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+--- Thread: Control Panel for the new layout (/showthread.php?tid=2529)
Re: Control Panel for the new layout - Gary S - 05-23-2010
Bil, I had looked at some purpose built control cabinets and was astounded by the cost. So, I began searching around for something that wouldn't cost me an arm and a leg. This is actually a salvaged storage cabinet that I got for practically nothing. I mounted some iron channel in the back to hold the backplane which is actually a piece of particle board covered in white formica. Alot of the electrical components are salvaged. Other stuff I bought online at "Factorymation." Good selection and good prices, although some stuff has to be bought bulk, for example, the terminal blocks come in boxes of 100. I surely don't need 100 of each color, but I was willing to pay the price for what I wanted.
The outside dimensions of the cabinet are 24" wide and 30" tall. The backplane is 19" wide. The holes for the meters were an oddball size so I cut them with a jig saw and then finished them up with the dremel tool and a grinder bit. Lots of messy, noisy work!