Where's the best place to get heavy cast boxes for pedals.

[Burstbucker]

I'm looking for some heavy cast boxes(MXR-style) for building stompboxes.

Where's the best place to buy from?

[Satch12879]

Dealers: Mouser, Allied, Newark, Digikey, etc.

Manufacturers: Hammond Manufacturing in the US, Boss Enclosures and Eddystone in Europe and the UK.

The MXR box is the Hammond 1590B enclosure (I'm pretty sure).

[Hal]

Small Bear electronics!

www.smallbearelec.com

Steve has good prices, is _excellent_ to deal with, and has other stuff you need, so you can save on shipping :-D

[RDV]

I prefer the 125-B enclosures Smallbear sells to the 1590B. It's condiderably larger, and has ribbed walls that can hold yer PCB or perfboard in place, and it's only $.25 USD more than the 1590B.

RDV

[Twothumbz]

Look on the " For Sale" page of this website!

[Tychobrahe1979]

I've gotten the standard size ( 4" x 2.5")cast aluminums at circuitspecialists.com for roughly $4 a piece but you have to buy 10 to get that price and shipping will run you to a total around $48 or so. They are probably still giving away a fairly decent Multimeter with an order of $50 or more to.

[PB Wilson]

I prefer the 125-B enclosures Smallbear sells to the 1590B. It's condiderably larger, and has ribbed walls that can hold yer PCB or perfboard in place, and it's only $.25 USD more than the 1590B.

RDV

These enclosures are great. You can pack a good deal of parts in one due to the extra depth. If the PCB fits, I'd choose it over most other enclosures. Makes for a tidy pedalboard as well.

[Burstbucker]

I bought a couple of "Taiwanese" boxes from Small Bear Electronics, BTW they look identical to those pictures of the Hammond boxes with ribbed slots for PCB mounting.  But the Hammond boxes must be made more heavy-duty than the ones from Small Bear.

When I received the "Taiwanese" boxes from Small Bear I was really surprised at how light they are.  I guess I was expecting something a little bit heftier like an MXR-style box.

Don't get me wrong, I'm totally happy with Small Bear but I'm going to be building some pedals to sell locally and I want to go with a really tough box.

Is anybody familiar with both the Hammond boxes and the "Taiwanese" boxes?

[snorky]

The only negative thing about the Taiwanese boxes are the screws.  They're not as nicely made as the Hammond ones.  The heads deform more easily - maybe the metal is softer?  I would like to find an alternate source of screws, because the boxes themselves are great and a good value.

- Mark

[markr04]

Is there a Fry's ELectronics near you? They sell a lot of different enclosures, including all the popular Hammond boxes.

Outpost.com has them:
http://shop3.outpost.com/%7BQXW6tbx7cm7N2aiLDlUSfDbtO93ELFAGrFVG3tT59j1qnzzJI52E|-4583659900381531748/184095271/6/7001/7001/7002/7002/7001/-1|-174927330447040916/184095270/6/7001/7001/7002/7002/7001/-1|1098234549455%7D/search?search_type=regular&sqxts=1&query_string=hammond&cat=&submit.x=0&submit.y=0

Maybe I've just been fortunate with honest retailers and their accurate shipping charges. But I 'bout passed out when I got the shipping total on an order from Sm*ll Be*r. Something ain't right with those enormously inflated shipping costs. Some people swear by that place, but they'll never see a cent from me. Always better to shop around.

[RDV]

I bought a couple of "Taiwanese" boxes from Small Bear Electronics, BTW they look identical to those pictures of the Hammond boxes with ribbed slots for PCB mounting.  But the Hammond boxes must be made more heavy-duty than the ones from Small Bear.

When I received the "Taiwanese" boxes from Small Bear I was really surprised at how light they are.  I guess I was expecting something a little bit heftier like an MXR-style box.

Don't get me wrong, I'm totally happy with Small Bear but I'm going to be building some pedals to sell locally and I want to go with a really tough box.

Is anybody familiar with both the Hammond boxes and the "Taiwanese" boxes?

Ya gets what ya pays for. Hammonds are expensive but high quality. My fave is the 1590S.

RDV

[Burstbucker]

I like everything about the "Taiwanese"box except the weight or lack thereof.  

I find that the size is perfect the the DIYer.  There's enough room and the ribs are great for holding a PCB.  And it's really cheap too!

If Hammond has the identical box but made with heavier metal I'd probably go with that though.

[RDV]

FWIW I think the ribs in the Taiwanese boxes probably add some strength to make up for less actual mass. We're talking cast aluminum here, a very soft metal.

If you finish your boxes nicely(with paint that doesn't easily chip), have neat, reliable, good sounding electronics, that's all that's really required IMO.

An Opinion

RDV

[Lonestarjohnny]

Double BB1590's From Canada = HAMMOND !
Johnny

[Fret Wire]

I use the 1590b almost exclusively, and like them. They aren't built like tanks or feel heavy. It's decieving about weight until they are fully populated. They do use better screws, and are better finished than some of the others. Once and a while I find them with short-threaded holes, and have to chase the threads with a 6-32 nc tap.

http://www.hammondmfg.com/dwg.htm

http://www.hammondmfg.com/pdf/1590B.PDF

[zachary vex]

mxr boxes are zinc.  not fun drilling at all.  i believe they are the only company that uses a hammond-style box made of that material.  it's heavier than aluminum, but requires a different release angle on the mold.  aluminum is much more reasonable for hand-drilling.

[Satch12879]

Zinc, eh...very interesting.

[Burstbucker]

So the heavy MXR boxes aren't made of aluminum, that explains a lot.  8^)

Therefor there's probably no big difference between the "Taiwanese" boxes and the Hammond boxes as far as weight goes?  Seeing as they're all made of aluminum, right?

[bigjonny]

Someone mentioned Fry's.

I was there the other day and came across these:
http://www.consite.com/context/cont_circuit.htm

I wouldn't suppose they are sturdier than a 1590BB by a long shot, but they certainly could withstand a good stomp!.  They come in some nice dimensions for stompboxes.  Also, the PCBs can fit in horizontally!  Sweet.  Seems like it would easier access if you open the pedal up for service, too.

Lamely, at Fry's the boxes only come with one end-cap, stating on the package they leave the other off, so you can choose from the 3 varieties (sheesh!).  Well, I asked the Fry's guy, and he told me Fry's carries the boxes, but not the end-caps.  I asked him what the point of stocking the boxes was, then, and he had no answer for me.

Anyhow, I emailed Context ~2004/10/16, asking where (besides Fry's; online perhaps?) I could buy some; haven't heard back, yet.  When & if I do, I'll let you all know.

If a couple weeks go by, maybe a few of you could shoot Context an email asking the same thing...

[STOMPmole]

I thought that both end caps came shrink wrapped with the box but next time I'm at my local Fry's I'll look a little closer.

I don't think you can beat the CircuitSpecialist's deal for 125-Bs in quantities of ten IF THEY WOULD EVER GET SOME IN STOCK!!!!

I've been wanting to order some for over a month and their stock has consistently been '0'.