Enclosure Design (+ laser cutting?)

[brad]

I've never really liked cast aluminum enclosures, so I've been seriously considering getting some custom enclosures made at a local metal fabricator who has a laser cutter.  The design I've been thinking about is basically the same length and height as a MXR style enclosure (29mm x 111mm), but the width has been extended to 80mm with the addition of a 45 degree panel for the knobs (note:  the angled panel doesn't go all the way to the base...there's still a 8mm vertical wall).  Here's my first crumby SketchUp drawing of it:



I used those dimensions to build a cardboard mock-up and it actually looks and feels really nice!  Fits right in the palm of your hand!  The top half will be secured to the lower shell by fold-under tabs similar to Way Huge enclosures.  The measurements can't really be final though, because it really depends on the thickness of the material being used...and that's going to be whatever's cheapest 



Has anyone had any experience with this sort of thing before?  Am I barking up the wrong tree?  I'm guessing it will probably depend on scale, so if anyone thinks they'd like one...tell me and I'll come up with a ball park figure to use when I get the quote.

[dano12]

In the rant thread last week regarding Hammond enclosures, I asked the question: where are the alternatives? I don't think there is much out there, so a custom box would be cool. I have a friend of a friend who runs a metal shop so I'm looking into the same thing. Hadn't thought about using SketchUp.

Your design is really nice in that is different from the standard ones. Only problem I could see is with the pots angled back you can't really see where they are set. Also, the exposed side pieces might get mashed during stage use

If you flipped the pot panel by 90 degrees, you'd have a more conventional "console" type box. If you don't mind, keep us posted on the progress of this. I think in the new year I'll be pursuing the same route.

[Pushtone]

I'm liking the slanted pot panel design quite a bit.
I hope you'll make a few extra to sell here.

I assume your going with steel. If you make it out of 14-gauge steel it will be very tough/heavy and those extensions will not bend.
However, the extensions look like they are not tall enough to protect the knob/pot.

You might also consider adding a couple press fit nuts to the design for PCB standoffs and standardize the PCB shape for this box.

[TELEFUNKON]

problem I could see is with the pots angled back you can't really see where they are set

that`s exactly why guitar pots got numbers on their rims. 

[Pushtone]

I remember another forumite had his own box design manufactured for the prupose of producing a commercial product.
It was a nice design with the press fit nuts and PCB mounted jacks that line up with holes in the box.


Anyway I think he posted it in the pictures thread as well as a dedicated thread with a desciption of his prototytpe progress.

Lets have a search in another window... searching...searching


ah I see, it's broken up between a few threads by LC
here they is,
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=44721.0
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=44516.0


But I still think there is another thread with the finished painted working prototype. Perhaps thats the one in the PICTURES! thread.
Hey, it's only 77 pages long. I'm sure you'll find it in no time. 

[markm]

I'd like to see how it'd look with the pots angled up a liitle in the opposite direction.
Nice job though for sure!

[Pushtone]

I'd like to see how it'd look with the pots angled up a Little in the opposite direction.
Nice job though for sure!

Ya know, if brad would post his Sketchup file you could open it yourself and see what that would look like.

That gives an idea. We should be sharing Sketchup files in a gallery or thread.

We could be collectively working on several box designs. Sort of like how the layouts are organized over at 18watt.com
with personal revisions of a main design.  Each posted for all to see.

Besides box design I wonder what other collective uses there is for sharing Sketchup files.

[boogietube]

That gives an idea. We should be sharing Sketchup files in a gallery or thread.

That's a great idea! We could also get some made in a large group order.

[Pushtone]

There ya go.

We could put all kinds of different revisions that are universaly friendly to the diy project.

Like...

a removeable panel for the pots. So the same metal work clamshell can have different hole configurations
just by swapping out a panel for the pots.

How about a label channel where a recessed strip lets a paper lable sit flush with the top.

These idea and more could all be hashed out in a collective 3D gallery of Sketchup file and rendered out as jpgs.
The jpegs will let everyone comment on a file, not just those using Sketchup.

We could invent our own box(es), make a mass order

Alas, I don't think Sketchup can generate the kinda file needed by the fabricators so anyone
taking the risk to create a run of boxes will have to take the Sketchup design and
have a pro trace it into a program like SolidWorks or AutoCAD.

I have such a friend, who works with SolidWorks. I'll send him a Sketchup file(s) to see if he can open it.
All he would need are the 2D Plan and Elevation views, right?.

[brad]

I'm still learning to use SketchUp and I'm trying to get the design as accurate as possible before I get a quote.  I've visited a lot of powdercoaters, electroplaters, painters, etc, to try stuff out for stompboxes and I've found it can be a bit of a lottery.  Some places will practically laugh you out the door for small orders, while others can be really nice and help you out.  That's why I want to make sure I'm clear about what I want.

Btw, the little ends on the angled section are really just to simplify the construction -i.e. you don't have to worry about lining up angled sides with an angled top.  For the material, I'm thinking either 1mm steel or 2mm aluminum -whatever's cheapest.

Alas, I don't think Sketchup can generate the kinda file needed by the fabricators so anyone
taking the risk to create a run of boxes will have to take the Sketchup design and
have a pro trace it into a program like SolidWorks or AutoCAD.

I have such a friend, who works with SolidWorks. I'll send him a Sketchup file(s) to see if he can open it.
All he would need are the 2D Plan and Elevation views, right?.

The shop would definitely need to draw a real CAD version.  I'm only going to use SketchUp to explain what I'm talking about 

A "Community Enclosure Design Jam" is a good idea, but I'm guessing the more complex the design, the more expensive the box will be...and that means someone has to front the initial capital or be responsible for a pre-order fund.  Something like that would probably best be done using www.emachineshop.com -then you could get an instant price.  Perhaps Aron would like to do an official "Diystompboxes.com Enclosure" one day.

[R.G.]

If you wind up using steel thinner than 18 gauge or aluminum less than 0.125" be sure to put some support under the middles of the top at the ends. Otherwise the top will bend down with repeated pressure on the footswitch.

How do I know this?

[brad]

When you can crush a pedal against your forehead like a beer can, you've got problems.  I think Electro Harmonix uses 18 gauge steel, am I right?

Anyhoo, I'm going to continue to mess around with this for the time being.  There's more to designing a good box than I thought there was!  You don't realize just how little room will be left for the PCB until you've crammed all the other hardware in.