ABS/ Plastic Enclosure Good for Stomps?

[fuzzymuff]

Found a couple of hammond plastic enclosures, about the size of a 1590B, for $1.  Would these plastic enclosures work for stomp boxes?

[R O Tiree]

If you line them with Aluminium foil or similar, then yes, as long as you ground the foil (trap it with the jack sockets, for example) because, for most circuits, it's a good idea to provide a Faraday Cage around it, to stop stray RF signals, mains hum, etc getting into it.

That said, just how tough are these boxes? Are they going to stand up to repeated stomping? Probably not?

[fuzzymuff]

If you line them with Aluminium foil or similar, then yes, as long as you ground the foil (trap it with the jack sockets, for example) because, for most circuits, it's a good idea to provide a Faraday Cage around it, to stop stray RF signals, mains hum, etc getting into it.

That said, just how tough are these boxes? Are they going to stand up to repeated stomping? Probably not?

Thanks!  Its made of ABS plastic, pretty hard, but don't know how it will stand up.  Im thinking of mainly using this box to make power wart, a voltage doubler or a negative -9v box using the madbean roadrage board.

[Mark Hammer]

They are fine for pedals.  I have a couple of dozen such pedals.  The old MXR Commande Series used such boxes, and they hold up nicely for 30 years and counting, now.  Rocktek pedals are also ABS plastic, and while they seem to lose the battery door within 20 minutes of purchase, the rest of the unit holds up very nicely.

Is careful attention to shielding absolutely necessary?  That would depend on the type of effect.  If it is a high gain circuit, picking up a little hum from somewhere and amplifying it 300 times is not likely in your or anyone else's interests.  If it is something running at close to unity gain, like a phaser, shielding does not have to be a big deal.  Realistically, sensible layout will take you most of the way there.  On my plastic-box pedals that use some reasonable amount of gain, I simply cut out a piece of copper shim to fit on the underside of the top surface, put some holes in it where the pots and switches go, and hold the sheet against the box with the pots and switches.  I find that is generally enough, although to be fair I don't play at very high volumes.

The more critical aspect is whether your switch will fit inside, and whether there is enough rigidity where you locate the stompswitch so that it feels solid to your foot.  And I suppose an equally big concern is whether you could ever persuade someone else its okay if you try to sell the darn thing.

But I'll say this: they ARE light.    I set up a sort of pedalboard using all plastic boxes, like so....and once you took the batteries out, that puppy was light as a feather.  Note that the boxes in question came without end-pieces.  I fabricated some with PCB material, copper surface on the inside, matching beige fibreglass on the outside.

[fuzzymuff]

NICE!!  Those pedals look GREAT!  Glad to hear those ABS stomp boxes held 30 plus years!!

[timd]

Found a couple of hammond plastic enclosures, about the size of a 1590B, for $1.  Would these plastic enclosures work for stomp boxes?

Where did you find these? I'd pick up a few for a dollar each.

[fuzzymuff]

They were in the clearance bin at this place, allelectronics.com

[duck_arse]

rockby electronics in melbourne has a clearing special:



Plastic Instrument Cabinet (Pk-10)
Size: Width: 180mm    Height: 45mm    Depth: 230mm
Colour: Beige with white front  and rear panels
Stock No:26658   
1 off  $7.000

70 cents each! I'm not sure this isn't a mispront, even if they are too big for you 1590 types.

[Thecomedian]

Most electric guitar based online shops sell foil shielding, so it shouldn't be a big deal to line stuff and protect from interference.

[fuzzymuff]

Most electric guitar based online shops sell foil shielding, so it shouldn't be a big deal to line stuff and protect from interference.

Can your ordinary household aluminum or tin foil work?

[amptramp]

Most electric guitar based online shops sell foil shielding, so it shouldn't be a big deal to line stuff and protect from interference.

Can your ordinary household aluminum or tin foil work?

It will work, but you have to glue it to the inside of the box and make sure it doesn't short anything out.  With foil, you have to attach it to a ground somehow and this is what tends to make it difficult.  Many people use copper shielding tape so they can solder to it.  Adhesive-backed foil is expensive.  Any voids in the shielding can let extraneous noise through.

[Thecomedian]

and aluminum burns when heated.

I suppose if you cut the foil just enough for the shaft of pots to fit through, then soldered ground to the pot itself, such that when the pot is in place, it creates a snug seal with the foil and grounds circuit to enclosure, that can work. Aluminum is also less conductive than copper. aluminum is much cheaper, however. Go for it if you've got few options\its not a "final" product.

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_pickups/Supplies:_Shielding/Conductive_Shielding_Paint.html

you could also use conductive shielding paint. shop around for cheapest if you like this method. I haven't used the stuff before, so it might have a hard time adhering to a smooth plastic surface. If that happens, break out the fine grit sandpaper to rough up the surface some.


http://intermark-usa.com/products/emc/emi-shielding/?gclid=CIzqkJmQ0bUCFap_QgodnlUAIw

if only I could track down some company that resells this stuff.


http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f38/diy-conductive-paint-cavity-shielding-589012/

make your own shielding paint