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Step 2Making the Front Panel
The enclosure is made from 1/4" hardboard which is cheap and easy to work with. A 2' x 2' sheet was more than enough for $3 at the local hardware store.
The overall dimensions of my front panel is 9-1/4" x 5" with cutouts for the IR port, USB connector, and grill. Tip: Design the grill on 0.1" centers then use a piece of perfboard as a drilling guide. I've used this technique several times with excellent results.
Next, use your favorite image editor and do something cool. The second image is an overlay printed on glossy stock with an inkjet printer. You can look around the web for photos of differnt types of wood (even inlay work) or photograph some yourself and layout a cool looking panel over the dimensions.
The printed overlay can then be glued to the front panel with 3M spray adhesive, or similar. Then take care of the cutouts with a sharp blade. I used a drill bit manually to cut the small grill holes out of the overlay.
The overall dimensions of my front panel is 9-1/4" x 5" with cutouts for the IR port, USB connector, and grill. Tip: Design the grill on 0.1" centers then use a piece of perfboard as a drilling guide. I've used this technique several times with excellent results.
Next, use your favorite image editor and do something cool. The second image is an overlay printed on glossy stock with an inkjet printer. You can look around the web for photos of differnt types of wood (even inlay work) or photograph some yourself and layout a cool looking panel over the dimensions.
The printed overlay can then be glued to the front panel with 3M spray adhesive, or similar. Then take care of the cutouts with a sharp blade. I used a drill bit manually to cut the small grill holes out of the overlay.
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