2.- Making the copper frame to mount the components

Brother_Sven

After you have the panel and all its components safely disassembled its now time to mount it in a frame, and transform it from being something very fragile into something durable and hard, there are many solutions and approaches to this step, and hopefully brothers from around the world will share their solutions. This is the solution that I have found to be the simplest, with less tools needed and also the more robust, but exact measurements are needed.

Brother_Sven

You will need these two tools, a ruler and a copper pipe cutter

Brother_Sven

Start by measuring the panel from one side and then the other, be sure to be real accurate and aligned with an edge, and to the nearest mm, then write down this measurements, be real careful with the ribbon cables and card, always be conscious of where your hands are so you don't accidentally move it too much.

Brother_Sven

Add the length of the total perimeter, all this sides together plus add 1 more meter, and get the nearest highest length you can get in the hardware store of this length in 1/2" diameter copper pipe, also get four 90° joints, and four "T" joints, all to fit the copper pipe. The cut the pipe accordingly, this has to be real precise.

Then measure the outside length, this will not be 1/2" because this is the inside diameter, and outside length will vary depending on the thickness of the tube, in this case the outside length is exactly 1.6cm

Take this measurement and multiply it by .75 then subtract this number by the absolute length of each side of the panel, and cut the copper pipes exactly to each of the measurements with the pipe cutter.

Brother_Sven

Once you have these cut, you will need to sand them with some 100 grit sand paper so the glue holds tight and right, both 90 ° angles and pipes

Brother_Sven

You should end up with a frame slightly bigger than the panel, do not glue anything together yet

Brother_Sven

if you carefully place the panel in the top, the edges should be flushed with the tube, a little bit more inside than in the middle, this will help prevent shadows

Brother_Sven

mark in the copper tube were there is a hole in the card, if this measurement is smaller than 3cm from the end of the tube then do 3cm, if there are none just do 3 cm from the end or the tube, as long as this marking is inside at least .5cm inside the card, if it goes beyond its no problem, but the marking has to be inside the card, make sure the frame is tight with the tubes fully inside the angles, do this for both sides

Brother_Sven

carefully remove the panel and put it in a safe place, the take that copper tube and cut it in the markings

Brother_Sven

when you put the frame back it should look something like this, but now its larger and it does not fit, so we need to make it the same size as the top pipe

Brother_Sven

take both bottom and top tube and put them together side by side, nicely aligned, then mark where the extra length is

Brother_Sven

measure this length and remove it from the main bottom pipe

Brother_Sven

both top and bottom tubes should be exactly the same length with the two "T" tightly fitted in the bottom

Brother_Sven

put the frame back together and now cut some 10cm to 15cm for the bottom two stands, this length is arbitrary and will decide the height, but too high will cause it to be unstable, 10 cm is a good length

Brother_Sven

now cut two 30cm pieces from the leftover tube, and then cut it in the middle, so you should have 4 pieces of 15 cm

Brother_Sven

put these four 15 cm pieces in the bottom and now your frame is completed, its just needs to be affixed together, but it should look something like this

Brother_Juan

Looks good! Steampunk style 🤟

I'll try with the laser cut frame first, if it doesn't work then I'll do this one

If it works I'll be posting the files and guide

Brother_Sven

Brother_Juan

Thank you Brother Juan!, looking forward to seeing your prototypes and to help in any way