Crack Panels from Front Panel Express - How to Order

[jrebman]

Can you tell us more about where you got the material and how/if you plan to finish the material?

There are plans to offer powder coating soon.  Milled copper with a clear epoxy powder over would be sturdy and beautiful.

PB,

Now you've got my attention...

I have a .125" x 12" x 24" copper plate that I got from onlinemetals via ebay sometime ago, and if you could do this milled, clear coated panel for an s.e.x and Stereomour, I'd definitely be interested in at least one, probably both, and starting with the stereomour.


T
his, some of the well-seasoned walnut from the tree we cut down in my brother's backyard, and some quilted or flame maple accents.  Hmmm, should look really sweet.

-- Jim

[Williston]

I bought my copper plates form Online Metals as well—I think they're .086" thick, so just slightly thicker than the Bottlehead plates. I'm not sure yet how I'll finish them but I was thinking of just sanding them smooth and coating with lacquer.

Peter

[Caucasian Blackplate]

Sounds good!  The powder coating is still some months off, I don't believe any of the equipment has been ordered, but I believe the research stage is close to completion. 

For doing one side of a Bottlehead panel, a $99 kit from Sears and a cheap toaster oven will get the job done.

[wylymon]

Hey guys.....just checking on the status of ordering panels for the other bottlehead kits. Any additional info on new colors....for example
copper. Hopefully the Crack template program has been successful.

Thanks,

James

[Doc B.]

PB will need to weigh in here, but I believe the FPE powder coating booth is running. I don't think there are any new colors in the anodized aluminum used to make the panels, but PB may have some additional info about anodizing.

In terms of panels for other kits, talk to PB. I am happy to work with him to make other panel patterns available in FPE versions.

[Williston]

Hi guys—

Finally got around to take a picture of my Foreplay III/Paramour II setup. Copper plates from Front Panel Express.

Peter

[Doc B.]

Wow Peter!

[HF9]

Yowza! Very nice work! I take it you sent in the copper to FPE?

[Williston]

Thanks Doc; HF9.

Yes—I bought the copper from Online Metals (very prompt); designed the layout in FPE's software (probably overdid the vents—but they look cool); then mailed the copper up to Seattle. Paul called me to go over a couple of things and then a week later I got the chassis plates. All very efficient. I hated sanding the copper though—way to much work. Now I think they can clearcoat for a small charge.

I really love FPE (and Bottlehead, of course)—had them make a couple of negative carriers for a scanner too, which work very well. Their software is very easy to learn on a Mac—especially if one has had experience with other graphics applications.

Thanks again guys,
Peter

[jrebman]

Hi Peter,

Sounds like it turned out very well.  Can you tell me what the finish is like -- is it polished and then clear coated?  Can you also tell me about the wood base -- what species/color?  I'm still thinking about doing this on one of my projects -- most likely the paramounts I just got and pairing it up with either a mahogany or koa base.

Thanks,

Jim

[Williston]

Jim—

The copper plates were sanded—starting with 240 grit, turning the plate 90˚ between grits—and finished with 1500 grit. They were clear coated with polyurethane. They are not polished to perfection. There is still a little grain in the finish that I don't mind and there are a few small nicks that I couldn't sand out.

The front and top of the wood base is mahogany. The sides are different and I can't remember what was used. It was sanded and oil-rubbed.

I'd been thinking of making my own plates for quite a while. It wasn't until FPE made their software available for Macs that I was actually able to do it. Very easy and satisfying.

Peter

[jrebman]

Hi Peter,

Thanks for the description.  Sounds like they turned out very nice.  I'll take a look at the mac software, but I'm not hopeful it will work with my screen reader -- the windows version definitely doesn't.

-- Jim


Tha

[Caucasian Blackplate]

Hey guys.....just checking on the status of ordering panels for the other bottlehead kits. Any additional info on new colors....for example
copper. Hopefully the Crack template program has been successful.

Thanks,

James

Hello James,

Feel free to let me know what you're looking for, and I can ask Doc for permission to manufacture custom plates.  We have a medium bronze color that is in the relative range of an aged copper, and I can also just order in copper sheet.

We have also discovered that sand blasted copper has a nice look, we may investigate offering this in the future. 

-PB