Custom panels for the Oberheim DMX/DX/DSX

Standard wood is American black walnut. Other varieties available by custom order.

Walnut panels: How they're made

I start with 3/4 inch walnut stock from the lumberyard, cutting it into manageable 4 foot lengths, and then planing it down to a thickness of 1/2 inch.


Planing the lumber to 1/2 inch thickness

After cutting the material to approximate rectangular size on the table saw, I use a jig to cut the corner, which will make cutting the finished size easier in the router shaping step.


Cutting the corner on the table saw.

This is a good time to remove defects in the wood by choosing which corner to remove.

After the blanks are cut to rough size and shape, a jig is used for drilling the two mounting holes, which will also be used to secure the blank to the shaping jig used in the next step.


Drilling the holes at the drill press.

To cut the final shape of the panels, they are mounted in a jig with a master pattern and routed with a pattern-following router bit.


Router jig used for creating the correct shape.

Another view of the shaping jig, showing the pattern with its hold-down screws. Wing nuts on the bottom of the jig are used with the countersunk screws to hold everything together.

A stack of panels after shaping.

Next, the panels get a quick sanding on both sides at the belt sander.


Preparing to sand.

After sanding, the edges are chamfered at the router table, using a 45 degree chamfering bit.


Profiling the edges.

Almost finished. All that's left is final hand sanding and finishing.