is a wooden enclosure ok?

[achtung jackass]

i'm going to build a ruby amp, and i was just thinking about what enclosure i'd use. then i had an idea  i have two electroharmonix pedals (reissue's) that came in those wooden boxes. i want to build the ruby into one of the boxes, its a ehx bass balls russian reissue box.

will this be ok? 

[Paul Marossy]

That will work fine as long as it's internally shielded. 

[achtung jackass]

how would you suggest that i do that?

sorry, i'm kinda new to this. i've only built an lpb before.

[Mihkel]

Copper/aluminum tape, conductive paint, aluminum foil (can't solder to it though).

[rockhorst]

Sticking aluminum foil (or easier: aluminum tape) to the inside of the box, or get a few pieces of aluminum from a hardware store and build a little enclosure for around the circuit (just as in a real amp).

[achtung jackass]

thanks!  i'll post up some pictures when its built.

[moody07747]

I was going to suggest sheet metal from any hardware store or some AV house vents but if you soldered them the coating would get you really sick fast....

although its really expensive it will work great.
allelectronics.com has some copper tape by 3M and i use it for my choke switches on my E-cymbals for my drums.

http://www.allelectronics.com/cgi-bin/item/CT-12/740/COPPER_TAPE_W__ADHESIVE_.html

one roll should do the trick.

what type of wood are you planning on using?
i suggest plywood but Masonite will work too...its stronger but harder to cut.

remember that wood is a great insulator so i would put one or 2 fans in the case to keep the amp kool...if you don't it will keep shutting down on you.

[Paul Marossy]

I have had good success using aluminum duct tape for shielding. It's cheap, too. You can see a picture of a shielded wood box that I did a while ago here: http://www.diyguitarist.com/DIYStompboxes/WoodBoxes.htm

[petemoore]

  I re-fit cut paper templates to the inside of boxes, [shaped like a cross with a square covering most of the ends of the cross] then use that to cut copper sheets to perfect' fit [for sides / top] which can be soldered to [lotsa heat necessary].
  Fitting the bottom plate...I make the template so the bottom plate can be 'bent open for access, or solder a ground connection wire to that, and screw it to the bottom.
  Actually I make the top fit so when I screw the bottom plate, contact is made between the two copper sheet pieces. I go right up to, but 'skip' around jacks and pots...and use the long enough threads of a stompswitch to mount and hold/clamp through the copper sheet and the wood.

[mac]

The idea of using a metal case is to isolate the circuit from external waves among other effects. When an EM wave (FM stations, cell phones) hits the case it dissipates as the energy of the wave generates an electric current in the case. It can be demonstrated that the wave intensity drops exponentially, so the thicker the case the better. But, as we all ground the circuit to the metal case some of this current find its way into the circuit. In other words, the case is some kind of antenna! That's way our pedals will not survive a nuclear explosion
To be effective, the circuit should not be in contact with the case.
Do not panic, this effect is minimal 
Google: faraday box


mac

[John Lyons]

Here's how I shield my wooden boxes:

Go to home depot/Lowes etc etc. and buy some 2" wide aluminum tape. Looks like thick smooth aluminum foil with adhesive and paper backing. Usually it's found in the heating/ducting departments for joining duct sections in houses.

Aluminum isn't solderable for the most part. Aluminum won't stick toether with typical electronics solder. Try soldering to a soda can!!!

For the first piece you can just rip off a piece the legth of the box and press it down inside your box...

For the second piece:  With the paper backing still on, take a length of the tape (large enough to go from one side of the box to the other like the first piece, following the bottom and sides) and fold a quarter of and inch over itself down the length of the piece. Peel off the backing paper and fold the stcky sides together. You now have a 1 3/4 inch length of aluminum tape.  Now apply this to the fist piece overlapping about 1/4 inch.

So what you are doing is making it so each piece is electrically contacting the previous piece. What I usually do is lay out all my strips overlappeing and so that the whole inside is covered. Then I take clear packing tape and cover all the areas except where you want to make a ground connection (under pots, switches, jacks, etc.)  This makes a nice way to hold down the overlaps and also to insulate the main body of the pedals inside. You will often have to run the tape in more than one direction depending one yor box  shape. As long as you have some folded overlap that touches the piece under you will be fine.
You can take a DMM or volt meter and measure continuity/ beeper to see if the pieces are touching conducting as thety should.

Then I cut the holes out from the inside with a exacto/razor knife. It's hard to make the shielding look clean but it does work well.

Did I miss anything?

John

[zpyder]

Basicaudio-

Do you ground everything to the shield?

zpyder

[John Lyons]

I usually run a wire from the board ground to the input/output jacks as well as the DC jack. The jacks themselves get bolted to the box and into the aluminum tape shielding like with an aluminum box. I don't run separate wires to the shileding though.

John