Re: Cutting panels

From	Joerg <invalid@invalid.invalid>
Newsgroups	sci.electronics.design, comp.arch.embedded
Subject	Re: Cutting panels
Date	2013-07-23 07:09 -0700
Organization	Consultant
Message-ID	<b57h5gF4ahrU1@mid.individual.net> (permalink)
References	(2 earlier) <ksiakp$vds$1@speranza.aioe.org> <b554dsFj3euU2@mid.individual.net> <ksk0ck$je7$1@speranza.aioe.org> <b55sruFoba5U1@mid.individual.net> <ksknl5$c7c$1@speranza.aioe.org>

Cross-posted to 2 groups.

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Don Y wrote:
> Hi Joerg,
> 
> On 7/22/2013 4:17 PM, Joerg wrote:
> 

[...]


> You probably *don't* have an equipment rack anywhere in your
> home.  And, probably don't want to see a mess of cables and
> equipment.  Or *hear* them (fans, etc.).  Instead, you want to
> tuck it all into some corner where it is just barely accessible.
> "Make it fit".
> 

We do, in a utility closet. Phone, LAN, TV distribution, vidoe modulator
feedback lines, central sprinkler circuit control, things like that.


> E.g., here, I have the various processors, switches, UPS, etc.
> hiding in the bottom of a "closet" off the kitchen.  Space that
> isn't easily used for anything that we would want to get at
> often (because it's too low to the ground).
> 
> I can imagine others wanting to put it all in a big box and hide
> it in a bedroom closet.  (I'm not sure I would recommend locating
> it in "non-living" space -- reliability! :< )  My goal is to
> shrink things to about 10U -- I'm about double that, currently
> (because I have lots of COTS components in the current implementation)
> 

I would recommend locating it in non-living space. It is best to have a
utility closet in a house but unfortunately many builders skimp or want
to boast the highest living square-footage possible. That's how stuff
ends in garages where it cooks all summer long and gets dirty.


> I'd like to come up with a "solution" that lets folks figure out
> how best to package/deploy their own version instead of imposing
> a solution.  You want to use an equipment rack?  Fine!  *You*
> figure out where to put it...  (I have a friend with one of these
> 5,000sq ft palaces that *likes* making his toys visible.  He'd
> probably set it in a 42U rack with glass doors sitting in a
> corner of his living room!  "Conversation Piece"  :-/  Sheesh!)
> 

With smoked glass doors and mood lighting :-)


> The idea of "custom panels" IN GENERAL makes perfect sense (e.g.,
> the examples you cite).  I just don't think many would pursue it
> for *this* project (which would already be hard to get past your
> S.O. -- regardless of how many shoes she has!!  :> )
> 

Mine was real happy after I installed the system, when I showed her how
we can now watch a movie anywhere, including outside.

[...]

> 
>>> Also, if you've screwed up *measuring* the locations of the various
>>> mounting studs, etc. *required* to make the custom panel usable, you
>>> don't learn $100/200 later!  Screw up a graphic overlay and you're
>>> out $2.  It doesn't *care* where the studs are located because the
>>> studs are already present on the panel *beneath* the overlay!
>>
>> You plan to screw the panels straight onto the studs? That sure is a
>> true minimalist approach.
> 
> Not sure what you mean.
> 
> The panel consists of a sheet of aluminum, a set of PCBs (onto which
> are mounted the connectors and punch-down blocks), and a set of
> studs/standoffs that "float" the PCBs behind the aluminum sheet.
> 
>       Opening
> =====         ==========
>    S   CCCCC   S
>    S   CCCCC   S
>    S   CCCCC   S
>   ---------------
>      B       B
>      B       B
> 
> Viewed sighting *down* the edge so the connectors are stacked
> normal to the page
> 
> Where:
> == aluminum sheet
> -- PCB
> CC connector body (soldered to PCB)
> S  standoff/stud (fastened to panel and PCB)
> B  punch-down block (soldered to PCB)
> 

Ah, ok. It was a misunderstanding. I thought you meant wall studs.

[...]


>>>> Just think about
>>>> what your own time is worth per hour, and then you still need to buy
>>>> the
>>>> stock somewhere.
>>>
>>> It's called a photograph.  You buy them at Walgreens, Target, Costco,
>>> Walmart, etc.
>>
>> Yeah, but those photos don't last.
> 
> Laminated they will last damn near forever.  Remember, you aren't
> poking at this every hour/day/week.  You plug stuff in and forget
> it.  Until something stops working or you want to add some capability.
> 
> How often do you have to replace the labels on your fuse box
> outside (?) your home?  And, I suspect you spend far more time
> in there (resetting breakers, etc.) than you ever would, here!
> 
> (E.g., how often do you reconfigure the cables going to your
> network switch(es)?)
> 

Never. But I keep a number system. 1, 2, 3, 4 ... and then there is a
printed sheet next to it saying what goes where. Reconfiguring would be
totally easy. The numbers correspond to laocations and are followed by a
2nd number which indicated the kind of connection (Phone, LAN, TV,
modulator feedback). Some locations only have TV going there.


