Jiggy!
So here's my little improvised control panel jig. See the pins at the four corners? Those keep the guide centered each time. I haven't drilled the holes yet, but there will be holes in the template for controls and the footswitch and this way each one will come out close to exactly like all the others. And of course being sandwiched between these pieces of wood will keep the aluminum from deciding to climb up the drill bit and shape-shift into a finger-removal device. Which is pretty much an E Ticket attraction the first time it happens to you. I had a piece of brass do it to me a few years ago when I was doing the Swamp Plexi panels and it was like the damn thing had a life of its own. "And now you witness my true power!!!" I'm all like, "Dude! Mad respect! Leave me my fingers!!!"
I made a frame out of some 1/2" aluminum bar stock to hold the 10" x 4" pieces of aluminum panel in place. The pins are furniture assembly pins that I use to pin register it at the four corners.
BTW, I realize this is all probably too DIY for some people, but this is how I was able to make it happen before, so this is how I decided to do it again. If I was smarter, I might have some really cool Metropolis-looking way of doing this, but I works with what I gots.
Jiggy!
So here's my little improvised control panel jig. See the pins at the four corners? Those keep the guide centered each time. I haven't drilled the holes yet, but there will be holes in the template for controls and the footswitch and this way each one will come out close to exactly like all the others. And of course being sandwiched between these pieces of wood will keep the aluminum from deciding to climb up the drill bit and shape-shift into a finger-removal device. Which is pretty much an E Ticket attraction the first time it happens to you. I had a piece of brass do it to me a few years ago when I was doing the Swamp Plexi panels and it was like the damn thing had a life of its own. "And now you witness my true power!!!" I'm all like, "Dude! Mad respect! Leave me my fingers!!!"
I made a frame out of some 1/2" aluminum bar stock to hold the 10" x 4" pieces of aluminum panel in place. The pins are furniture assembly pins that I use to pin register it at the four corners.
BTW, I realize this is all probably too DIY for some people, but this is how I was able to make it happen before, so this is how I decided to do it again. If I was smarter, I might have some really cool Metropolis-looking way of doing this, but I works with what I gots.