What about LEDs? Panel-mount sockets or just a hole and some hot glue? Other options I'm not aware of?

 

As well as the panel mount MinBC LED sockets, there is the small nut mounted with the chrome bezel, makes for a small neat answer for the smaller panels.
Max.

 

Google LED holders and look at images. Lots available.

 

Google LED holders and look at images. Lots available.

I have always used the chrome ones (like the first one in your picture). I was just wondering what everyone else preferred and - specifically - why.

 

When using LEDs in frontpanels I usually drill a 2mm hole through the panel, and the required diameter to push in the LED from behind, stopping just before it goes right through.
Leaves the LEDs top barely visible until they are lit.

 

That's my quick approach as well; drill at the width of the LED and just use the "shoulder" on the LED as the stop. A couple drops of hot glue on the back and done. The little black plastic holders are also quick and easy and a bit more professional.

I'm surprised no on has mentioned using a Dremel too for cleaning up holes, cutting edges and so on. It's tough to be precise by hand but it's still a handy thing to have around.

I consider a drill press a mandatory tool. You can use brad point bits to help ensure the hole goes where you wanted it. Even a great press can't keep a small drill from bending and the bit from wandering.

I always lay out a panel in software first and then check, double check and recheck the hole placements before cutting or drilling anything. Pay attention to clearances behind the panel, such as making sure you have room for the wires coming off a pot.

 

I have always used the chrome ones . I was just wondering what everyone else preferred and - specifically - why.

I use those also, as well as the socketed/replacable type, the one advantage with the socketed type they do not need the resistor, but are made for a specific voltage.
Max.

 

I have the advantage of owning a small CNC knee mill, so this makes it nice for LCD screen apertures and odd shaped holes etc.
Max.

 

Never buy an expensive box or case for a project if you can "repurpose"
another box you can get for free. I have my friends trained to give me empty
product boxes -- I just received about 20 Altoids boxes.

Don't be afraid to go up and down the aisles of your grocery, department, craft,
or hardware store looking for what you need.

One of my favorites is boxes that bicycle patches come in. I get a small box
that will hold a 9-volt battery for about $2.50 and get some patches for free.
If you don't have a bicycle, you can do like a friend of mine did: In a
sporting goods store he asked the clerk at the cash register if he rode a
bicycle. When the clerk replied he did, my friend opened the box, gave him the
patches and then bought the empty box!


Here are some examples:

Rema Tip Top bicycle patch kit box. Comes in 2 sizes. I put continuity testers
in the smaller box and chess clocks in the larger one.

Band-Aid box. I prefer the old metal ones to the new placstic ones.

Spray can lids. I once taped two of them together for a quick project.

Altoid mint box. An Internet favorite.

tic tac mint box.

Dental floss box. For very small circuits.

Pill bottles, both new and used. Come in many sizes.

Pringle potato chip can. I have seen them used for microwave antennas.

Crystal Light drink mix can.

Mixed nut and coffee cans.

Sugar cookie cans. The pretty ones sold during the holidays are nice.

Food storage containers.

Unfinished jewelry box. Small ones are sometimes available at Dollar Tree.

 

There are hand nibblers available now. Puny useless pieces of useless crap. Did I say useless?
.............
edit:
Apologies to nibbler lovers.

No offense taken.

Yes, pretty awful devices. But they are useful for making small, square-ish holes is thin aluminum.

I bought one of the first hand nibblers ever made. I might still have the remains of the blisters to prove it.

 

Good ideas so far, thanks guys.

What hangs me up (almost every time) is drilling. I measure, re-measure, grid, cross-reference the grid with my measurements, and then drill. Small bits first, then larger bits to accommodate the size of the part. And the damn holes are still wonky. Even if they are off-axis only by an 1/16th of an inch it shows. I guess a drill press would fix this (that's my next purchase), but it gets OLD when you work so hard on a panel only to have three or four off-axis holes screw up the visual appeal of the whole thing.

What about power connections? Do you guys prefer to panel-mount female jacks or just run wire (with strain relief, of course) through a grommet?

Sounds like you're too critical and have better eyesight than everybody around you, or you're rushing your work. Rushing to me means, foregoing a layout template, foregoing center punching before drilling, and drilling with a hand drill like you're 15 minutes past lunch time.

You can make layouts in mspaint if you dont have autocad or similar. I just print it on white copy paper and tape to the surface, center punch all the center X's (make center X's). Your HP deskjet isn't micrometer accurate, but its more accurate than you, with your kid's ruler and a pencil.

I got 30mm and 22mm greenlee knockout punches (knockouts - not the same thing you use to punch the X's) that I use a lot. I have other sizes I never use and regret paying for them.

Check out okw enclosures

As mentioned before, you can make labels printed out and stuck to the panel for semiprofessional appearance. I print onto 8.5"x11" labels from office depot. Semipro level 2 includes an acrylic cover over the printed label.

