[timoteus]

Just thinking ahead on how I'm going to mount the DM1 behind the chassis faceplate for a LDR3x.  I'll be constructing my chassis out of Corian as I do all my gear and I could fab a round smoke gray Lexan/Plexiglass lens and maybe a bezel to go around it and then mount the DM1 behind the lens on short standoffs.

But I was hoping to find a ready to go solution.  Ideally a dark lens mounted in a bezel that was a snap in panel mount.  I've scoured the whole Mouser site, although since I'm not sure what you'd call this or even if it's made my search terms aren't accurate.

Has anybody been thinking about how they're going to approach the lens issue for the new DM1?

 

[tortugaranger]

Just thinking ahead on how I'm going to mount the DM1 behind the chassis faceplate for a LDR3x.  I'll be constructing my chassis out of Corian as I do all my gear and I could fab a round smoke gray Lexan/Plexiglass lens and maybe a bezel to go around it and then mount the DM1 behind the lens on short standoffs.

But I was hoping to find a ready to go solution.  Ideally a dark lens mounted in a bezel that was a snap in panel mount.  I've scoured the whole Mouser site, although since I'm not sure what you'd call this or even if it's made my search terms aren't accurate.

Has anybody been thinking about how they're going to approach the lens issue for the new DM1?

Having given this a great deal of thought I've only been able to come up with 4 approaches that are variations on a common theme - put the display behind smoke/gray acrylic/lexan.

1) Make the entire front panel out of smoke/gray plastic - put display module behind it. Arguably the simplest approach for a DIY solution but limits the look/feel of front panel.

2) Overlay entire front panel (metal) with a thin smoke/gray plastic sheet. Need to cut out hole in the underlying panel material for the display module. Variation on 1) with similar ease and limits.

3) Mill out a through hole opening with a recessed lip (same thickness as plastic) in the front panel, mill out a matching plastic lens, mount lens into recess, put display module behind the lens. This is far more challenging for the DIY'er since it require precision milling.

4) Mill out a through hole opening in the front panel, cut out a slightly larger plastic lens than the hole, mount the lens on the back side of the front panel, put display module behind the lens. Not as challenging as 3) but cutting out a nice/clean opening in the front panel is difficult without a milling machine.

source of acrylic/lexan:   eplastics.com  (acrylic #2074)
source of custom panel milling service:  frontpanelexpress.com

[timoteus]

Excellent post, that about covers all the options.  I'm leaning to option 3 at this point because of the extra thickness of the Corian versus a metal faceplate.  Finding a bezel of the correct size and fixing a lens behind it would give you the bonus of hiding any poor milling at the juncture of the lens and faceplate.

In the meantime I'll keep looking for a premade lens assembly.  I'm sure there's one out there we just haven't found it yet. Think of all the OEM manufacturers sourcing a lens for IR receivers, we need the same thing just larger.

If anyone comes across such an item I hope they'll post. 

[tortugaranger]

In the meantime I'll keep looking for a premade lens assembly. 

It would be helpful to better understand what you mean by a "lens assembly" in the context of these 4 options. Do you mean a plastic lens mounted into a frame that could then be mounted either in front of or behind a hole in the front panel?

[timoteus]

It would be helpful to better understand what you mean by a "lens assembly" in the context of these 4 options. Do you mean a plastic lens mounted into a frame that could then be mounted either in front of or behind a hole in the front panel?

Yes, that's what I've been looking for.  A lens with a simple frame or bezel around it.  That way you can simply pop a hole in the faceplate with a hole saw or spade bit and snap in, glue or friction fit the lens and be done.  The frame would hide the cut line so it wouldn't matter if you did a less than presentable job.

Mounted from the front this would work with on any faceplate.  A thin gauge metal chassis or thicker wood chassis or in my case 1/2" thick Corian.  I'm fully capable of fabbing from scratch, I'm just looking for a shortcut while I'm waiting for parts.