Paul__B:
That is the whole point. The light pipe is the insert or "lens" or "bezel"; it extends to the face of the panel and it is solid.There is no reason you cannot make them out of acrylic rod (clear or if you must, coloured) of the appropriate diameter (or square section), cut to length and the surfaces polished (using emery paper and the car paintwork "cutting" compound).
Yes, I have done it.
Ok so it sounds like we're talking about manufacturing a custom light pipe for this particular application. I was trying to avoid that and use something off the shelf. Also, I was told that light pipes are not colored, though it sounds like I was misinformed. The custom enclosure guy I'm working with said that he had cylindrical light pipes in mind and that they would be affixed to the backside of the front face of the enclosure, which would leave a "hole" in that front face of the enclosure, which is something I'd prefer not to have. Just has an unfinished look.
I'll keep digging. Thanks for the feedback.