Unconventional enclosures?

greenacarina · December 13, 2006, 07:30:15 PM

So, I've seen some of you guys using different stuff for enclosures. I like the idea of a small metal bowl flipped upside-down, but what do you use to close off the opening? Can't really just leave it open...can you?

Chris

christobean · December 13, 2006, 08:31:57 PM

well you coooould leave it open, but better not to. just be creative, you can use all sorts of stuff for metal bottoms. a lot of times i pick dvd players and stuff out of the trash to use their cases to make pedals

mojotron · December 13, 2006, 08:59:16 PM

I use old networking gear for enclosures sometimes, there are a ton of 10Mb hubs out there ready to be bought for ~$1 and gutted.

John Lyons · December 13, 2006, 09:50:34 PM

My Faves:

Domestic and exotic hardwood boxes...lotsa work though...

4" Drain pipe caps from Lowes, Hope Depot etc. Available in black ABS and white PVC. Get out your sander and resperator! Thickness can be be made more shallow with a large Forstner bit from the inside. You can glue in supports for bottom plates with the right ABS, PVC glue. $5 or so.

Small frying pans made from aluminum. Lots or sanding and elbow grease with metal polish! $2

Old steel A/B printer cable switchers $3 or less

John

greenacarina · December 14, 2006, 12:14:21 AM

I'm a thrift store junkie so I look for viable candidates often. Been eyeballing the frying pans and small metal bowls lately. The plastic pipe caps are a great idea! The wood boxes are gorgeous but I'm just not that dedicated.

JonFrum · December 14, 2006, 12:48:29 AM

On a related note, some tube amps:

http://www.harmonicappliances.com/powerman/powerman.html

Check out the "Baby Bear":

http://www.dogstar.dantimax.dk/tubestuf/gallery4.htm

A classic - "The Postman":

http://firebottle.com/ampage/homebrew.cgi?cat=ga&sb=&so=hl&page=10237647003cLBDmk

Another original by the same builder:

http://firebottle.com/ampage/homebrew.cgi?cat=ga&sb=&so=hl&page=10787118170CmqlgF

Be creative!

JimRayden · December 14, 2006, 01:08:37 AM

Haha, the last one's perfect for BB King.

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Jimbo

petemoore · December 14, 2006, 01:30:50 AM

Chairman is too funny !!! Great Idea too, must be nice for those nights when your butt is freezing !

MetalUpYerEye · December 14, 2006, 03:41:58 AM

MY FISH FOOD RUBY!!! (I'm still in love with this thing...!)

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e215/metalupyereye/fishfood1.jpg
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e215/metalupyereye/PICT0005.jpg

And the fish-food ruby with it's lil bro...
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e215/metalupyereye/fishntiny.jpg

Basicaudio - Your wooden enclosures make me tremble and moan.

JimRayden · December 14, 2006, 03:49:34 AM

Quote from: petemoore on December 14, 2006, 01:30:50 AM
Chairman is too funny !!! Great Idea too, must be nice for those nights when your butt is freezing !

Haha! I didn't notice it was called chairman... Now I pissed myself!

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Jimbo

rockgardenlove · December 14, 2006, 05:11:41 AM

Electrical junction boxes are nice too. I like them for small things, I have an AB from a box and a buffer I put after my wah.

Seljer · December 14, 2006, 09:16:28 AM

these candy boxes: http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=cavendish%20and%20harvey&btnG=Google+Search&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi
just the right size to get a simple fuzz circuit in there

petemoore · December 14, 2006, 09:42:46 AM

Electrical junction boxes are nice too.
Cheep/Available/shielded/can be made strong/about the right size for most stuff...
Only thing is they come with punchouts, which need to be epoxied or they may punch out when drilling or.
I use them alot !
Have one triple bondo-ed [takes about 3 coats/sandings to make flat surfaces], nice paint job.
The others have multi-paint scheme that 'follows the punchouts'.
Others still with coverings like leather and T-shirt transfer...this is a 'quick finish'... that I like.
Since I have a Chopsaw, and plenty of planed down [to ~1/4''] x 2'' and 4'' and 6'' width lengths [long strips of wood I can just length cut to make a top or sides from...wood boxes have become the latest craze around here, I'll just whip a couple up...they sand real easy and take finish Really nice...but need special attention because the 1/4'' dimension is necessary for strength and assembly but is too thick for the threads on the mounted components, I use a forstner bit to thin the thickness just where the pots/jacks/other will be mounted, then drill the through hole for the potshaft or jack, so the nuts can be threaded on.
I used an old stereo's aluminum panel, framed that in wood [so the sides would be taller...put a wah/BMP/Booster/Phaser/Splitter-Blend in that one.

tungngruv · December 14, 2006, 10:02:31 AM

QuoteSo, I've seen some of you guys using different stuff for enclosures. I like the idea of a small metal bowl flipped upside-down, but what do you use to close off the opening? Can't really just leave it open...can you?
Chris

Most Pizza joints now offer 8" personal pizza's for lunch. They make them on 8" metal pizza pans that fit right on the bottom of 8" skillets.

petemoore · December 14, 2006, 11:06:08 AM

I wish I could find more aluminum extruda'...6'' w [the width edges have 3/4'' 'uprights', excellent for tap/bolting sides to, that's what I made my amp chassis from, but it'd make great long/wide box top, as it came in 18'' Length pieces...easy to machine, lightweight, those brown anodized pieces were nice to work with.
Now that I know better what I can live with effect-wise, a single piece multi effect seems like a good idea, and would allow me to use 1/10th of the 1/4'' phono jacks and related patch cords, eliminating also 5-6 DC jacks...

MikeH · December 14, 2006, 05:18:14 PM

I put together a small fuzz in a tuna can (after much washing). That and certain lamp bases work well if you can find them.

brett · December 14, 2006, 08:30:27 PM

I'm building an easydrive in a Tuna can.
I'm worried about how this reflect on my stompbox soul....after fifty builds I'm returning to an easydrive on vero in a 20c can?

squidsquad · December 15, 2006, 12:32:57 AM

Dude...you're tone might sound fishy but your ax will be in tuna (sorry).

MartyMart · December 15, 2006, 05:05:01 AM

Lateksi · December 15, 2006, 09:47:24 AM

I've built a mic preamp in salsa dip jar, maybe it gives vocals a bit spicy tone?

http://www.student.oulu.fi/~lauripek/etunen.jpg

Pic seems to include couple unfinished builds also, those metallic candy boxes are really handy.
http://www.student.oulu.fi/~lauripek/fuzz_facial.jpg

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Unconventional enclosures?