Mounting 7 segment LED displays?

[brad]

I've got a project where I need to mount a 7 segment LED display next to the controls ect, but I don't know how I can do it.

Would it be possible to cut an accurate enough rectangular hole using a nibbler?  How do I actually get the display to stay mounted in the hole?

Thanks for any help 

[R O Tiree]

Mount it on a small pcb or piece of veroboard, with edge connectors, perhaps, so you can keep tidy wiring...

As to cutting the hole, I'm assuming that your enclosure is aluminium, then draw the outline, then drill a hole somewhere inside your drawing that is large enough to get a hand-held fretsaw blade in. Disassemble the fretsaw and feed the blade through your drilled hole. Now reassemble the fretsaw and cut the hole just inside your drawn line. Disassemble the fretsaw again to get the blade out. Clean up using small, fine files to get the egdes of the hole flush with your drawn lines and then gently sand the sharp edges away.

Then, using spacers, which you screw into the enclosure, screw the board to them and your 8-seg display is securely mounted.

Job done.

[boyersdad]

Or there is always the slackers method of cutting the rectangular opening with a dremal disk, but cut it just too small, so that you have to cram the display in, so it holds itself in. This would be okay if it's for something that going to sit on your work bench, but not a good idea if it's going to travel any.

[The Tone God]

An even hackier way is to drill a series of holes on the inside parameter of the rectangle and break/cut the piece out. Then clean up the edges by filing.

As for mounting the display you have a few options. You can make a bracket, mount them to a daughter board then mount the board to the case, glue the displays in place, etc.

Andrew

[brad]

Thanks for the replies guys!  I'll try those out.

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

Making the rectangle is the worst bit.
But, if you make a real hash of it.......
1. the display can go in a larger piece of stripboard that is itself mounted on standoffs epoxied to the front panel ('standoff' can include bits of wood or metal!)
2. glue a "picture frame" of plastic offcut around the display itself.

I'm always telling people that the 'electronic  design' is about 1% of the stompbox process.. the rest is wrestling with hardware, trying to find parts, spilling ferric chloride on your trousers..

[brad]

I may be able to do the picture frame trick with a clear vinyl label that has an opaque border slightly smaller than the hole.  The overlap can hide the hacked out hole