Let me let some steam out... Hammond boxes! Grrr...

[Xavier]

http://www.retex.es/paginas/ingles/Cajas/Metalicas/ri400.htm

These are the ones I use (and most of spanish DIYers). Half the price of the Hammonds, very nice looking and easy to work with. I recommend them if you are not happy with the Eddystone boxes.

RI413=MXR size=1590B

RI414=Taiwan 125B oversized MXR type

[Gilles C]

Now that I come to think of it, yeah, the Hammonds are non-metric, aren't they?  For some reason I thought all my boxes where metric and the the non-metric one I had was the odd man out, maybe I have it backwards.  I just have a really bad memory, it seems, and I'm constantly at the hardware store buying misc. bolts or what not for *something* . . .

I've had problems with some boxes having the holes for the screws not drilled as deep as others - some of the boxes I have must have the holes drilled almost all the way through, because I can fit a fairly long screw in there. (Which is helpful if I strip out the threads in the box with a shorter screw) But I've noticed the same thing with some of them having really shallow holes, and I think I last noticed it on a pre-painted one I had bought, as well.   I just use the bolt cutters on the giant, ineffectual wirestripper I have, the kind where you thread the bolt in and then close the jaws and it snaps the excess off.  (Where saftey glasses, the bit you knock off will go flying)

You reminded me that I had Hammond box that I had to replace a screw for a bigger one because the threads of the box stripped the first time I put a screw in there. It could have been because the hole wasn't deep enough, even for the original screw. I thought it was my fault...

Gilles

[Blues_Boy_4096]

http://www.retex.es/paginas/ingles/Cajas/Metalicas/ri400.htm

These are the ones I use (and most of spanish DIYers). Half the price of the Hammonds, very nice looking and easy to work with. I recommend them if you are not happy with the Eddystone boxes.

RI413=MXR size=1590B

RI414=Taiwan 125B oversized MXR type

Is there any place you can get them online?

[Xavier]

http://www.retex.es/paginas/ingles/Cajas/Metalicas/ri400.htm

These are the ones I use (and most of spanish DIYers). Half the price of the Hammonds, very nice looking and easy to work with. I recommend them if you are not happy with the Eddystone boxes.

RI413=MXR size=1590B

RI414=Taiwan 125B oversized MXR type

I only know of spanish stores.

Try at www.ondaradio.es . They have them available.

Is there any place you can get them online?

[Blues_Boy_4096]

http://www.retex.es/paginas/ingles/Cajas/Metalicas/ri400.htm

These are the ones I use (and most of spanish DIYers). Half the price of the Hammonds, very nice looking and easy to work with. I recommend them if you are not happy with the Eddystone boxes.

RI413=MXR size=1590B

RI414=Taiwan 125B oversized MXR type

I only know of spanish stores.

Try at www.ondaradio.es . They have them available.

Is there any place you can get them online?

OK, it's not a problem, since I'm from Portugal.

But they are not half the price of the Hammonds. Actually, they a re a bit more expensive (at least in the site they're marked for 7.19€).

[petemoore]

 Having no troubles with My DIY and RACO Lids...lol...
Leaving the lid screwed to the board, I can just loosen a screw a little bit [this prevents dropping of screws], and have the box out, placing another box in that position is as simple as reverse step 1 & 2 ^...finding close enough to the right size replacement screw has been N/P, I saved the monitor assembly screws [using packing tape to hold the chassis front/back together after salvaging parts for getting the rest in the trash].
  One reason I didn't opt for nicer' boxes is the screw loss/integrity problems.
  A slide out bottom [like a cheese box] would be cool if it could be made to fit/wedge/ or clip in just right.

[cab42]

I think I'll have a go at Banzai's sheet metal boxes. I hope they screw better. They're so darn cheap anyway, not much to lose.

If I like 'em - farewell diecast boxes forever.

Edit: Ooh, these are made in Italy... Let's see....

---------
Jimbo

I use those folded alu boxes all the time as they are the only ones I can get locally for a reasonable price (but more expensive than Banzai). Also very nice sizes. I mostly use the 72*102*46 mm, but in my local shop they have a 72*51*46 mm which is perfect for boosters and compact OD's. Very easy to drill too.

However, I  doubt that they would last long if you are stomping very hard on them all the time.

Regards

Carsten

[JimRayden]

Cab42, what's the wall thickness? A few pics of them would be pretty cool if it's not too much of a hassle. I'd like to see the main construction because Banzai hardly has any photos.

---------
Jimbo

[cab42]

Jim,

I'm not sure the boxes I buy is exactly the same as Banzai's. However they are made in Italy by a company called Teko so they may be the same.

As far as I can measure the wall thickness is 1.2 mm.

I just tried to type www.teko.it in my browser and it actually worked. You might be able to find details there.

I will gladly take a couple of photos for you, but it may take a few days.

Regards

Carsten

[JimRayden]

Looks like the same boxes - same dimensions and lettering.

http://www.teko.it/Eng/ENCLOSURES/ALUMINIUM/albox.html

I can see the structure from that small pic but I'll also be looking forward to your close-ups too. Thanks, mate.

---------
Jimbo

[Papa_lazerous]

Hi, First time poster long time reader.....

