MOTM

I guess I caught a bit of this discussion among a couple of you "post many
times daily" types, but is anyone putting anything *between* the modules
and/or on the far left and right sides where the modules don't actually meet
the edges of whatever case you're using? I seem to recall that someone was
looking for aluminum piping... I assume this is in pursuit of the Moog look?

This is My First Modular (wasn't that a Fisher-Price toy?) so I don't have
any preconceived notions about this stuff, I just thought it might be nice
to seal up those cracks...

Thanks,

David.

I certainly qualify for a "post many times daily" type, so I'll answer.

I'm looking for a solution, but don't have one yet. Larry mentioned milling
down HO gauge railroad tracks, but I haven't tried that yet.

For me, it's partly aesthetics, but mostly practical. When I look at a long
line of modules in a cabinet (not a rack), my eye gets lost looking for a
specific module! I'm using a cabinet that is 26 sp by 10 sp, so that's a lot
of panels to get lost in.

Dave Bradley
Principal Software Engineer
Engineering Animation, Inc.
daveb@...

> -----Original Message-----
> From: David Bivins [mailto:david@...]
> Sent: Monday, June 21, 1999 4:58 PM
> To: motm@onelist.com
> Subject: [motm] between the lines...
>
>
> From: "David Bivins" <david@...>
>
> I guess I caught a bit of this discussion among a couple of you "post many
> times daily" types, but is anyone putting anything *between* the modules
> and/or on the far left and right sides where the modules don't
> actually meet
> the edges of whatever case you're using? I seem to recall that someone was
> looking for aluminum piping... I assume this is in pursuit of the
> Moog look?

> For me, it's partly aesthetics, but mostly practical. When I look
> at a long
> line of modules in a cabinet (not a rack), my eye gets lost looking for a
> specific module! I'm using a cabinet that is 26 sp by 10 sp, so
> that's a lot
> of panels to get lost in.

Exactly. Especially considering that the modules have the aesthetically
pleasing tendency to have all the knobs and jacks line up! If there's
nothing between modules, you can't tell where one ends and the others begin
;)

I'm also into NOT seeing the wires, etc.; e.g. I have just enough space to
see the MOTM-100 LED reflect green from a PCB (ever-so-faintly) in a dark
room.

1) First, the cracks between the panels are there *on purpose*. The reason
is if you don't
do that, the dirt/dust/cat hair all gets sucked in through the jack holes!
The gaps allow
the airflow to pass mainly this way, and not sucking dirt all over the
jacks. (and you guys just
thought I couldn't design sheet metal) .

2) Althought I haven't look for any in 20 years, ChartPak used to make this
thin white "ArtTape"
you could just run along the front edges. In fact, my very first 2600 clone
used this method
(OK I ripped the idea from the MiniMoog panel).

The reason there is not a silkscreened "stripe" down the sides is that it
has to be at least 3/8"
away from the edge and I tried that early on but it looked dorky.

OK so MOTM has the Aries/ARP2500 look.

Look for a big "true" hobby shop and ask for 'T' moulding.

Paul S.
not much sleep and grouchy

> From: "David Bivins" <david@...>
> 
> I guess I caught a bit of this discussion among a couple of you "post
many
> times daily" types, but is anyone putting anything *between* the modules
> and/or on the far left and right sides where the modules don't actually
meet
> the edges of whatever case you're using? I seem to recall that someone
was
> looking for aluminum piping... I assume this is in pursuit of the Moog
look?

David,
	Some of us have discussed the aluminum between teh modules for that Moog
look, but have yet to find anything exactly suitable.  The closest thing I
found was nickel-silver HO train track rail and I didn't like the way it
had to be "modified."  So, I will likely give up onm the idea unless
someone else comes up with somethign really cool.

	As far as the right and left sides, I did close mine up.  I made these end
caps very cheaply with only a metal cutting blade for my saw, a drill and a
little time.  I used commonly available aluminum project bar 3/4" wide and
1/8" thick from my local hardware store.  I did not paint them as I could
not match that beautiful MOTM finish.  Instead I leaft them with a
"brushed" aluminim look.  E-mail me privately and I will send you a photo
in .jpg format if you are interested in seeing my end caps.   I think I
made 9 sets for about $11.00

Larry Hendry

Hi Paul, list,

Whoops! While satisfying my appetite for module specifications I must have
missed the "gap" spec. I have every desire to use these as designed (at
least for now), and your explanation makes a lot of sense, so I'll leave
them be (although it hardly matters at the moment considering my modules'
asses are just hanging in the air ;) )

> From: "Paul Schreiber" <synth1@...>
>
> 1) First, the cracks between the panels are there *on purpose*. The reason
> is if you don't
> do that, the dirt/dust/cat hair all gets sucked in through the jack holes!
> The gaps allow
> the airflow to pass mainly this way, and not sucking dirt all over the
> jacks. (and you guys just
> thought I couldn't design sheet metal) .