Chassis Alterations

[chunkitup]

I have gutted a Peavey Bandit 1x12 and I am in the process of making a 2 channel all tube amp. My question concerns the front panel holes. How would I go about filling in the holes and redrilling the holes I need? Would bondo work? The chassis has a hi and low input holes which are vertical but I am just going to have one input so I want to fill those in. And then there are nine holes drilled but I need 12 and the chassis can easily fit all 12 plus the input but the current spacing of the bandit holes will not work. Any suggestions?

[axpro]

Thats tough.. I am sure bondo would hold normally, but once you thin it out so it is the same thickness as the metal chassis, it's not going to be very strong at all.

My second hobby being arcade game collectiong/restoring it reminds me of dealing with a crappy Control panel on a conversion game. most of us put a new panel over the old one, and re-drill the holes. Bondo only works if you let it be thick enough to have strength.
theres no way you could re-use the bandit holes?

[defaced]

Give it to your welder friend to saw off and weld on an new, shiny, hole-less piece. But I'd need an empty chassis for that.

No, I wouldn't use bondo. I would do the new panel over old panel axpro mentions.

[chunkitup]

Great! I am going to give him a call. Thanks Bro. Sure beats compromising the amp vision just to use the previous holes.

[olddawg]

Usually you can simply cut a new panel to go over the old one. The nuts and washers for the pots an jacks will hold it in place. You can also paint it, silk screen, label, whatever while you are at it.

[J M Fahey]

In the long run it might end up being less work just to bend and punch a new 2mm aluminum chassis, obviously same exact size.
You should discard original Peavey top screws and use longer pass-through bolts+nuts/washers á la old Twin.
That structure will be strong enough and can even be CNC milled before holding.
You can have it anodized (usually black but maybe red or blue) and silver letters be laser-engraved.
Looks would be killer.

[chunkitup]

Where can I get a chassis anodized and laser engraved? I like this idea. I can get my welder buddy, aka defaced, to fit a new front panel but I would love to get it silk screened or laser engraved.

[J M Fahey]

Hi chunkitup.
I don't know where you live.
On a big industrial city or close to it, you should have averything available, otherwise you'll have to search a little.
Just to have an idea of what I'm talking about, look at:
Prodigy Engineering - Services: Laser Engraving Photo Gallery
If you like it, read this thread:
Laser Engraving Services for Panels
If you have to deal through the mail, you do not need to send your chassis back and forth, just make a relatively thin front panel plate which goes over the actual chassis, held by jack and pot nuts as suggested below.
Of course you can have a backpanel made too, also a plate with your personal mark to fix over the grill cloth.
For laser engravers close to you, search for engravers that do sports prizes and the like. You can buy pre-anodized aluminum strips in various widths, cut to length, but you have to be very careful when drilling to avoid scratching the surface, there's no touch-up available as in painted surfaces.
Results will blow your mind.
Specifically Guitar Amp Plates (expensive):
Amplates.com Gallery
Have fun.

[defaced]

York Sheet Metal can laser cut and engrave Aluminum. 3/16" max thickness for cutting.
AMZ manufacturing Corp. can do anodizing

I don't know if either will be cost effective, but the guys we share a building with use these two companies alot for work.