Amiga 3000 strange front panel

[StompinSteve]

Hello everybody,

I've got myself an Amiga 3000. After all those years, I finally got lucky. It's on the plane as I speak. I noticed just now, on a photo from the seller, that the front panel has the floppy to the right instead of in the middle. The "closed" part that is normally at the right (next to the power button) is in the middle on the machine that I've bought.
I have never seen that before.
Every photo and every video that I have ever seen, is either the 2-floppy version or is the 1-floppy version with the floppy in the middle and the "closed" part to the right.
I always thought that the front panel was one piece and the "floppy hole part" section and the cover plate are part of the front plate and cannot be detached (a one piece plastic casting). Am I wrong? I must be otherwise I cannot explain the front panel of my A3000. I hope to receive her next week but I could not wait, asking this question (bouncing on my chair in anticipation).

[Hedeon]

The floppy cover plate can be moved

[r.cade]

I've seen them both ways. It's easily moved.

The cover has always been detachable and movable.

[Hedeon]

it's the same one for the A3000T

[StompinSteve]

Originally Posted by r.cade

I've seen them both ways. It's easily moved.
The cover has always been detachable and movable.

Then how do you explain this photo of a 1-floppy frontpanel? I googled "Amiga 3000 front panel" and this is one of many photos I got. The angle and lighting is pretty good. I see no seams. Especially to the left of the floppy "hole". It looks like a one-piece solid plastic casting.

[Channel-Z]

I own an A3K as well that panel has clips on each side that clip through the hole where you insert the floppy disk and it can be removed or moved to the other floppy drive slot.

[r.cade]

Originally Posted by StompinSteve

Then how do you explain this photo of a 1-floppy frontpanel? I googled "Amiga 3000 front panel" and this is one of many photos I got. The angle and lighting is pretty good. I see no seams. Especially to the left of the floppy "hole". It looks like a one-piece solid plastic casting.

I don't understand your question. It's very clearly a cover that has tabs that fit inside either floppy "slot".

[StompinSteve]

On the second photo I posted, with the close-up of the "middle" floppy-drive "gap", I would expect to see some kind of seam/split. I marked the area that I mean (where I expect a seam/split) with a red thingy.

But never mind. My A3K's frontpanel obviously has removable covers. I just thought that there might be (early) versions of the frontpanel with non removable covers (a one-piece casting).

[Hedeon]

I have one in front of me. Why doubt that? There are even 3D printer designs for it.

EDIT: Made some pictures. And my mistake: The A3000T ones are different from the A3000D ones...

[Hedeon]

Originally Posted by StompinSteve

On the second photo I posted, with the close-up of the "middle" floppy-drive "gap", I would expect to see some kind of seam/split. I marked the area that I mean (where I expect a seam/split) with a red thingy.

But never mind. My A3K's frontpanel obviously has removable covers. I just thought that there might be (early) versions of the frontpanel with non removable covers (a one-piece casting).

Oops posted too late...

[StompinSteve]

I'm not doubting anyone. I just cannot explain why there are several photo's on Google, from several angles, where I cannot see any seams or other visual clues of detachable covers from the outside (looking straight at the front of the entire front-panel).
In the two pictures that I posted, there is NO "break" in the plastic of the main panel body and the floppy part (the part I marked red in the second picture).
It is the lack of such a seam / break / split (whatever you wanna call it) in that marked area that makes me think there where versions of the frontpanel with non-detachable covers (one solid piece).

But forget it. I'm incapable of explaining what I mean. Never mind. It's not important. Dadelijk denken ze nog dat ik een halve gare ben die te veel gezopen heeft ;-)

[Hedeon]

Pffff, ik heb inmiddels ook een borrel op, maar ik snap misschien daarom inderdaad niet wat je wilt aantonen in die rode circel

Translation: Not sure what you are indicating in the red circle. The panels click into the slot on the left and right.

EDIT:

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3576906

[Hedeon]

BTW: Still looking for an A3000D top cover!

[StompinSteve]

Originally Posted by Hedeon

EDIT: Made some pictures.

AHA !
Now I get it. Every A3000 frontpanel always has 2 floppy "holes". It's a matter of on which side one puts that rectangular cover-thingy
OR
if that cover is not used at all, it becomes a 2-floppy front-panel. Man oh man and I always thought Commodore sold 2 distinct versions of the A3000: a single- and dual-floppy version.

I'll start drinking heavily now

[StompinSteve]

Originally Posted by Hedeon

BTW: Still looking for an A3000D top cover!

Ask this guy on eBay to sell his case-cover: https://www.ebay.ch/itm/144901188160...Bk9SR7iuwsW5YQ

As the frontpanel is total junk, maybe he'll sell you the top-cover only (for a decent price...). It is a bit scratched but that's nothing a decent car-paint-shop can't handle. I can give you the address of a good shop in Maassluis if you want.

[Hedeon]

Pfff, the price.... Also the front panel can probably be reprinted seeing the 3d print website i linked. But not going to fork out 400 Euros.

[StompinSteve]

Originally Posted by Hedeon

Pfff, the price....

Yep. But don't think it will be cheap anywhere else.

If your current top-cover is only scratched and not physically damaged, bring it to a good car paint shop. They can analyse the paint and re-create it perfectly.
Then, depending on how much you want to spend, either prepare the case cover yourself (stripping, sanding, prepping it for paint) or let them do it. You will get a beautiful cover back to enjoy.
Either way, you will be eating white beans in tomato-sauce for the rest of the month. Get used to it

The frontpanel on that guy's offering is complete and utter junk. I don't understand why he even puts it up for auction. Contact him and try to make a deal for the top-cover. It never hurts to ask.

[StompinSteve]

Originally Posted by Hedeon

Also the front panel can probably be reprinted seeing the 3d print website i linked.

My experiences with 3D printed parts (for "outside" use) is that the finish is crap. Even the best are still grainy and rough. Looks like sh*t. It requires sanding it smooth (lot of work) and then you must paint it in the correct color if you don't want a professional to do it (I would).

[Hedeon]

Don't have a top cover at all. Or the backside where you slot in the Zorro cards. Just the bottom piece. It was 50 euros, however. Think I got the drive holder too, not sure though. Has been a while

[StompinSteve]

A3000 cases are expensive. The last one to be sold on AmiBay, an empty but more or less complete case, went out for 500 USD.
Seriously, I would work out a deal with this guy and there is someone on eBay that sells 3D-printed front-panels. Invest time to remove the obvious 3D print artifacts (rough texture) and get it painted (or do it yourself).
https://www.ebay.ch/itm/265778508282...Bk9SR8COmPO5YQ

You can wait for the next 4000 years for an A3000 case that does not cost 400 to 500. Not gonna happen, prices only gonna go up the longer you wait.
This is an expensive hobby.