>>> With the custom panel, you still are spending time.  And, waiting
>>> days/weeks to see if you've screwed up.
>>>
>>>> Which probably means another hour just for the drive
>>>> into town, plus 2-3 gallons of gas at $4 a pop.
>>>
>>> Some of us have indoor plumbing, Joerg  (i.e., we don't live 35+
>>> miles from <wherever>)  :>  Even a thin sheet of rigid plastic can
>>> be purchased from any of the local craft stores.  Remember, it
>>> doesn't have to *do* anything -- just cover some holes that we want
>>> to pretend don't exist and "support" a photograph.
>>
>> Ain't no crafts store in this here town. But we can get saddles, boots,
>> spurs, and glow plugs for the John Deere.
> 
> Ah.  Perhaps that's why I thought you lived further out (east)!
> [I've had an image of a spot near Lake Tahoe in my mind -- even
> though I know you don't live in Tahoe!]
> 

Between Placerville and Folsom. There might be a crafts store in Folsom,
somewhere. Placerville has the oldest hardware store west of the
Mississippi.


> I can walk to a Kinkos in less than 15 minutes.  E.g., I am planning
> on taking my first pass of this "panel overlay" there, tomorrow, to
> get it laminated.  I used heavy card stock to print it on one of the
> Phasers (gives it a high sheen, "magazine page" finish) to increase
> it's "rigidity" and I'm hoping the plastic lamination will make it
> even stiffer.  If it works out, then I'll spend a bit more time
> to pretty-up the thing (actually, have to make the second one as
> well -- different legend) and call it "done"!  :>
> 

[...]

> E.g., we've dropped about a kilobuck into *just* the irrigation
> system -- with none of that spent on "labor" or "profit".  We
> could never have justified what it would have cost to *contract*
> that job out!  If I'd *tried* to contract *this* project out,
> neither of us would *ever* retire (to enjoy it!)  :>
> 

Same here. We just painted the house. It would have cost us around 7k.
This way it cost about $400 in paint and several Saturdays.

