Idea for Modular Control Panel

[nussmier]

I have been looking to start a second project and build it with a modular control panel.  I have looked at Doc's and the variations of that with metal and the other variations with Velcro.  Just wondering if anyone has tried this or think it might work.  My idea is to use dovetail cuts.  It is hard to explain so check out the few images below.  Basically I would take 1" thick piece of wood for control panel top.  I would then route about 2" long section of dovetails on each side of the panel. I would then flush trim the rest of the control panel out so it is normal depth (.75" or .5").  I would then have two 2" wide rails on each end of the control panel box that would have the female version of the dovetails routed in them.  Then you would set the control panel down on the rails and slide them forward 2" to "engage" the dovetails.  Like I said maybe best to look at pictures.  Questions I have are would the dovetail joints be strong enough where it attached to the main top of the control panel?  Would I use to much usable area on the control panel by loosing 4" on each end of the panel (2" where dovetails are and 2" needed to slide it forward, leaving me 8" of usable area for controls).  Would the dovetail joins allow wiggle in the control panel or develop wiggle over time with constant slidding in and out of the modular panels (I know a lot of that has to do with routing skills)  Also just an fyi the front of the control panel will be hinged to allow me the room to lay the control panel down and slide it forward.  I guess I am just looking for general thoughts or if someone has tried this and found it is just not a good idea.  Hopefully your not completely confused after reading this.

[DillonFoulds]

What kind of cab are you planning to use this on?

If your build allows it, check out my project thread for pictures of the way my modular cp will work.

[telengard]

I have been looking to start a second project and build it with a modular control panel.  I have looked at Doc's and the variations of that with metal and the other variations with Velcro.  Just wondering if anyone has tried this or think it might work.  My idea is to use dovetail cuts.  It is hard to explain so check out the few images below.  Basically I would take 1" thick piece of wood for control panel top.  I would then route about 2" long section of dovetails on each side of the panel. I would then flush trim the rest of the control panel out so it is normal depth (.75" or .5").  I would then have two 2" wide rails on each end of the control panel box that would have the female version of the dovetails routed in them.  Then you would set the control panel down on the rails and slide them forward 2" to "engage" the dovetails.  Like I said maybe best to look at pictures.  Questions I have are would the dovetail joints be strong enough where it attached to the main top of the control panel?  Would I use to much usable area on the control panel by loosing 4" on each end of the panel (2" where dovetails are and 2" needed to slide it forward, leaving me 8" of usable area for controls).  Would the dovetail joins allow wiggle in the control panel or develop wiggle over time with constant slidding in and out of the modular panels (I know a lot of that has to do with routing skills)  Also just an fyi the front of the control panel will be hinged to allow me the room to lay the control panel down and slide it forward.  I guess I am just looking for general thoughts or if someone has tried this and found it is just not a good idea.  Hopefully your not completely confused after reading this.

Looking at the images, my guess would be maybe it would be a little stronger than velcro.  I'd still be afraid of it either going loose while playing, or over time (depending on the amount of use) due to friction etc.

Please note though, I'm a real heavy handed player, esp on Robotron   
My modular panels are aluminum and are held down with screws.

~telengard

[Knave Jack]

You might consider using a high strength plastic for the dovetails. HDPE, Delrin, or UHMW would all be ok in that application. Also, a greater distance between the dovetails with thicker bases should hold up just fine.
 

[drventure]

My only concern with that arrangement would be people yanking hard on the sticks might tend to pull the cp forward and out of socket.

So You'd end up having to put latches on anyway, and well, if you do that, there's not much point in dovetails (although the furniture builder side of me says, "dovetails! Hell yeah!"

 

[Dazz]

My concern with that design would be...  How are the joys and buttons going to be laid out?  You really can't pull it out like that because of the underside dovetails and the undersides of the controls would hit.

[nussmier]

Thanks for the input.  Telengard, I agree with what you are saying about wear over time.   I also think it is probably to much wood work to be worth it.  Lastly, probably need to make the control panel long to get enough workable area to use controls.  Probably not a great idea. To answer some of the questions though.  Why suggest plastic over wood?  Think the plastic will wear less then the wood?  Also wouldn't have to worry about the panel slidding out as there would be a front cover on it and a C channel in the back to hold it in place.  Didn't show that on the drawing because I threw that together real quick. 

[telengard]

Thanks for the input.  Telengard, I agree with what you are saying about wear over time.   I also think it is probably to much wood work to be worth it.  Lastly, probably need to make the control panel long to get enough workable area to use controls.  Probably not a great idea. To answer some of the questions though.  Why suggest plastic over wood?  Think the plastic will wear less then the wood?  Also wouldn't have to worry about the panel slidding out as there would be a front cover on it and a C channel in the back to hold it in place.  Didn't show that on the drawing because I threw that together real quick.  

You don't need as much space as you think if you go modular.   My control panel is quite small just because you can swap stuff in and out.  The actual area used for swappable modules is even smaller.  No need for a lot of space, unless you want to make it support 4+ players.

My guess is that over time any material you use will wear, which means either loose fitting or some "play" which would probably be annoying (well to me at least).  Treating the controls with kid gloves because I think they are fragile was one thing I didn't want to deal with.

You could always prototype something up and see just how well it holds etc before going the full monty...
I wonder if I could make a business out of play testing modular setups.          

~telengard

[telengard]

Re-read and saw that the worry was about length not width.  Still not a lot of space needed.  My modules are no more than 7 or 8" in length.
Sorry about the double post... couldn't figure out how to delete a post.

~telengard

[Paul Olson]

Depending on the length of your panels, you would have a hard time laying those flat to slide them in. Mine are 10" long, and the mounts are 1.5". That 7" has been enough for all of the controls I have, but I wouldn't be able to set the panel in like you have shown, just not enough extra room to offset it like that.