Project box accessories

Nightrider7731

What do people use to mount items to project boxes like LED displays and slide switches?· Are there cover plates?

Thanks

Paul Baker

Well it depends of the specific part, if there is a Panel Mount version get that (like slide switches etc, cut a matching opening and pilot holes and use machine screws and nuts to mount), as far as LEDs use a clip if you goto www.allelectronics.com and type clip in the search box, you'll see what I mean. That site has the cheapy black plastic ones, there are also chrome versions like here: http://www.radioshack.com/category.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F011%5F006%5F001%5F000&Page=1

dunno if that is a cookie enabled link or not, if it is, goto·www.radioshack.com >Parts, Tools & Wire > LEDs > LED Holders & Assemblies.

Paul

Nightrider7731

Thanks for the info.· I have the clips for single LEDs, but I'm not sure how to mount a 7 segment display.· I also thought that there might be a smooth plate or cover to hide the screws (for looks only)

Paul Baker

Suggestion on the 7 segment is get a thin piece of acylic or lexan and glue it to the underside of the opening (tinted the color of your LED segment if you want) There are a bunch of sites online for people who mod thier PC cases that sell the stuff.

You may be able to find a bezel the size of your opening, or you can get some aluminum stock with the same finish as your enclosure, use flush screws and glue your homemade bezel. It would prevent you from removing the screw, but you could still remove the part by unscrewing the bolt on the underside. Many manufacturers of electonic devices don't even bother though. I repaired a friend's $3000 mixing console and they just used flush screws that were anodized the same color as the enclosure.

Post Edited (Paul Baker) : 2/4/2005 6:45:24 PM GMT

Chris Savage

I often mount the board that the LED/LCDs are mounted to, right to the front bezel.· Depending on the screws used, it can be very clean.· Also some enclosures have slots for PCBs that cab also be used as a clever way of hiding this.· For example, you could cut a plastic baffle and mount the PCB to that about 1/8"-1/2" from the front bezel (Depending on what you display height is) and then just cut out the display area from the front bezel.

Hope that made sense.

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Nightrider7731

Thanks for the suggestions.· They DID make perfect sense.· I was·hoping to find some super-clean solution to hide the poor cuts I make in the enclosure, but I guess I'll just have to more careful.

Jim McCorison

I'm with Nightrider, I can't cut neat openings either, so this thread intrigues me. Out of curiousity I searched around on DigiKey. There are bezels available for LCD and LED displays. Search on "bezel" then look under Optoelectronics. I don't know what size of display you are using, but these might be of some help.

Jim