Photo album and video from VCF West

[Rod Smallwood]

On 10/08/2016 03:37, jim stephens wrote:
> We had a discussion about your great work.  One comment mentioned more 
> than once was that they can scratch because you did an exact job of 
> how the originals were made.   And there may not be a coating today 
> that doesn't crinkle or shrink on other plastics.  You would have to 
> match pretty closely the clear overcoat, and basic clear panel to stop 
> that, so they didn't react or shrink at different rates with age, and 
> perhaps do some sort of processing with the stencil material to stop 
> it from flaking off as well.  But they are still great from what 
> everyone said.
>
> I emailed you offline about one for Sherman as well
> thanks
> Jim
>
> On 8/9/2016 6:30 PM, Rod Smallwood wrote:
>>
>>
>> On 10/08/2016 00:37, jim stephens wrote:
>>>
>>> https://goo.gl/photos/KdnDMBHeryMZqctV9
>>>
>>> Youtube Channel playlist of videos.
>>>
>>> Some walking around Saturday morning before the show, Charles 
>>> Anthony's exhibit.
>>>
>>> Also a fellow who dropped by after my buying a PDP 11/34 and was one 
>>> of the engineers.
>>>
>>> I recorded an impromptu interview with him.
>>>
>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtmVGeVhr7A&list=PL5NK70kdq3-JGwb_8GXFN5SqDtbTKtLi7 
>>>
>>>
>>> Sherman Foy and I had a great time attending and participating in 
>>> the event this year.
>>>
>>> Thanks to the organizers, staff and volunteers that were there to 
>>> put it on.
>>>
>>> Thanks
>>> Jim
>> Hi Guys
>>                 Now that is a very interesting set of Photos. Loads 
>> of what appear to be real front panels complete with bezels.
>> As you know I produce reproduction panels and seeing all of those was 
>> most interesting.
>> I have the process to make the actual panels just about right.
>>
>> So to bezels. I have made one prototype resin cast PDP-8  bezel. 
>> There are a  few things to fix but essentially its OK.
>> The next example should good enough to paint. Attach it to the panel 
>> and we have something like a full size front.
>>
>> Next up is a  Key and Lamp board. I have a sample for an 8/i lamp board.
>> Its new and not wanting to reinvent the wheel  I'll use it with the 
>> 8/i now in production
>> Lever and butterfly toggle switches are the main difficulty at this 
>> point. But sooner or later somebody will figure out how to
>> make toggle switches at reasonable cost.
>>
>> Having just about done all of the popular PDP-8's  Its PDP-11's next..
>>
>> Rod (Panelman) Smallwood
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
Hi
     Thanks for the comments.  Yes in an effort to mimic the old 
production methods I did manage to reproduce some of the old problems as 
well.
Good news!  The worst problem was scratches to the black layer on the back.
We managed to find a coating that was unobtrusive but resistant to 
abrasion and all currently shipping panels have this layer on the back.
The front is a different matter. Although the front looks like its matte 
black it isn't (nor were the originals)
  Its an illusion due to (I think) the refractive properties of the 
plastic.
I use a front satin finish perspex. The originals used a satin finish 
coating. Why do I not use a coating?
Because you can get satin finish perspex, they don't make the coating 
any more.

Having achieved the right look and feel putting a protective coating on 
the front is something I have to think about.

Regards Rod (Panelman) Smallwood