24 Oct
2005
24 Oct
'05
3:20 p.m.
From: woodelf <bfranchuk at jetnet.ab.ca>
What about switches for the front panel, that is a big expense too.
There are 20 inexpensive tactile-feedback pushbuttons on the 8/A programmer's panel,
not paddle switches. IIRC they were less than $1 each including the separate keytop. Vince
would have the exact figure.
>The other major ticket item for this project is the
front
>plate. Anyone know where we can get those done inexpensively?
What about a local machine shop?
The front panel runs $90 in single quantities from Frontpanelexpress.com. (They get
cheaper in quantity too). NO way a machinist with a Bridgeport would be able to do one for
that! $90 would pay for 2 hrs labor (if you're lucky) and I think it would take far
longer to do each one. Not even counting the engraved, color-filled legend at each LED and
switch position. All of that is done by computer-controlled machine in minutes directly
from the panel design software's output file.
-Charles
ps still looking for a bootable OS/8 RL02 pack for my 8/A, can anyone please help?