LCD bezels

Newzed

After reading the posts about LCD bezels, and agreeing with the "hard to find and High Priced" opinions, I decided to try to make my own.· After weveral wrong turns and about 5 days, I now have routing templates for the 2x16 (Parallax product), the 2x20, the 2x24 and the 4x20 LCDs.· Resultatnt panels are .093 polycarbonate, abraded both sides and spray painted flat black.· Panels have the LCD aperture only, no mounting holes since it appears mounting holes are not always EXACTLY the same.· If you are interested please contact me off forum at Newzed@aol.com.

Below is a photo of the Parallax 2x16 in its bezel, mounted on a base plate
at a 45 degree angle.

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Sid Weaver
NEW! 4 MB EEPROM

http://hometown.aol.com/newzed/page4.html

Tim-M

Hi Sid,

Your work looks good, but I have to say that it doesn't offer any type of LCD protection - either·from moisture or physical damage, and that is my main reason for wanting to use a bezel.· In using the Scott Edwards bezels, the LCD is mounted flush or slightly below the panel surface, using counter-sunk screws, (so they are flush or below too) and the bezel is applied over the top.· The bezel is clear over the viewing area and blacked out around the perimeter where the double-sided foam tape is that holds it in place.· This way the through panel opening can be more·roughly cut, because the bezel provides the clean lines of the viewing area.· I like this too, because the work isn't quite as critical to do, in that the bezel is like finish carpentry work and hides 'a multitude of sins'.· The blacked out area also serves to hide the LCD mounting screws.· This way the LCD is protected and the look is clean and professional.· Please understand that I don't intend this to be a 'ding' to all your time and hard work, I just want to point out my main reasons for wanting this type of bezel, and to clarify my description of how the Scott Edwards bezels offer protection.· You have obviously put a lot of thought and·effort into your panels for each of the different LCD sizes and the look is clean and professional too.

Thanks,

Tim

Paul Baker

Tim, Sid's bezel could be fairly easily adapted to what you want. Get a peice of lexan, cut it to a size that includes the mounting screws plus 1/2" border. Drill holes where the mounting screws are. Get hex standoffs just long enough to recess the bezel so that it is sunk into the bezel by just a hair, get screws long enough to go through the bezel, the lexan and screw into the standoffs. Mount the assembly in this order: bezel, lexan, LCD. Use the screws and standoff to secure the assembly and you will end up with an assembly that you desire. You can get black anodized machine screws to make the visible mounting hardware professional looking.

Tim-M

Paul,

How true, how true. Thanks for pointing that out - I hadn't thought it through that far yet. It's so easy to get tunnel vision and not see the forrest for the trees!

Thanks,

Tim

Newzed

Tim, what size is your LCD?· I have an idea.

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Sid Weaver
NEW! 4 MB EEPROM

http://hometown.aol.com/newzed/page4.html
·

Tim-M

Hi Sid,

For the project I'm working on now, I have a Scott Edwards 2 x 16 display.· For future projects, I'm planning on using the Parallax back-lit displays unless a larger display is needed.

Tim

Newzed

After reading Tim's comments about moisture and dust proofing, I came up with an alternate bezel.· In this one, the panel is a solid sheet, no aperture, painted balck on the back with a little window for viewing the LCD.· The LCD is held in place by foam mounting tape - very strong stuff - which eliminates the need for screws.· The only holes in the panel are those drilled by the user for whatebver mounting purpose.

I have attached a picture, which I had to take without a flash.

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Sid Weaver
NEW! 4 MB EEPROM

http://hometown.aol.com/newzed/page4.html