, 2004
Posts: 2503
Location: Denver
Audio files: 1
G2 patch files: 18

PostPosted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 11:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Do the dials really need to be fully labeled with a ring & numbers to scale? or will simple markers or numbers suffice (such as just labeling full swing and minimum)? Maybe add an extra marker for the midpoint, or wherever zero db is? That might end up with a cleaner looking panel, rather than printing & grahpics all over the place, which also probably has more chance of failure (during baking, transfer, etc). The kno

I think a lot of it depends on the size of knobs you use also (big old fashion style, or small ones).
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
fluxmonkey



Joined: Jun 24, 2005
Posts: 708
Location: cleve

PostPosted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 6:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Yorky wrote:
I've got Front panel designer but it's a bit much, all I want to do is lay out some pot dials and switch legends.
I could do that in Word or Paint Shop Pro or Visio.

All I need is the 'dials' images etc ... any ideas please ?


nifty tool for creating dials: http://stiftsbogtrykkeriet.dk/~mcs/Scale.html. use it to create an HPGL image, which costs a LOT less than laying out multiple lines in frontPanelDesigner.

there's also a ModularSynthPanel yahoo group--http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/ModularSynthPanels/.... they've got lots of FPD files in the file section which make good starting points.

bbob
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Yorky



Joined: Feb 14, 2005
Posts: 244
Location: Boston, UK

PostPosted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 9:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

yes it's for a sequencer, so the dials do need a full set of numbers

bbob - many many thanks for that scale-o-matic link, it's just what I need

_________________
Lots of new albums at Ambientlive
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Uncle Krunkus
Moderator


Joined: Jul 11, 2005
Posts: 4761
Location: Sydney, Australia
Audio files: 52
G2 patch files: 1

PostPosted: Tue Nov 28, 2006 7:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

For dials in Photoshop I just draw a line, and then copy it onto itself. Then I go into the rotate tool and set the centre of rotation in the middle of the line. Then rotate it in 30deg increments leaving a copy as you go. Then add a circular mask and wipe out the middle and the outside.
I know it sounds daunting, but you only need to do it once. You'll be surprised how professional it will look with only a minimum of practice.

_________________
What makes a space ours, is what we put there, and what we do there.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic Moderators: jksuperstar, Scott Stites, Uncle Krunkus
Page 1 of 1 [14 Posts]
View unread posts
View new posts in the last week
Mark the topic unread :: View previous topic :: View next topic
 Forum index » DIY Hardware and Software
Jump to:  

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum


Forum with support of Syndicator RSS
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group
Copyright © 2003 through 2009 by electro-music.com - Conditions Of Use