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Got my Excellway case from China today.

Bill Carpenter
 

Now I need to grit my teeth and start cutting holes.? Any input on how to do so are greatly appreciated!

73, Bill NZ0T
Bill Carpenter
 

Is greatly appreciated, not are and it's for a uBITX.??
NZ0T
Bo Barry
 

If it's like the one from Bangood there are 3d printed plastic panels on Amazon that work great. Case is EF-1 or similar.
Bo W4GHV?
Bo Barry
 

Case is EF-01, ?panels are on eBay.
Bill Carpenter
 

I have seen the eBay panels and they are great but thought I would try on my own first.
 

Please, post the Amazon link for the panels.

On Mon, Apr 30, 2018 at 8:50 PM, Bill Carpenter <nz0tham@...> wrote:
I have seen the eBay panels and they are great but thought I would try on my own first.


Bo Barry
 

Sorry, they were on eBay.
 

I must be having a senior moment, but I can't locate on ebay.? help please.

On Mon, Apr 30, 2018 at 9:48 PM, Bo Barry <wn4ghv@...> wrote:
Sorry, they were on eBay.


 

Try here:

On 1 May 2018 at 12:56, walt hodges <walt.r.hodges@...> wrote:
I must be having a senior moment, but I can't locate on ebay.? help please.

On Mon, Apr 30, 2018 at 9:48 PM, Bo Barry <wn4ghv@...> wrote:
Sorry, they were on eBay.



 

holy cow.? if that quality sells for that much I really need to free up some time.
 

I bet some find it hard to stomach buying $27 plastic panels for a $10 plastic case when?debating a few bucks differences in micro-controllers.
That said, my building brother, I too get anxious on cutting holes.? We don't know what tools you have, and given the question, assume not a mill or a drill press.
What I would do is cover the front side of the plastic panel with blue 3M painters tape. Scribe the centerline for the holes directly on the 'inside the box' portion of the plastic where it won¡¯t be seen.?I use center drills to start the holes (they are cheap), if you don't have center drills, use a small drill bit.? Once the initial undersized holes are cut, flip the piece over and drill from the 'outside the box' side so if you get a chip out it won't be seen. Best to start small and step up to one drill bit less than size.?When drilling, secure the plastic panel over a scrap piece of softwood, and make this a "pine board project."? With thin plastic and drilling with hand tools, I find that the final drill bit size is best done by hand. I have an old pcb hand nibbler tool ($10?)? for cutting somewhat square holes with patience.? ? Just slightly undercut the rectangle for the LCD with the nibbler, remove the tape and finish out with a bastard file and sand paper.? If all goes wrong, you?can still try 2 more cases or spend the $27.? Also search this forum for good ideas on printing a full face 'label' which might cover up the sins of a nonperfect cut. Stain grade or paint grade? My wood working Grandfather taught me very early in life that a coat of paint covers a multitude of sins. Nothing ventured, nothing learned. Maybe someone else has some tips.
 

Hi all,

I believe it is an expensive solution and if you do include the handling and shipping charges it cost as a metal professional box, plus there is no screening being all plastic.

A not too expensive solution could be to use laminated PCB material, with pieces soldere together. As an example you can see some picture of the complex and superperforming transceiver Pic-A-Star designed by Peter, G3XJP.? .

73

Gian
I7SWX
 

Good tips on working with the plastic case. Another is to use a small rotary disk cutter like a Dremel and I have a Dremel-clone that I picked up at a yard sale for $5 that works great. I was able to cut against a full-size printing of the panel layout that I taped to the back. Still, I cut the large square holes slightly undersized and used a flat file to trim them up. The result was I could make a nice friction-fit for the LCD display without needing extra hardware or bezels. Regular drill bits adjusted larger with a round rat-tail file worked for controls and connectors. I found the Baggood case very easy to work with compared to the metal cases I used years ago, but watch that you don't get too energetic as it could crack, but you could always make a replacement panel out of another piece of flat plastic or aluminum if needed.

=Vic=
 

for cutting rectangular windows in plastc , I resort to lamination cutter sold in India at just fraction of a $. I keep the too dawing across the 4 lines of the rectancge -say lcd mounting window.? After a while i could push out the small piece from the plastic.
?here is a link to show how a liminaTE CUTTER LOOKS




Regards
MVS Sarma
?

On Tue, May 1, 2018 at 2:30 PM, Vic WA4THR via Groups.Io <vhklein@...> wrote:
Good tips on working with the plastic case. Another is to use a small rotary disk cutter like a Dremel and I have a Dremel-clone that I picked up at a yard sale for $5 that works great. I was able to cut against a full-size printing of the panel layout that I taped to the back. Still, I cut the large square holes slightly undersized and used a flat file to trim them up. The result was I could make a nice friction-fit for the LCD display without needing extra hardware or bezels. Regular drill bits adjusted larger with a round rat-tail file worked for controls and connectors. I found the Baggood case very easy to work with compared to the metal cases I used years ago, but watch that you don't get too energetic as it could crack, but you could always make a replacement panel out of another piece of flat plastic or aluminum if needed.

=Vic=


 

I have now used three of the Excelway EF01 cases for rigs with 16 X 2 displays with good success.?
The ABS enclosure panels are quite easy to work with.?

Just to add a couple of comments to Gary's suggestions. I have found that drilling corner holes and using a coping saw to?
cut out the "window" for the display works quite well. As Gary suggests you want to make it undersized by a couple of millimetres.
With patience and a nibbler or even an exacto knife and a file you can make a decent looking opening. ?In all three cases I made?
the "window" just large enough to friction fit the display without resorting to using screws to hold it in place and this works fine.?

One other point; I suggest that you mark the position of where you are going to drill holes and then make a small divot (a nail and hammer works fine for this)
so that the drill doesn't wander. Also starting with a small sized drill bit first helps. ?For larger holes (i.e. for BNC etc) I swear by a stepped drill bit to get the hole?
to the proper size.

The key to getting a good result is to plan and carefully mark everything in advance on the back of the panels and then take your time.
Remember if an opening is too small you can enlarge it, if it is too big there is not a lot you can do so, "measure twice and cut once".

Cheers

Michael ?VE3WMB?

P.S. One my latest enclosure I am using 2 inch wide copper tape with conductive adhesive on the inside as shielding. It works quite well but requires patience to
install it properly. I am impressed with the durability. The tape is quite sticky, but not so much that it precludes the possibility of pulling it back up if alignment is not?
quite right. I had expected that the tape would be too fragile to be re-seated but that is not the case.?
Bill Carpenter
 

Well, I ordered the 3D panels from eBay. ?I just don't have te tools nor the patience to do it myself.

73, Bill NZ0T
Bo Barry
 

That's what I did. A ham since '54 I'm tired of drilling! ?
Got my ubitx going immediately with it, still awaiting the slow boat from China with my case.

When it comes, who will cut its panel nicely for me? How much? Bo W4GHV?

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