Mike WB8VGE claims, “mounting any LCD on a front panel is a pain”. Probably most constructors would agree. Here’s how Mike does it without drilling holes in the corners to hold the display.
After you have painstakingly cut and filed the panel to allow the display to fit, fasten four .250 aluminum standoffs, one on each corner, and tighten with the correct screw. Use the shortest screw you have.
Check fitment and if necessary file away any panel material that might interfere with the display.
Using a sharpie pen, mark the corners. Don’t worry about being accurate, just a general location of each standoff will be enough.
Remove the display.
Use a bastard file and scratch around the area you just marked. The idea is to rough up the material.
Now, mix up a small batch of JB Weld.
Apply a generous amount to the bottom of each standoff, trying not to fill the hole up. (that’s why it’s best to use short screws so you don’t epoxy the screw in!)
Mount the display and with clamps, clamp the display onto the panel. I use small Irwin clamps and wood paint stirring sticks.
Wait 24 hours.
Whoa! You’ve mounted the display without trying to locate the mounting holes and without drilling holes!
Unless you go in there with a channel locks, you’re not going to be able to break the bond between the epoxy and the aluminum.
Tom AB7WT has also tried this out. He used shorter standoffs and put the JB weld on screws instead of longer standoffs. This way he could still unscrew the standoffs. It worked well and the screws were solid. The display and bezel look nice.
