Group Build prototyping phase

[pyrelink]

you can have 2 holes to the bottom of the side wood pieces so you can screw the metal to them. And also like you said, 2 holes to the side to hold the base.

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Woooo! Thats awesome!

[matt3o]

problem is that they have to be CNC'd...

[pyrelink]

problem is that they have to be CNC'd...

Hm, well honestly the whole idea of the case, is enough for me to look past the dark edges. What about different types of wood by the way? Darker colored woods actually look pretty cool with the darker colored edges. Not sure what kind of price difference there would be to cut something like Walnut instead.

And for anyone who might not know what I mean by "burnt" edges, this is what I mean:

But the darker wood actually gives it a cool bit of contrast.

[matt3o]

I mean that the slot for the plate has to be CNC'd. I don't see any other way of doing it. If the wood if treated well after the laser cut you get a very nice result

[pyrelink]

I mean that the slot for the plate has to be CNC'd. I don't see any other way of doing it. If the wood if treated well after the laser cut you get a very nice result

Oh right... Gotcha. Well, if this design is possible, and other people are interested, and its cost efficient, and doesn't screw with any other plans, then I am down for a set. Hopefully this wasn't too far off from where you wanted to go with this build.

[SL89]

Oh right... Gotcha. Well, if this design is possible, and other people are interested, and its cost efficient, and doesn't screw with any other plans, then I am down for a set. Hopefully this wasn't too far off from where you wanted to go with this build.

I tuned back in at the right time it seems. I'd be down if this were to happen, it would be rather unique to have a hybrid wood / metal case.

[Findecanor]

Darker colored woods actually look pretty cool with the darker colored edges.

Those boxes are not made from the same type of plywood and just stained differently?
End faces of wood get darker from wood stain than side faces. The darker boxes in that picture would therefore have dark edges even if they hadn't been burned by laser. Most fancier woodwork hide the end faces to get a uniform stain.

[pyrelink]

Darker colored woods actually look pretty cool with the darker colored edges.

Those boxes are not made from the same type of plywood and just stained differently?
End faces of wood get darker from wood stain than side faces. The darker boxes in that picture would therefore have dark edges even if they hadn't been burned by laser.

Like I said, I have little to no knowledge of CNC machines, but it sounds like if its cut properly, it will turn out nice. That was just a random image from Google. No clue what they actually did.

[matt3o]

the darker ones are probably just better finished

CNC milling is perfect (no burns). Laser cut burns the wood of course, but it can be varnished and the end result is very nice.

[Findecanor]

I mean that the slot for the plate has to be CNC'd. I don't see any other way of doing it.

How about a sandwich of two laser-cut wood pieces on each side?
Either, you would have the inner wood piece enclose the metal plate, or the metal plate would enclose the wood part, or both. That would give you your friction-fit, but there would also have to be a bracket or two on each side.

[matt3o]

you mean wood > plate > wood ?

[Findecanor]

No, instead of milling a groove down to half the thickness, use two half-thick pieces where the groove is cut right through the inner piece.

[matt3o]

yes gotcha. so basically if you look the keyboard from the side you see wood > alu > wood. it might work actually

[Muirium]

But in brass…

[pyrelink]

But in brass…

I wish more things were made with brass.

[Findecanor]

yes gotcha. so basically if you look the keyboard from the side you see wood > alu > wood. it might work actually

Yes. To make it easier to see what I mean, here is a very rough sketch. Brown = wood. Yellow = sheet metal. (Switch holes take too much effort to draw )

woodbrasskb.png (2.45 KiB) Viewed 5112 times

I am not sure I would like this myself, but I got the impression that the discussion was about something like this and I want to give input.

[matt3o]

oh ok. you have to find a way to fix the metal to the wood though but the one you show there is definitely the easiest solution. I actually liked the idea of insetting the metal into the wood.

[SL89]

oh ok. you have to find a way to fix the metal to the wood though but the one you show there is definitely the easiest solution. I actually liked the idea of insetting the metal into the wood.

Would that mean having the face flush with the scales on either side?

[Madhias]

This could look like an old vintage synthesizer, like a Moog or something... But only if the would is too big/fat on both sides.

[SL89]

This could look like an old vintage synthesizer, like a Moog or something... But only if the would is too big/fat on both sides.

That's kind of what i was thinking when i suggested a hybrid case, but i hadn't even thought of a Moog as an example. Good call!

[Muirium]

Hmm. Is the Moog's black top surface plastic or painted metal? Matte black and wood is a nice combo, with white caps…

But brass is blinger.

[matt3o]

I think it's metal.

Black anodized alu + wood... mmmmmh

[pyrelink]

This could look like an old vintage synthesizer, like a Moog or something... But only if the would is too big/fat on both sides.

Love this. Black anodized aluminum and wood, would look just awesome. Now how much weight would the aluminum/steel add, and with the switch plate, and the main body made out of aluminum/steel, do we need to worry about adding any more weight? I am guessing, no...

[matt3o]

Alu is very light. we might still want to add some weight. Maybe the bottom could be steel instead of wood. I don't know, maybe it is not needed.

Have a look at these

[pyrelink]

Alu is very light. we might still want to add some weight. Maybe the bottom could be steel instead of wood. I don't know, maybe it is not needed.

Have a look at these

Those are freakin beautiful. Actually, the way they are built, they have rivets going in the top into what I assume the wooden sides. There any pictures of the bottom of that unit?

[matt3o]

unfortunately I couldn't find it, but I believe it's just a plate of bare aluminum or possibly steel

also in white

[pyrelink]

unfortunately I couldn't find it, but I believe it's just a plate of bare aluminum or possibly steel

Then thats actually pretty damn similar to what we're trying to do. I do really like the idea of the slots in the wood and alu to fit everything together. Then we wouldn't have a bunch of screws or bolts on the top of the case. But at the same time the small black screws (in the black aluminum version) actually don't look half bad. Like the design posted earlier, it would also probably be easier to make this design...

Oh and just feel like mentioning, that midi mixer/controller is like perfect numpad size

[Findecanor]

From what I have gathered, the larger classic Moog synthesizers have a metal chassis with large black decals with white print on them. Most decals are textured like textured plastic, or rather, like sandblasted metal.

[Req]

I love where the case ideas are going. They look great.

[Muirium]

I love where the case ideas are going. They look great.

It's all about the knobs…

Now I have to figure out what excuse to use to throw some of those into my next custom. A rotary switch for selecting layers perhaps?