Jigsaws make nice square holes for DIN meters and the like, but they're only as good as the operator. Bimetal blade only. Finish up with a light filing. When using a jigsaw, I print my layout directly onto one of those 8.5x11 labels I mentioned, and drill/saw through it. Because if you dont use a label, or you use something else or nothing at all, metal shavings will get between the jigsaw and enclosure and grind into the finish of the enclosure and make it look like ass. Remove the label after, remove adhesive with contact cleaner. If possible, cut from the back side. Dont make the hole too big.

Buy files.

Holesaws can be a cheaper alternative to knockouts, but only if the center bit is perfectly straight and you don't suck at drilling. Generally they should be your third choice, when no knockout or unibit is available..

Clean any area you plan to use a panel sticky with isopropyl, or else it will pop off in 5 minutes or 5 weeks, but no longer 6 weeks.

I have more, but im on my tablet and tired of typing.

 

No offense taken.

Yes, pretty awful devices. But they are useful for making small, square-ish holes is thin aluminum.

I bought one of the first hand nibblers ever made. I might still have the remains of the blisters to prove it.

Mine must be around someplace. Haven't run across it in years.

So why doesn't someone make a big heavy duty one? I've looked!

Twice as big, even, would be useful. At 4 times I'm a buyer.

 

Altoid tin too thin to dissipate heat? Add a slab of aluminum on the inside of the box and bolt the hot part to that.

 

Mine must be around someplace. Haven't run across it in years.

So why doesn't someone make a big heavy duty one? I've looked!

Twice as big, even, would be useful. At 4 times I'm a buyer.

I have one of these, http://www.aircraft-tool.com/shop/detail.aspx?PRODUCT_ID=64823 As long as you have ~3/8" hole to start with it works real good. But like most of these kind of things they work better in aluminum and plastic then steel at the rated thickness. The company Aircraft Tool Supply has a lot of good sheet metal tools. At not too bad of prices compared to most places. The hand nibblers like the ones you guy's showed, are nothing compared to this one. I've had and used both.


I did this kind stuff as part of my job and do sheet metal shaping as a hobby. So I do have a lot of these kind of tools.

 

Altoid tin too thin to dissipate heat? Add a slab of aluminum on the inside of the box and bolt the hot part to that.

Also, steel is a very bad conductor of heat compared to aluminum. Surprisingly, steel is only about 1/5 as good as aluminum.

 

Here is a toy turned tool.
Turned to it today while installing 8 "C" cells, in place of two glow plug type batteries, that are always hard to find.

Styrofoam cutter.
6" of .012" wire and an industrial 5volt supply.

This is so handy. Whether packing shipping boxes or making a custom interior for holding battery pack.

Made my first one as a toy when I was in 4H.
Another for my kids. And this one for the grand-kids.
No injurys. Used by three year olds.

It cuts smooth and fast.

 

Oh. and this is the meter.
Antique low reading ohm meter.

I didn't know, till I looked for batteries, uses 1 amp in the .1ohm range.

Bridge requires two 1.5 volt batteries.
I found single "C" holders on Ebay.
Installed two sets of parallel 4s. 8 cells.

Duh, I just thought of it now. Holders and batteries came in sets of ten. I had room too.

Oh well, it works with 2X4....................

 

Wow! Lots of great ideas! Thanks guys. If anything else pops into your head, stick it in here. I'll post a pic or two of my finished project in a few weeks. We're moving, and it got packed up the minute (literally) it was finished.

 

How about this project case posted by Metalmann:

http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/CSE-86/POLYCARBONATE-ALUMINUM-CASE-W/CLASP/1.html

at this thread:

http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/showthread.php?t=94528

 

What hangs me up (almost every time) is drilling. I measure, re-measure, grid, cross-reference the grid with my measurements, and then drill. Small bits first, then larger bits to accommodate the size of the part. And the damn holes are still wonky. Even if they are off-axis only by an 1/16th of an inch it shows. I guess a drill press would fix this (that's my next purchase), but it gets OLD when you work so hard on a panel only to have three or four off-axis holes screw up the visual appeal of the whole thing.

I hear you there. A drill press will just give you vertical holes, does nothing for wobbling off left or right.

I've had some luck using templates to line up holes, which begs the question where do you get a custom template? Well... mine came from a PCB using an extra copy of the board that goes under the panel. I have small holes drilled in them to match where switched pass thru. Large holes, looks good to my (can be very) critical eyes.

I've also tried CLAMPING a straight edge onto my panel when center punching: it keeps one (common ) axis fixed.

It occurs to me a sacrificial piece of cheap perfboard could be used as an array of aligned holes: clamp it on your panel and it holds your 1/16" bit for the first shot.