I know what you mean about the hammonds.  The problem you are having with the screws are that the box is drilled but not tapped.  The screws are a type of roll tap.  Which isnt like a self tapping screw that you would normally encounter.  Look at the screw a bit of a point at the front nothing special but look round the thread and its not round its almost like it is slightly triangular with large 3 radius that make it seem round.  they form the thread as they are put in.  Note Form not cut!  the problem is the hole size is extremely critical for roll tapping so if they drill it tight the screw comes out tight I find the boxes are hit and miss with this.  To get round it put about a 2 mm 45chamfer on the screw to give it a lead or just rub some emery round the outside of it which should stop the major diameter of the thread fouling as the screw goes in and hey presto it'll be smooth as silk

[smallbearelec]

Boutiquers who want these:

My posted bulk price for a standard carton of 80 pieces is $5.00 each. Checking the USPS tables to ship a box of about 44 lb. by surface mail with insurance for maybe $100 (you wanna pay duty on $400.00 or $100.00??) adds $100.00, so $6.00 and change per box to your door if you plan 6 weeks ahead. Hey, I plan orders to China three to four months out; if ya want to get your costs down, this is how you have to start to think.

Want a really good smaller enclosure? I will have my first lot of the 125-Bear (RoHS-compliant 125-B with no internal ribs and 6-32 screws) available to ship sometime early in '07. It's my mold, so I will be able to maintain the price of $4.10 at 100 pieces. Shipping for those is a little less, so you are looking at under $5.00 each, IF you plan ahead.

Any other questions, pls drop an e-msj to the Cave, smallbearelec@ix.netcom.com

Regards
SD

[Gilles C]

Welcome to the forum Papa_lazerous , you shouldn't have waited that long to post. But I'm sure you will like it.

About the boxes, I must say that they are really tapped. I can normally screw them by hand the really first time. And the screws are normal screws. (I just re-checked to make sure...) At least, that's for the Hammond boxes I buy here in Canada...

I was finally able to screw all 4 screws after using a little more torque for the last 2 screws. At first, I didn't want to strip them.

You're right about the kind of triangular screws, they work well, and they hold better than self tapping screws. I think I could have seen them in Hammond plastic boxes , but I'm not sure.

I'm sorry to disapoint you for your first post though.

Gilles

[JimRayden]

About the boxes, I must say that they are really tapped. I can normally screw them by hand the really first time. And the screws are normal screws. (I just re-checked to make sure...) At least, that's for the Hammond boxes I buy here in Canada...

Then again, Canadian Hammond's ain't the same as European.

---------
Jimbo

[Gilles C]

That's what I was beginning to think. So I checked a second unpainted box I bought last week. I was wondering if the Die Casting could have been done in Europe, and the holes tapped in Canada for the Canadian market.

Well, all I could do is post some pictures.







Made In Portugal, and has the same screws and has the holes tapped just like the unpainted ones Made In Canada that I normally buy. 

Gilles

Anyway, I didn't to beat the subject to death, and it was not say that they are the best boxes. I was curious about that...

[Papa_lazerous]

Welcome to the forum Papa_lazerous , you shouldn't have waited that long to post. But I'm sure you will like it.

About the boxes, I must say that they are really tapped. I can normally screw them by hand the really first time. And the screws are normal screws. (I just re-checked to make sure...) At least, that's for the Hammond boxes I buy here in Canada...

I was finally able to screw all 4 screws after using a little more torque for the last 2 screws. At first, I didn't want to strip them.

You're right about the kind of triangular screws, they work well, and they hold better than self tapping screws. I think I could have seen them in Hammond plastic boxes , but I'm not sure.

I'm sorry to disapoint you for your first post though.

Gilles

Thanks for the welcome.....

I think the difference in what I explained screw wise and what you have are that you are using Canadian hammond boxes and I am using UK ones they are simply not the same animal at all.  Far lower quality to what you have

[JimRayden]

Heck, I've decided to try the square (9.2x9.2cm) die-cast along with the sheet metal ones.

Olaf told me this one's Australian.

---------
Jimbo

[JimRayden]

Got my order finally.

US Hammond 1590D - Excellent quality. Ballsy screws. The edges don't match the quality of the taiwanese BB's but are alot nicer than the EU Hammods (Eddys).

Banzai's B4 sheet metal enclosure - first out of the box, I thought they were of an awful quality, jagged edges and stuff. But then I took off the glued on protecting plastic... Looks amazing! A perfect finishing job inside and out. Since it's sheet metal, there are no jaggy casting edges to worry about. All the holes line up perfectly too. I'm impressed, gonna have to start using more of these.

---------
Jimbo

[southtown]

looking at banzai i can order a eddystone hammond or a us hammond, the us is more expensive but is it worth it?

[JimRayden]

looking at banzai i can order a eddystone hammond or a us hammond, the us is more expensive but is it worth it?

Ooh, I didn't notice they now have US boxes in stock too, and they have also started listing Eddys as Eddys, which they previously didn't. The US boxes certainly are worth the few extra euros. My 1590D is great!

[EDIT] Looks like they have many more improvements with stock. I feel quite interested in those Arabel sheet metal boxes also. Oh boy, they have 19"s now too!! I'm gonna take some time and explore their site for more updates.

---------
Jimbo