Well here it is! This is the first working Aluminum Facia prototype. I still call it a prototype because I need to make several tweaks to the CNC code so that I don't have so much post clean-up work (a lot of elbow grease). I'm very happy with how it turned out. I'd like to see what they look like after several hours in a tumbler, it might save me a bunch of work with the polishing wheel. There are some spots where I just can't get the amount of definition as the original but the coolness factor of the aluminum makes me not care. I could get the fine detail by running another cutting pass using a 1/16" end mill but that would add another 5-6 hours to the cutting time (it already took a little over 9 hours). I'm not sure how many I will actually be able to produce as they are so time consuming. I may have to look into out-sourcing to a large machine shop but my guess is that would be a bit expensive.

My next task is to make the required changes to the CNC code and then cut the 3 pieces I promised to the guys at Empeg (sonicblue). I should get those done next week and then will begin taking orders. I should also be getting in a bunch of exotic hardwood any day now and I will make a few samples.

Enjoy!!

Another photo

And another

Nice work. I hope you decide to produce a few so i'll be able to get one :-)

Sean

it looks great !

Looks fantastic. Bet you cant stop looking at it!

One word :WOW!

It looks really cool man! Now, if you'd only see the possibility to also make an aluminum handle...

The handle IS aluminum all we need is some spares from rob to see if we can get the coating off ( as long as he dosen't get annoyed after all the troubles with the early coatings falling off now we want to take them off.

Looking pretty good . I'm not surprised you can't get the same kind of definition as is in the original. After all, they didn't have to worry about tiny corner rads & curved surfaces meeting bosses etc with an injection moulding. But you don't need me to tell you that - I'm sure you were expecting it. The cycle time & amount of finishing shouldn't be a surprise either - all those little bits left that the cutter couldn't get to because of the anti-gouge checking & cusps between step-overs to remove . Hence my desire to design a new one designed with machining, not injection moulding in mind. However, if I'd been in your position I would probably have done exactly the same thing, before designing a new one. From what I can see I think you've done an excellent job considering the constraints - attempting to replicate a part designed for injection moulding by machining from solid. Good luck with your sales .

You might be interested to see what stage I've reached with my own design. I still need to do something with the fixing method. Whether I just use different screws or some other kind of hidden method I haven't looked into yet. I've also got to address details such as how I'm going to affix the Knob & Handle detailing etc. I'd also like to get the Empeg or Rio logo on there too. I've attached the image file of the design so far.

I'd buy that and the screws are okay if not i have some idea to a hidden fixing sytem if you are intrested.

Thanks . Personally I don't mind the screws showing either, but I think it was hybrid8 who thought they could be better. Your ideas for a hidden fixing system would be welcome. I've given it a little thought but I've really been concentrating on other aspects of the design. It shouldn't be too difficult to come up with something nice & simple which is available off the shelf if possible.

It looks good but the buttons aren't fitting right are they?
It doesn't look like it.
It looks like they're sitting too shallow in the fascia because of the missing recess for the lens in the back.

Hmmm... didn't notice that. They do seem to be sitting too far back don't they. I doubt Rob (CruzThs) has missed out the cutout for the lens from the back though. This would be a major oversight. It's probably that the cutouts for the buttons are a bit undersize and because they have that draft angle on them this causes them to sit further back in the fascia. I could be wrong - only Rob knows at this moment in time. Rob?

If I remember correctly he said that he couldn't do the recess in the back but it wasn't going to matter.

I also don't think that he was going to be able to make the flair angle around the buttons which should create a problem since that is what keeps the buttons in.

I pointed both of these out to him. I don't know if he remembered when he made it but it doesn't look like it.

that looks awesome too. you don't need to hide the screws we can just use silver ones like in the mock up. can't you just attach the handle the same way as the old one ?

I thought Rob meant that he couldn't shell it out like the original. This being a requirement for injection moulding more than any other reason. Rob shouldn't have any problem machining the recess in the back for the lens. That should be the easiest thing of all to machine. As for the draft angle on the button cutouts - well that would be a bit of an PITA without a cutter with the correct angle ground on it. You'd also have to machine the button cutouts from the back of the fascia. You can get die sinking cutters which are specially ground with angular sides for machining injection moulds. I don't know whether Rob's used these or not. I'd actually be very interested in details of Rob's setup, sequence of ops, clamping etc. for nothing more than to satisfy my own interest.

I'd probably have done it the following way:
Op 1
(1) Start with rectangular block of Ali a couple of mm longer & wider than the finished Fascia and about 3 - 4mm thicker (to allow for clamping in a vice).
(2) Machine Back Face flat with Face Mill. Machine pocket for Lens & outside profile of fascia with Slot Drill.
(3) Machine cutouts for Buttons & Knob using die-sinking cutter.

Op 2
(1) Mount part on fixture using 2 of the machined edges as datums. Use something like Mitee-Bites for clamping.
(2) Machine off excess mat'l used for Op 1 clamping using Face Mill.
(3) Rough out Main Windows through.
(4) Rough 3D contour.
(5) Finish 3D contour.
(6) Drill & C/Bore screw holes.
(7) Finish by hand.

There's obviously some detail missing from this layout but that's the general way I'd probably have done it.

