Enclouser Casting, any sugetions on details

[Pablo1234]

I just started casting aluminum and brass/bronze this year and thought that some would be interested in custom size enclosures for their peddles. Currently I have a semi permanent mold of the boss style enclosure and am designing a 3 switch version for multi effects. I am doing this for fun and to support my hobbies as it would be work if I took it to the next level. This wont happen though. I was just wondering if anyone had suggestions in what they would like their enclosures to be like. I personally Like my new design as it fits my most common PCB size without having to cut it, just drill holes and mount it. 

What is the most common board size you use? What size screws and what is the foot print of the screw holes you use.

What type of switching do you like. How many controls do you have max/avg per peddle and what size? this would be for the control mounting.

I am also making a rocker peddle for my wha/expression system. I personally like the crybaby size but what would you like to see?

[jrc4558]

Wow that's a great DIY aspect that not so many of us venture into, yet.
I was always thinking that it would be nice to have a custom enclosure that would house 5-8 footswitches comfortably. I even tried bending my own U-shaped (like Way Huge), but results were unsatisfactory...

[amptramp]

I have a little list:

1. Standoffs for the board(s).  A number of them could be cast in and unused ones could be lopped off with a Dremel cutoff wheel by the builder to suit different sizes of board.  Alternatively, you could add internal ridges to take machined standoffs or screws and spacers via blind tapped holes without drilling through the case.

2. Battery compartment.

3. Guards to protect the knobs from your stomping foot.  Some companies recess the controls to do this, but a barrier would also work.

4. Dimples as drilling guides for jacks, controls and switches.  I don't know how accurately these can be cast, but it would eliminate the need for drilling templates and could be on the inside for the front panel controls (but would have to be on the outside for jacks and power plugs).

5. Most commercially available pedals have a hinged foot pedal to take the loads to the switch.  This means if you are wearing hiking boots with a coarse tread, you can still actuate the switch with certainty and not have the plunger fall into a gap in the tread.  It also spreads the pressure in case you wear moccasins or some other soft shoe (or no shoes).  This also protects the switch.  Some use this internal volume to hold the battery so you can replace it without having to unscrew the box.

6. A flange to permit the pedal to be screwed down to a pedalboard.  I don't see why the crowd that uses Hammond cast enclosures doesn't use the flanged-lid type - it would save some grief.

7. Possibly a ridge around the edge to protect graphics transparencies or machined plates that some people use from being lifted off by abuse.

[Brossman]

I'm very interested in seeing an expression pedal with a case underneath that has quite some relief.  I don't have much equipment, so size isn't (currently) so much of an issue.  Think Morley-style, but with greater relief on the bottom (say, 1.5-2" high, 7"x9")

...perhaps some room for knobs along the sides (top mount, but on the same surface as the rocker) and footswitches near the front.

It'd be nice to have something like this for tube-based P2P or Perf layouts for built in expression (ie. my personal interest --> Univibe  )