2 digit led numeric display bezel/cover?

[deadastronaut]

hi  guys working on a project that involves a 2 digit led numeric display....

however i cannot seem to find and 2 digit display bezels, or covers? or window..

this is going in a pedal so i want the display protected..and neat too...

ideas, links, ive searched, but no joy....

[imJonWain]

3d print a bezel and thin sheet plastic for the Window?

[garcho]

I've always wondered this myself, although I chalked it up to the ye olde how the %^& to get a square hole in an aluminum enclosure problem.

I've had these on my radar for a while, so close yet so far away:

[EBK]

For rectangular displays, I've resorted to fashioning a bezel out of a floppy disk and the frosted vinyl sleeve the disk was stored in before:


3D printing would be ideal (well, somewhat less ideal than grabbing something off the shelf, of course), but sometimes there can be a lot of fun in using whatever you can get away with. 

[deadastronaut]

i dont have a 3d printer... 

i have 3 digit volt meters with bezel (cheap ebay ones)...would need some modifying though...but even then too big/wide...

i was ideally looking for off the shelf stuff...i see 4 digit ones...but not the 2...bummer.

boo hoo....

[davent]

If nothing turns up, a chop job on a larger one to shorten it down to two digit size?
dave

[deadastronaut]

yeah if all else fails i might have to dave..... 

[vigilante397]

I've only done one build with 7-segment displays, I just cut rectangle holes. You know, that super easy thing everyone does all the time

[deadastronaut]

cool...im not concerned about cutting and filing the hole to fit, just worried about the display getting damaged..

long term......a piece of clear plastic with a lip surround to push into the top of an enclosure would be ideal...

i thought such things would exist....silly me...been in space for too long...

[davent]

With a router table you could easily cut a rebate/lip into the edge piece of acrylic or polycarbonate, sized to fit the enclosure opening.

dave

[deadastronaut]

cheers dave, yes that might work....good idea..

i dont have a router/table...however i have a dremel knock off and a vise , 



edit:just thought, 2mm piece that fits the hole flush (usual 159xx), with a thinner wider piece under it glued at the edges...hmmmm...maybe not, as glue would show wouldnt it....hmmmmmm

[stallik]

I've made a polycarbonate cover that's flush with the led, glued it on and mounted that in the enclosure hole. Looked ok but not perfect. My normal route is to print a sticker For the whole panel on clear material with no ink where the led goes. Covered with laminate, it looks pro and hides inaccurate filing.

Would offer to help Rob but I'm furloughed...

[anotherjim]

I vaguely remember RS selling coloured diffusers, but never any bezels. The diffuser was a rectangle of polycarbonate with a rebate around, but I think was meant to fit from below the panel so it was flush with the outer surface.
A lot of commercial stuff tends to use a printed over clear/misted plastic overlay with the display area left clear. The displays nearly always need to be supported on the PCB underneath at the right distance below the panel - something done routinely in commercial stuff, but can be annoying and tedious for one-off DIY jobs. The only time I've used segment displays I didn't bother adding a bezel, but mounted them on a board and used standoff posts to screw to the panel so the displays end up flush with the top thru the cutout.

[bluebunny]

[leftfield]

[/leftfield]

[anotherjim]

Method to rebate a plastic lens/bezel can be very lo-tech tabletop stuff. Make a protective template piece that fits the panel cutout (better, make the template first and also use it to size the cutout). Clamp over the lens piece (which is larger all round) and cut away the rebate using a file with a smooth "safe" edge (most flat files have at least one). Keep the safe edge towards the template. You don't need aerospace precision, but you should get something good enough without any scratches showing. You can use your Aldi/Lidl digital caliper to check the rebate depth, in which case you can file a rebate as well as any machine could cut it.
Don't forget to have protective tape both sides of the clear plastic until it's finished..

[deadastronaut]

Cheers guys.....not bluebunny lol...

I ordered a sheet of A4  3mm black tint translucent perspex for a couple of quid, so plenty to experiment with...

I figure the 2 mm will sit flush with a 159xxx top....hopefully, and i can use the 1mm to create the inner lip....fiddly, but might be ok...

Time to dig out that hobby drill craft set again.....   ..might take a few goes....we shall see.

[bluebunny]

Cheers guys.....not bluebunny lol...

LOL.  But what if you clad the whole of the enclosure with Lego? 

(You can tell I'm not busy...  )

[deadastronaut]

go and sit on the naughty step...

[bluebunny]

Yes, Miss.

[deadastronaut]

 


imjonwain above has kindly offered to help me with this...top man. brilliant. thanks man.

i love this forum.