Junction Boxes as enclosures

[Barcode80]

I've seen a lot of talk about using elctrical junciton boxes and outlet boxes as enclosures, and I had thought this was a good idea long before i even started making pedals. So i decided to try it. I'm wondering though why everyone on here seems to want to use the cover plate as the top when it looks so much better as the bottom?!?! Is there something I'm missing?

[GibsonGM]

I've tried that a time or 2.  Found it hard to drill thru where the knockouts for electrical wires are...they're fragile, and will pop all the way thru easily.  So maybe people decided to use the plate to mount pots and stuff due to this.   If anyone knows a good way to get thru those areas, I'd love to know!

[RickL]

I've put dozens of circuits in electrical junction boxes and I always use the cover plate for the bottom. I agree with you that it looks better.

In order to drill holes in the punch-outs I've done two things. First, use a C-clamp to hold the edge of the punch-out opposite the attachment point. Second, use successively larger drill bits to get to the size you eventually want. This will minimize the amount of grabbing as the drill breaks through the metal.

On the advise of a mechanic I also always use cutting oil and a multi-speed drill set fairly slow to drill the boxes. I've been able to get through the metal faster and the drill bits last longer this way too.

[mojotron]

I use the tops for a bunch of reasons.

- Great accessibility, - you just pull off the top and you can get to anything on the board

- I can drill out 10 at a time, quickly, using standard templates for 1,2,3,4,5 and 6 pots
http://mojotronics.com/images/Id_small4.JPG

- I can put all of the connections on the same surface as the connections - so I can screw a bunch of empty boxes onto a 2x6 for a pedal board - very rugged - then just move the tops from box to box - on and off the pedal board - and never have to consider things before hand or know the lengths of cords before hand...

- I paint a bunch all at once, using truck bed liner paint for all of the boxes, then paint the tops something else
http://mojotronics.com/images/DCP_1555_small.JPG

- Who needs to buy those silly feet?
http://mojotronics.com/images/Id_small5.JPG

- The biggest advantage is the speed at which I can drill-out and have the enclosure done - I can drill out a top in about 10 minutes without any Bondo or JBWeld

[Barcode80]

you pose a good point, i never gave any thought to the modular nature of using the plates as bottoms, nor the drilling ease. i usually just place the box on a hard surface, hold the punchtabs in place with a pair of pliers, and drill-press them. I still think the other way is SO much more cosmetically pleasing, even with those lousy little feet, so though i may consider the modular idea for my own stuff, i make a lot of stuff for my friends and i want to make it look good for them. there is something VERY cool about the box part with a nice coat of paint on it. very tech-looking. as a matter of fact, i won't be building in any other housings until i get good at ecthing, which is admittedly a huge drawback to the boxes. since they have those recessed punch tabs, etching would be a pain.

i'll post a pic of my next build in a box in this thread for you guys to peruse

[tungngruv]

I'm really liking the Raco boxes. Harder to drill but they look great, in a twisted D.I.Y. way. Here's my SkyRipper Fuzz during the assembly process. The Raco is about an inch larger than the standard ones I have been using.