Dotcomformat

Hi All,

I've created a folder over in the "Files" section of Roger's 
"synthesizersdotcom"  newsgroup, named "Module 
Conversions". One photo shows the Moogerfooger MF-101 
converted to the MOTM panel. (I posted this photo from my site 
yesterday)

Also, there's a permanent photo of my Doepfer Ribbon Controller 
module customized into Dotcom panel format .

Finally, in there is my solution for adding aluminum spacers, to 
the sides of MOTM modules to get them to look more 
Dotcom-ish. 

Putting four (so far) MOTM modules into my Dotcom setup 
presented me with two main problems. First, all MOTM comes 
with completely different power connectors than the Dotcom type. 
I solved this power connector issue by purchasing the 
MOTM-960 Power Distribution Board, which comes 
preassembled. 

http://www.synthtech.com/motma.html

It has 21 AMP MTA-156 MOTM-style male connectors in parallel. I 
just untwisted the gigantic twister caps inside my Dotcom, which 
distributes power to all the modules, and tapped power to the 
MOTM Power Distributor. Super-easy.

Solving the "Sea of Black" problem was more difficult. 

MOTM modules do not have the long "white" strips of aluminum 
on the sides, as the Dotcom modules do. They tend to get "lost", 
visually, when sitting side-by-side. Roger very wisely avoided this 
problem with his modules, by doing what Moog did -- adding 
long, unpainted strips to the sides of his panels. It helps 
separate each module visually, and easily shows where each 
module stops and where the next one starts.

My first solution to this situation was to mount my first (slightly 
smaller) MOTM module on TOP of a blank Dotcom panel. This 
was a lot of work, because it involved carving a square cutout in 
the blank panel to accomodate the MOTM circuit board poking 
through. It's hard to make out, but you can see both panels held 
together in the second photo down on the page:

http://www.danacountryman.com/490/490.html

This was way too much trouble, and I never did it again. 

Eventually, after much brainstorming, I recently hit upon the idea 
of using some flat aluminum strips left over from hanging folder 
rails that came with my wife' s filing cabinet . I just hacksawed 
them to the heidth of the modules, and tucked them in behind 
the sides of my four MOTM panels. I re-drilled new mounting 
holes in my Dotcom's cabinet, and just screwed the MOTM 
modules down over the aluminum strips, leaving about 1/4" in 
between each module.

What you see on my setup are the MOTM modules with just 
*slightly* wider aluminum spacing, due to the strips being butted 
up against the MOTM mounting screws. It could be customized 
even closer to Dotcom format by carefully carving out little 
indentations in the aluminum strips, where the MOTM mounting 
screws to tuck into the indentations, allowing less of the 
aluminum strip to show through the front. That would look more 
like the actual width of the Dotcom aluminum strips.
You can buy flat aluminum "rods" at most hardware stores. The 
ones I used are 1/2" wide.

True, the difference in the width of the MOTM panels end up 
being "off" from the symmetry of the Doctom modules, but it 
personally doesn't bother me, and I'm A-OK with it. I tucked a 
blank double-width Dotcom panel in, and it all magically worked, 
in my setup.

Next on my upcoming customized agenda, converting the 
Doepfer Joystick to a Dotcom panel, and possibly working up the 
Oakley phaser...

Onward!

Yer pal,

 - Dana

http://www.danacountryman.com