[sdiy] advice on cutting slots for sliders in aluminum.

[patchell]

cacofone wrote:

> I'm doing some initial design work while purchasing parts and etc. I've
> gutted an old tape deck (old Teac that happens to have some dolby noise
> reduction IC's in it) that would be about the appropriate size of what I
> want. I don't really want to do it very modular, mostly wanting to make my
> own personal synth and wanting it to be at least semi-portable for live
> shows. I've decided that for certain things I want to use sliders (for
> example, I want at least 2 VCO's, perhaps 4) and I wanted to use sliders
> for the mixing of the VCO's, the frequency, and probably for the
> cutoff/resonance as well. I just like sliders better. It's obvious how to
> drill a hole for a pot, but how about those perfect rectangular slots for
> sliders...
>

    Rectangular slots will have to be made with a punch.  In general, punch ==
expensive.  Of course, a punch is the easy way.  Now, looking over at my ART 2408
mixer (a.f.p.o.s.), the slots for the sliders are round at the top and bottom.  A
slot like this can be made fairly easy with an end mill, but again, this is not a
cheap solution.

    Now, if you have about $1000 to burn, I would recomend you get a mill/drill
(this is a drill press on steroids).  Now, others have reported that they have
successfully done this with a drill press.  You will need to get an X-Y table for
the drill press to do this easily, if that is the case.

    Back before I could aford such tools, I would draw a line, pick a drill of the
proper width, and drill a series of holes that I would then file out.  Tedious,
but it gets the job done.  Again, if you have a drill press with an X-Y table, it
makes this job a lot easier.

    Sorry I don't have a good solution.  This is one of the reasons I gave up on
sliders.

>
> Looking for advice to make it nice looking, something easy, and any tips. I
> know it'd probably be a good idea to use a program to draw it out on first,
> any suggestions on that?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Joshua
>
> Pulse 8 / nKode / cacofone [aim:goodtimetribe]
> http://www.goodtimetribe.com - Good Time Tribe
> http://www.mp3.com/stations/d-r-e-a-m DREAM Radio Station
> http://www.mp3.com/pulse8 http://www.mp3.com/nkode http://www.mp3.com/cacofone

--
 -Jim
------------------------------------------------
* Visit:http://www.silcom.com/~patchell/
*-----------------------------------------------
*I'm sure glad Merry Christmas comes just once a year
* -Yogi Yorgensen
------------------------------------------------