Darkstorm - you are just waiting for me to fail aren't you? The truth is the lens recess is not cut in this version. That is one of the reasons it is still a prototype. And the reason it's missing? I completely forgot to do it. I ended up kicking myself when I installed it. But oh well, I already have the CNC code to do it. The bevel on the button holes is there. That was easy to do. The only button I had a difficult time fitting was the lower triangular shaped one. Its got some features that would need to be cut with something smaller than a 1/8" end mill. Otherwise I have to do some final hand sanding with a dremel. I may just make an extra quick pass with a 1/16" end mill just in that button hole.

Rob

Beaker - I love your custom facia. If you want to work something out to get it cut, let me know. And damn, you got my setup almost exact. For clamping I use mitee-bites on a piece of aluminum stock that will be used as scrap. Than I super glue the aluminum used for the facia to the scrap. This way I have no clamps in my way and I can machine all the way around without worrying about hitting anything.

First I machine the backside
- cut inset for lens
- rough cut button holes
- finish buton holes with bevel

Front side
- drill bolt holes
- countersink bolt holes
- 3d contour rough
- planar finish

- Polish with various wheels on a high speed hand drill

Rob

No, not in the least.
I don't have anything against you at all, I was just pointing out something that I noticed. If you look at my other post I mentioned that you knew about it but I didn't think you remembered on this one.

I think (from seeing your work) that you are a very good machinist, and with your machine you can do allot better than I can with mine since my system isn't setup for that. Yet.

I will admit though I was a little resentful at first. Not at you but at the situation.
I was going to try and make some fascia's for these guys, then you came up with your offer and everybody jumped at you and I was forgotten about like yesterdays news, but I've been pretty much over that since you posted the first mock-ups picture and realized your's was setup better than mine.

I must've misunderstood him. I thought he meant the recess.

Is it possible to have lens clip into the facia? This way there wouldn't be any rubbing or clamping onto the lens, allowing a bit more adjustment with the facia and there wouldnt be any great amount of machining the back of the facia.

wow that looks great.
I've been thinking of something along these lines for my MK1 :)

I'm not sure how you would go about it since the lens uses the fascia's mounting screws to hold it in place.

but you could (somehow, i'm no genius here) not have the lens held in by the pressure of the facia on the case. A new design could avoid this by having the lens clip into the facia, avoiding having to drill out the back of the facia and having rubbing marks on the lens itself.
might work, might not. Just a thought.

You could only do this 1 of 2 ways.

The lens would be two pieces for each side of the volume control's arch.
Each piece would have to use tabs that stick out from the lens and be held in place under the edge of the openings in the fascia against something solid in the back (i.e. the glass of the display)
or else the edges of each lens would need a U shaped clip made into the edge which would still require recesses, allbeit smaller ones, in the back of the fascia, which would probably break fairly easily.

I think the best way, short of redesigning Empeg's design, is to mill out the recess in the back for the lens the way it is supposed to be.

As far as reproductions of the stock fascia go, I agree with Steve. The best and easiest thing to do is just produce the necessary recess on the back to fit the stock lens.

Now for new fascia designs, I think we can go a bit further. Also include a recess for the stock lens (because that will give you your colour), but work something out to be able to insert a new clear or smoke lens in front. This would allow you to have a tougher acrylic lens that would hopefully be flush with the new fascia.

How would this be held in place? Clips are one possibility, but as mentioned, can break. The best bet would be strong adhesive. Something industrial, not Crazy Glue or wood glue. :) This would be similar to what you would find with most commercial head units from all the major manufacturers. My new Clarion deck actually has a pretty good looking aluminum fascia with flush acrylic lens.

Steve, I have a question for you. In the pics that you link to in your profile, you show what looks like a custom aluminum fascia for the Mk1. I'm assuming you made this yourself, right? As I've mentioned before, i really like the simple design. It looks like the lens is sitting flush with the aluminum. What kind of setup is that? I didn't see any descriptions on your site and I haven't had the chance to search the BBS to see if you've ever talked in detail about it. I've been playing with a few sketches for custom looks for the Mk2 and the simple designs seem to always look the best.

I'll more than likely be modifying my stock fascia at some point after I finish up all my installs. I don't have the equipment to make my own custom ones, so this is the only thing I can do until someone starts knocking off more in aluminum. :) I'm definitely going to fill in the spaces on the left side of the buttons and probably remove the arch that comes off the button surround. I'll probably also alter the curvature in the middle and to the left to make it more closely match the right side. All this while trying not to make a complete mess. :)

Bruno

What you saw was an experiment that resulted in a couple of faces for two other people.

It is essentially a thin face laying over a smoke Mark I lens.

I've made about 8-10 other designs for the Mark I but haven't photographed yet.

Let me know if you've got any designs drawn out at all
Go ahead and email me at drkstorm@bellsouth.net and we'll talk.

CruzThs,

FANTASMIC! Something about the combination of airfoils and raw aluminum! Gotta love it! Can I order 2? 1 in the raw and 1 anodized black??
--Andrew

I found a couple of handles that were returned due to coating defects and gave them to Patrick for sand blasting. They should be a good match for the Al fascia.

Unfortunately we don't have a stock of handles that we can sell to customers.

Rob

Wait- you're saying that the existing handles can be sandblasted back to a metal finish? Cool! I was wondering how one could make a handle match the aluminum face. I would guess that those who have access to metal milling machines might also have access to sandblasters.