ProtoTypo PT4 – Pairs

While working on my Monster Base (eurorack) case the thought occurred that maybe it would be nice to have some buses to route signals internally from one end of the case to the other, instead of running long patch cables (which can get messy in no time). And that’s this build, the ProtoTypo PT4 (models A and B) in all it’s simplicity.

For the panel artwork, the boring version would’ve been to use matching numbers on both panels. However I like my modular setup colorful, so I finished up the build with a twist on the Find The Pair / Memory game. Each of the bus pairs have similar images to label them:

PT4a panels

PT4a with cabling

PT4b single panel

PT4b with cabling, heat-shrink tubing missing.

Both units have about 4* 1 meter of shielded stereo cable between the modules. As you may (or may not) recall my Monster Base is 1 meter wide, so that’s where the figure for this build came from.

The set of cheapo christmasy paper stickers I had for the build didn’t all match exactly by colors, so I had to settle for the overall shape in the picture. The glue on these stickers wasn’t too great either so I applied a piece of packaging tape over the whole panel, neatly cutting the overlapping corners and wrapping it on the reverse side of a panel. This proved a very quick way to also protect the surface also from dirt and wear, so I think I’ll be using this method on later builds too. Unlike the awful white paint pen I used for ProtoTypo PT2, using regular marker on a paper sticker (or just laser-printing one) should produce way less drunkard looking panel designs :)

Material wise each of these units (set of two modules and cables) cost about 30€. Didn’t have enough old audio cables to cannibalize, matching phone jacks to recycle! The 4hp panels I cut from this 2*20*1000mm aluminium sheet stock I bought from hardware store.

As for the name of this build, hmm.. Pairs game.. Let’s call it PAssive Integrated Routing Solution!

In your face you boring, unimaginative “black text on matte aluminium”! :P