Sounds like a cool solution, Redrum.

I actually just finished my faceplate fabrication. I ended up making the front from a piece of maple board I had lying around, and a shelf that extends back to support the sled. Unfortunately, I've lost the battery charger for my camera (Canon S30 - anyone got a spare charger they don't need? ), so I didn't take pics while I was making it. I'm going to have to pull it out in the next few weeks for some final touches and am going to get some pics to post then.

Since the piece of maple I used didn't have much of a grain to it, I used an exacto knife to 'etch' some faux grain into it. When I stained it, the etching absorbed more of the stain making it nice and dark. I finished it off by coating the exposed surface with some marine, clear epoxy resin, which set up very thick and shiny, giving it a nice rounded look and feel. The epoxy was some that my dad had picked up from a friend that works on sail boats, in some unmarked jars. As a result, I don't know exactly what the stuff is. I also didn't realize that it should be coated with a U/V inhibitor, hence me having to pull it out for a 'final touch'.

It was a fun little project. Even though I put some serious time into it (running around to friends' places to use different tools among other things), the payoff was worth it. I now have a faceplate that looks better than a factory fit, supports the sled from the bottom as well as the front, and have the satisfaction that I made it myself.

I'll post the pics (hopefully) by the end of the month.

-Randy