-- 
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Thread

Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-21 02:47 -0700
  Re: Cutting panels John Fields <jfields@austininstruments.com> - 2013-07-21 08:05 -0500
    Re: Cutting panels Roberto Waltman <usenet@rwaltman.com> - 2013-07-21 10:38 -0400
      Re: Cutting panels "Carl Ijames" <carl.ijames@nonono.verizon.net> - 2013-07-21 12:36 -0400
        Re: Cutting panels Joerg <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2013-07-21 09:48 -0700
          Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-21 13:29 -0700
            Re: Cutting panels Joerg <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2013-07-21 14:10 -0700
              Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-23 16:23 -0700
          Re: Cutting panels Grant Edwards <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2013-07-21 21:04 +0000
            Re: Cutting panels Joerg <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2013-07-21 15:07 -0700
              Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-21 16:35 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Joerg <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2013-07-21 17:11 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-23 16:27 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2013-07-23 21:50 -0500
                Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-23 21:24 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Jasen Betts <jasen@xnet.co.nz> - 2013-07-24 09:09 +0000
                Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-24 16:02 -0700
          Re: Cutting panels hamilton <hamilton@nothere.com> - 2013-07-21 16:52 -0600
            Re: Cutting panels Joerg <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2013-07-21 17:13 -0700
        Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-21 12:35 -0700
  Re: Cutting panels amdx <nojunk@knology.net> - 2013-07-21 09:54 -0500
    Re: Cutting panels Joerg <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2013-07-21 09:32 -0700
      Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-21 13:36 -0700
        Re: Cutting panels Joerg <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2013-07-21 14:04 -0700
    Re: Cutting panels [solved?] Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-21 13:14 -0700
      Re: Cutting panels [solved?] Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-21 13:26 -0700
        Re: Cutting panels [solved?] Joerg <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2013-07-21 14:06 -0700
          Re: Cutting panels [solved?] Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-21 16:08 -0700
            Re: Cutting panels [solved?] Rich Webb <webb.ra@example.net> - 2013-07-21 19:42 -0400
              Re: Cutting panels [solved?] Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-23 21:45 -0700
            Re: Cutting panels [solved?] Jan Panteltje <pNaonStpealmtje@yahoo.com> - 2013-07-22 07:51 +0000
            Re: Cutting panels [solved?] Charlie E. <edmondson@ieee.org> - 2013-07-23 05:57 -0700
              Re: Cutting panels [solved?] Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-23 14:46 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels [solved?] Don Lancaster <don@tinaja.com> - 2013-07-23 16:41 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels [solved?] Charlie E. <edmondson@ieee.org> - 2013-07-23 17:21 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels [solved?] Jasen Betts <jasen@xnet.co.nz> - 2013-07-24 09:26 +0000
                Re: Cutting panels [solved?] Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-25 12:11 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels [solved?] Spehro Pefhany <speffSNIP@interlogDOTyou.knowwhat> - 2013-07-25 16:04 -0400
                Re: Cutting panels [solved?] Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-25 13:03 -0700
          Re: Cutting panels [solved?] Jasen Betts <jasen@xnet.co.nz> - 2013-07-23 13:40 +0000
            Re: Cutting panels [solved?] Joerg <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2013-07-23 07:38 -0700
      Re: Cutting panels [solved?]/summary Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-29 15:18 -0700
  Re: Cutting panels andrews@sdf.lonestar.org - 2013-07-21 12:45 -0700
    Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-22 19:17 -0700
  Re: Cutting panels Spehro Pefhany <speffSNIP@interlogDOTyou.knowwhat> - 2013-07-21 19:45 -0400
    Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-21 17:07 -0700
  Re: Cutting panels Peter Bennett <peterbb@somewhere.invalid> - 2013-07-21 16:57 -0700
    Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-21 20:58 -0700
      Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-21 21:02 -0700
      Re: Cutting panels Joerg <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2013-07-22 09:20 -0700
        Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-22 12:15 -0700
          Re: Cutting panels Joerg <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2013-07-22 16:17 -0700
            Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-22 18:52 -0700
              Re: Cutting panels Jasen Betts <jasen@xnet.co.nz> - 2013-07-23 14:00 +0000
                Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-23 15:13 -0700
              Re: Cutting panels Joerg <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2013-07-23 07:09 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Charlie E. <edmondson@ieee.org> - 2013-07-23 10:03 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-23 21:59 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-23 15:54 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Joerg <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2013-07-24 13:09 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-24 15:51 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Joerg <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2013-07-26 09:13 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-26 11:35 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid> - 2013-07-26 12:06 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Jan Panteltje <panteltje@yahoo.com> - 2013-07-26 19:44 +0000
                Re: Cutting panels Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid> - 2013-07-26 22:21 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Jan Panteltje <pNaonStpealmtje@yahoo.com> - 2013-07-27 08:12 +0000
                Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-26 13:42 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid> - 2013-07-26 18:50 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-26 22:49 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid> - 2013-07-27 00:53 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-27 10:16 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Joerg <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2013-07-26 23:52 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-27 17:36 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Joerg <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2013-07-28 09:22 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-28 12:31 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid> - 2013-07-28 13:48 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Joerg <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2013-07-28 14:20 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-28 16:35 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Joerg <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2013-07-28 17:39 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-28 19:38 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Joerg <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2013-07-29 11:15 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-29 16:30 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Joerg <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2013-07-29 17:38 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-29 21:45 -0700
                Re: Cutting panels Joerg <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2013-07-30 12:20 -0700
  Re: Cutting panels Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@cruzio.com> - 2013-07-21 21:38 -0700
  Re: Cutting panels Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2013-07-22 00:39 -0500
    Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-22 01:39 -0700
      Re: Cutting panels Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2013-07-22 19:09 -0500
        Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-22 20:10 -0700
          Re: Cutting panels Jasen Betts <jasen@xnet.co.nz> - 2013-07-23 14:07 +0000
  Re: Cutting panels Theo Markettos <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> - 2013-07-22 18:33 +0100
    Re: Cutting panels Spehro Pefhany <speffSNIP@interlogDOTyou.knowwhat> - 2013-07-22 13:44 -0400
    Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-22 19:00 -0700
      Re: Cutting panels Jan Panteltje <pNaonStpealmtje@yahoo.com> - 2013-07-23 10:09 +0000
      Re: Cutting panels Theo Markettos <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> - 2013-07-23 11:45 +0100
        Re: Cutting panels Theo Markettos <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> - 2013-07-23 13:46 +0100
          Re: Cutting panels 0bama <0B@nocontrast.org> - 2013-07-23 13:06 +0000
            Re: Cutting panels Theo Markettos <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> - 2013-07-23 22:19 +0100
              Re: Cutting panels 0bama <0B@nocontrast.org> - 2013-07-24 08:05 +0000
        Re: Cutting panels Spehro Pefhany <speffSNIP@interlogDOTyou.knowwhat> - 2013-07-23 10:07 -0400
          Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-25 01:26 -0700
    Re: Cutting panels Jasen Betts <jasen@xnet.co.nz> - 2013-07-23 14:18 +0000
      Re: Cutting panels Spehro Pefhany <speffSNIP@interlogDOTyou.knowwhat> - 2013-07-23 11:38 -0400
        Re: Cutting panels Theo Markettos <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> - 2013-07-23 22:32 +0100
          Re: Cutting panels Frank Miles <fpm@u.washington.edu> - 2013-07-23 21:37 +0000
      Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-23 16:16 -0700
        Re: Cutting panels Theo Markettos <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> - 2013-07-24 10:37 +0100
          Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-25 01:27 -0700
  Re: Cutting panels Gonadicus <gonadicus@no_spam.com> - 2013-07-23 12:46 +0800
  Re: Cutting panels sms <scharf.steven@geemail.com> - 2013-07-23 04:58 -0700
    Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-23 16:13 -0700
  Re: Cutting panels Jasen Betts <jasen@xnet.co.nz> - 2013-07-23 13:25 +0000
    Re: Cutting panels Don Y <this@isnotme.com> - 2013-07-23 21:42 -0700

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