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03/05/2006: "Part 2: Building the front panel"
After finishing up the box the next step was to design the panel front. My drive cover was in three parts and I wanted the switches to be labeled. This is what it looked like before any modification. 
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This is what it looked like taken apart. 
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I used Paint Shop Pro to do the layout for the switches and labels, then took the jpg file to Office Depot, and had it printed as a transparency. 
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And this is what it looks like laying on the aluminum plate. 
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It was then cut to fit and sandwiched between the Plexiglas and the aluminum sheet. 
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With everything back together I drilled the holes for the switches and jacks.
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After test fitting the switches I discovered that to get the 12v jack and headphone jack to fit I would have to modify the panel a little more. The switch holes were drilled to allow the shank to screw right into the panel. This would not work for the jacks though because the shank was too short to pass through to the front. I made the following mods to make everything fit.
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This is the power jack hole from behind.
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And here is the panel with switches and jacks installed.
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Well that takes care of all the prep work it’s time to get this thing wired and working. In my next post we will continue with the construction and wiring of this contraption.
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