This is 3 part custom button I make for customer who liked my sequencer buttons very much and wanted something similar for his project. Top part is 6mm opal acrylic which has just great diffusion/transparency ratio. Second layer is 4mm transparent acrylic spacer with big hole which help to get wider area illumination. Third layer is 4mm LED holder, and doesn`t have to be transparent. I glued 3 pieces together using superglue.
Attached ZIP contains EPS file if somebody have access to laser cutter
DAMN!!!.. I am so far of doing some professional looking stuff :P…cnc machines…a cool place to work where nobody asks you to put the tools back in place…with no time schedules…
Anyway, Sasha those button caps look very very very cool, I have to envy your tecnique and skills at work…perhaps you could make a few photo tutorials of things like this to learn for the rest of the midiboxers.
Snorkman, I would so love to work in place you described, but I`m working one of the worst jobs in IT.. technical support.
To realize my designs I use different services. CNC, laser, waterjet… Most often lasers, as they are most economical and result is very good if you work with acrylic/ thin woods and such. Engraving is done on same machine without taking out the panel.
About picture tutorial, I`ve already did some. Check these pages:
Sasha for your sequencer are you using encoders similar in height to smashtv’s encoders? Are you mounting these buttons to the same breadboard as the encoders? I am wondering about the 6mm,4mm and 4mm pieces and if that combination is perfect for height from pcb to panel. On your sequencer how much of the buttons is sticking out above the front panel in mm height? ____—___
Sasha for your sequencer are you using encoders similar in height to smashtv’s encoders? Are you mounting these buttons to the same breadboard as the encoders?
I made one PCB for both, buttons and encoder, but than I realized the hight cannot be same because I add another piece of acrilic in the button sandwitch to increase the distance of LED to improve light diffusion. I ended cutting the board and leaving just a piece that holds the encoders. I didnt uses smash kind encoders. Mine are albs for PCB type with no thread and bolt. And,they are very good! Can be dense packed which was important to me as my vertical lines match to the the corresponding section of LCD screen.
On your sequencer how much of the buttons is sticking out above the front panel in mm height?
They dont stick out at all, they are still in the box. ;D
What happened… well, In the time I have finished nice watercut steel panel, 2 subpanels, buttons, and it was all mounted except wiring, SEQ V3 appeared and I really wanted those changes on my sequencer so I just cannot decide what to do with it all. So I put all asside. Maybe I will finish it some day, or maybe it is better to offer it to somebody here on the forum who will finish it. I feel kinda bad because of that because it could look good and it is pretty well made. I put hours, and hours only in those buttons, but I really like my new design.
Great work Sasha, I think this is the first time ever I prefer the bluish light, maybe cause the diffusion or the camera it’s just looks the easier on the eyes and blend nicely with the panel.
I think this is the first time ever I prefer the bluish light
Maan, if you know me just a little bit better you would now how much I hate blue light!!! The “blue” button you see is actually white, and looks much better in real. It was even more blue until I photoshopped it.
That brings up a good idea though. If you could use something slightly more opaque to mask most of the blue light (along with the higher value resistors). You think it would look OK then??
Why to mask blue light… just dont use blue LEDs if you dont like it. If you talking about white LEDs … they don`t appear any shade of blue in real life, but camera shows some bluish shade.
If you look at the constriction of button youll notice that the button cap is smaller than body of button, so it cant fall out if machine is upside down.
Why to mask blue light… just dont use blue LEDs if you dont like it.
Hi Sasha. No, I actually do like the blues, but I’ve seen several complaints here from people saying they were too prominent. I haven’t put any on anything here either, but I’ve always wanted to. Seems like a really soft blue might solve the problem if you could use really hazy plastic or distance the LEDs like you were talking about.
Wonderful looking buttons BTW and great choice of font (what is it anyway?).
