New project! - Custom facias restarted!

I have put some thought into starting up the custom facia sells that, as I have understood it. Began for a short period and then dissappeared.

Me and a couple of my friends have the skills and equipment to CNC:ing some new facias. But as I dont have the original CAD files it means that I would have to start all over again from the drawing board, measuring the original facia.

I believe that there have been 2 different "custom facia" projects before, where one of them had the original CAD designs and the other had drawed one himself. None of them led into anything that reached every empeg user out there. Atleast I dont think so.

By posting here I hope that either any of the other project starters reads this and is willing to give out their own CAD files. Or maybe someone here could give me a mail adress to someone at sonicblue I could ask about the CADs...

If I have to start from scratch I would like to know the interrest that lies in this project, if it would be worth while starting it.

To simplify what was writen above:
I would like to have some CAD drawings of the facia. And I would like to know if there still lies an interrest in custom facias.

regards
Jesper Derehag

I would still be interested in a custom fascia, preferably one made from metal (back anodized aluminum would probably be best for me). However, I'm not willing to spend any significant amount of money unless it also solves my inability to see the upper left corner of the screen, so the original fascia plans would have to be modified.

i want i want

Well if we were to start this project. Deleteing "the upper left corner bug" is a high priority. Another one is probably simplify the original design somewhat. So that the production time decreases.

How much would be the maximum amount of money you guys would be willing to pay for a custom facia. Aluminium/wood, Maybe with the Rio or empeg logo somewhere. Anodised of course... (And the corner fixed)??

Edit: I am asking so that I can calculate the income versus outcome. I wouldnt be willing to start the production with it ending to expensive for anyone to want to buy it....

Well, when cruzths was spending 5 or 6 hrs to produce a aluminum one, I was in a hurry to spend $150 on it. He was talking about taking the design to a shop that could make them for us, but once the "war on terrorism" started up, they were too busy to produce them for us. As a result, I never got one :-(

Sean

Well "beaker" made a really nice design too bad he was never able to produce it. I have an attached zip with his pics.
Also see this thread

OH MY GOD. That is so extremely sexy. If someone was able to produce them I would love a Black Annodized, and a polished Silver Looking Aluminum. I would easily pay upwards of <edit>$100</edit> (prolly more) for each of them. Oh wow... that just looks so good

I could probably pay up to about $150US for one. Of course, I'd love to pay less.

Would you end up making new buttons or having us use the original ones? I think that metal buttons would be very sexy, if they didn't get too hot. (Anyone have any theories on that?) Plus, a slightly larger knob would be a plus. I know I'm getting ahead of you, but I'm just putting my wishes out there.

I also agree. If you leave it in the car I'm sure it would get pretty hot, just cause it's metal. But hell, for the extreme sexyness of it, I would still get it. But yes, metal buttons and a bigger nob would be wonderful The only bad thing, most of the custom displays from Darkstorm may not work right due to how they are CNCed for the aerofoil display.

Oh, those buttons appear to have a "hole" in them for lights. DO you think it would be possible to use those with the button led kit? (If you happened to machine them that way that is)

Yea those buttons were made for leds, the little yellow centers on the buttons were translucent. The whole design was by "beaker" (Marcus Wakefield) I wished so bad for it to really be made but I guess he didn't have the time to spend on it, too bad.

"a bigger nob would be wonderful"

Sure. Go for it:
http://www.penisenlargementmagazine.com/

LOL!

Anyway, I like Beaker's design a lot. I'm not sure as to the triangular buttons, but I don't have a better idea...aside from considering using the original buttons. (Less production required - and Brian's button LED kits will be plug and play). As to the heat question - it shouldn't be a problem wrt heat generated by the empeg. If anything, metal is going to be better as it will act as a heatsink. As for direct sun, I don't know. A silver fascia might reflect more than the standard black fascia, but I guess the SHC and heat conductances of the material are going to be the telling factors.

One more thing to consider - anodising can scratch, resulting in a visually obvious defect. Whilst I am sure that we all go to pains to avoid scratching our empegs (!), a small scratch/ding on the existing fascia is not as likely to be noticeable. I don't think that should stop the use of anodised aluminum, but it needs to be thought about.

Well the Colored ones are probably history anyway since they are not selling enough anymore but I could probably be talked into doing one-offs for this fascia if it ends up going into production. I'd need a test piece for it (which could be sent back after) though.

Count me in for one of these aluminum faces!

well.... I´m currently working on a webpage where you guys can enter your interest and read the latest news and updates of the project. And I must ask again about the CAD drawings. I would be very interrested in using beakers design. IF i had the CAD drawings. Without them it will be hard to make them since I would have to start from scratch drawing them.

As it is now we feel like the best approach to begin with is to make a replika of the original facia just in aluminium. So that people still can use their original lenses without us worrying about that. And about the buttons/knob/handle question i would have to say that I will if the project starts work hard for making them in ALU also. It would be cool if they were chromed but that isnt anything I can comment on at this moment.

I´ll be back to post the webpage when its done.

An aluminium facia would be nice... If you can do the handle in aluminium as well then that would be great.

Anybody know how hard it is to CNC titanium? A friend of mine did material sciences at university and gave me a big chunk of it. No particular reason why I want a titanium facia apart from that fact it's different...

- Trevor

Do you mean a aluminium facia like this?

this was done buy "CruzThs" and shown in this post.

Do you use that fascia all the time? Does it ever get hot from either the sun or the empeg itself? If so, how hot?

you should remove the paint from the handle

Titanium, what a great idea. that fits the PowerBook from Apple! :)

I don't own the facia, the one in the pic belongs to "CruzThs"
he is the on that made it and put it on his own empeg But I agree he should strip down the handle.

all i want is that freeky design above with closed buttons. in black.

i'd spend 100+ US....

thanks mrfixit.... I thought I had searched through the entire bbs looking for facias... but I had missed that thread somehow.. But that is exactly what I had in mind. I also read on that thread that beaker had finished his design but had no mind in producing it. But he said he was willing to give out the CAD files. I would be very interested in getting those files! But I dont seem to be able to get in hold of him so that I can ask him for them! With a little luck he will read this and get in touch with me!
If not responding here. He can mail me at [email protected]

Well my friends!

It seems that 303 has a finished alu design already. He started a thread a couple of days ago. And since he is alot further into this project than I have gotten. I will back off.
So if you are still interested i suggest you read his thread in the projects catagory.

Thanks for all the answers and suggestions!

/ilDuce