Panel holes cut to big

Tips & Tricks
1

Hey everybody,

I recently got ahold of a dremel for cutting panel holes for my buttons. The problems is that after cutting the holes out, some of them are to big and when it is finished I will have gaps on  the sides of the buttons showing bread board down below. The cuts are not to far off but could use some fixing up. Is there some kind of epoxy or caulk that can be applied by hand and rubbed in that will settle and harden? I will probably do a silk screen over it so cosmetics will not be an issue once I get this hole problem sorted out. Any tips would be appreciated.

Regards,

echo

2

JB Weld.

I thank Wilba for getting me hooked on that stuff!

3

Sam Bonham, creator of J-B WELD, died suddenly in 1989. He had commented before his death, “My life’s dream is for J-B WELD to be all the way around the world, and for me to see an 18-wheeler load out of here with nothing but J-B WELD.”

Wilba, you’ve made his dying wish come true.

4

Thanks for the quick reply. I will try unmixed jb weld and then try mixed jb weld.

5

The trick that i use with the Dremel to make perfect holes for faders is to use a old front panel from a Gemini sampler. It is made on strong metal and then the holes of this panel guide me to make the holes on a piece of material that i want. If you dont have something like it you can do the same trick with a heavy piece of metal with perfect lines at the ends. Then this piece of metal will guide you on the cuts.

For other types of holes is easy to do with a small drill to define the holes then you can change for a large drill. Then just use the Dremel sanding bands to finish the shape of the hole.

Is good to take a chuck to change easily the accessories.

KB

6

Thanks for the tips. I tried jb weld last night using the 50/50 ratio and I was not very excited with the results. I think I might try it again with more of the resin compund like 70/30 ratio after this coat cures.

7

Hey Echopraxia, maybe you can cut another piece of material that you want, try to make the holes again and then put it over the frontpanel e.g. a fader section.

Maybe is more easy than you try to finish the hole shape with resin.

KB

8

Stick some LEDS behind and have the buttons back-illuminated!

It’s not a error is it’s a “design feature”

9

This maybe too late.

But even if you don’t have a black colored panel:

You could try either black silicone(they sell it for aquariums).

Or they also sell black rubber in a tube to use instead of electrical tape.

If you put that into the spaces around the holes,

and around the other switches, it may give it a professional look,

as if you meant to do that, and also hide the imperfections.

As if the switches had black rubber gaskets around them.