bosoz faceplate pics!

[cowanrg]

after being asked in another thread to post pictures of my new faceplate (bosoz PSU help!?), i have decided to take a few preliminary tease pictures and post them.

i started with a 4.5" x 16.5" piece of bubinga:

http://www.cowanrg.mesanetworks.net/...faceplate3.jpg

added some milling, cutting, routing, sanding, drilling,

http://www.cowanrg.mesanetworks.net/...faceplate4.jpg

add some plexiglass rods through the holes and some lacquer:

http://www.cowanrg.mesanetworks.net/...faceplate5.jpg

even more lacquer (about 30 coats total, almost 3 cans worth!):

http://www.cowanrg.mesanetworks.net/...faceplate2.jpg

and add the knobs, and there you have it!

http://www.cowanrg.mesanetworks.net/...faceplate1.jpg

it honestly looks a lot more stunning in person. the grains in the wood shimmer in different lights and it has awesome rays in the grain. and best of all, it looks almost JUST like my earlier renderings that some of you may remember from my site:

http://www.cowanrg.mesanetworks.net/...oz/preamp4.jpg

i dont have a picture of the LED's yet, but the little "dots" on the faceplate are 1/8" plexiglass rod that were forced into the wood and then lacquered over (they are perfectly smooth and undetectable with your hand). they are hard to see in normal light when looking at the wood. however, with the LED's behind them on, they glow very bright. the ones on the left side will be used for input selection indication, and the center one will be for power. when the PSU works, i will post pics of the LED's on, because thats how it has to work.

thanks to anyone who has followed the progress of this project! it helps motivate me to get done.

[pekka]

Looks really good... congratulations!

Where did you get the knobs from?

- Pekka

[cowanrg]

thanks.

the knobs were from apexjr.

http://www.apexjr.com/knobs.htm

[pekka]

Looks like you embedded the knobs pretty deep in the front panel, they look quite tall in Apex's pictures. Anyhow, the knobs really fit your design.

Best regards

- Pekka

[cowanrg]

i have them adjustable. they look best only sticking out 1/4" or so, but they are 2-3" deep. you just loosen the set screw and slide them in and out if you want them any different. but, i like them just barely sticking out

[steenoe]

That is really beautyful work. Very nicely made
I like the idea of a wooden faceplate. Kind of soften up the otherwise cold look of much equipment.

Steen

[eLarson]

Bubinga's a beautiful wood. Nice work letting it shine through.

[kilowattski]

cowanrg,

Beautiful work but if you are going to use your milling machine for woodworking make sure you protect the leadscrews on your X Y table from the sawdust. Sawdust on those leadscrews will cause you all kinds of problems.

[jleaman]

I want one..

[cowanrg]

thanks for the compliments...

steenoe,

that was exactly the idea. i wanted to change the image of the typical audio component to a softer, cleaner look. thats why i even recessed the LED's and everything. i wanted it to look very simple.

kilowattski,

the leadscrews are covered for the most part. they even have some basic brushers by the screws to keep dust and stuff out of them. PLUS, i clean them regularly as any machine owner should i actually have all the gibs relatively loose because i put on power feeds on the X and Y axis, and they are geared motors. SO, no hand crank adjustment for me!