Slooped top boxes

[ampman50]

I'm looking for some slopped top boxes similar to the EH Linear Power Booster. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[smnm]

Hammond make some sloped top boxes - see http://www.hammondmfg.com/dwg16.htm
I think Mouser might have some of this range, but their online catalogue scares me

[rockgardenlove]

LMB makes some but they're not strong enough for actual stompage.

[dano12]

The LMB Heeger ones are a bit flimsy, but you can shore the large ones up with a strip of aluminum L channel and sheet metal screws.

There is a very nice sloped enclosure called the Keyboarder, nice contours and pretty heavy duty. They are quite expensive, but I've made some very nice pedals with them:



http://www.action-electronics.com/lmkb.htm

[Mark Hammer]

The Hammond ones are also nice.  I have a couple.

The one thing I will note about folded sheet-metal boxes is that their relative sturdiness depends on a) their surface area, and b) where you mount any switches.  Typically, as long as the chassis does not have a huge surface area that can bend under the weight of your foot, you'll be fine.  As well, mounting the footswitches as close to the edge/skirt of the box will help to make the place where you apply the most pressure the most structurally rigid.

Note the use of sloped-front boxes for the entire Lovetone series: http://www.lovetone.com/index2.html   Those are probably about as big as you'd want to use for a floorbox.  You will also note the placement of the footswitches.

[MicFarlow77]

Hi Ampman,

I am actually hand fabricating slope faced boxes. They are made out of .080 aluminium, which I think is about 12 gauge.... They are welded and brazed and are super strong....

I have my prototype and jigs built already and have some pictures of a finished enclosure and a formed side....

I am new to the DIYStompboxes forum and am new to forums in general, so I will try to figure out the posting process so that I can get some pictures for all to see....

Please stay tuned.....

Thanks,

Mick

[JimRayden]

There is a very nice sloped enclosure called the Keyboarder, nice contours and pretty heavy duty. They are quite expensive, but I've made some very nice pedals with them:

Dano, is that the BATG enclosure?

---------
Jimbo

[MicFarlow77]

Hey Ampman,

Here is a link to some pics that should work..... http://pictures.aol.com/galleries/micfarlow

I would like to be able to get them to actually show up, but alas, haven't learned that yet.....

The specs:

Width:               3"
Length:              4.5"
Height:              1.75"
Slope:               16 Degrees
Corner Radius:   1"

The slope begins about 1.5" from the backside of the enclosure.

Also, I have not got the bottom cut out for it yet, but there will be 4 aluminium angle clips welded to the sides to hold the bottom with 4 countersunk screws. The goal for me is to have an enclosure that is completely smooth except for the bottom cover, no seams or cracks visable. In the pictures of the prototype, you can see the front seam for now, but it will not stay that way, I will be filling it and making it smooth.

Most everything about this can be tweaked to some extent.

I still need to learn how to PM, once I can figure that out, if you are anyone else is interested, please let me know....

Thanks,

Mick

[doug deeper]

wow!~
those look great!
how much will they cost?

[MicFarlow77]

Hey Doug,

They are pretty labor intensive so they will be more expensive than the average Hammond enclosure for sure....

Right now, I have been thinking around $20 plus actual shipping..... I hope that is not too expensive.....

Lemme know what ya think... I actually have 11 more enclosures in process. I hope to have them finished by the end of the week, or over the weekend.

Thanks for the interest....

Mick

[puretube]

they`re cute, Mick!
love those round "corners"...

[dano12]

There is a very nice sloped enclosure called the Keyboarder, nice contours and pretty heavy duty. They are quite expensive, but I've made some very nice pedals with them:

Dano, is that the BATG enclosure?

---------
Jimbo

Yep.

[ampman50]

Thanks guys.

I'm working on a mic switch/mute design similar to Pro Co Sound's Panic Button. I still have to prove the circuit then I'll be building three total.

Keep on building.

[markm]

Hey Doug,

They are pretty labor intensive so they will be more expensive than the average Hammond enclosure for sure....

Right now, I have been thinking around $20 plus actual shipping..... I hope that is not too expensive.....

Lemme know what ya think... I actually have 11 more enclosures in process. I hope to have them finished by the end of the week, or over the weekend.

Thanks for the interest....

Mick

Think I could be interested in one perhaps..............

[MicFarlow77]

Hi all....

Thanks for the interest in the boxes. I will post more pictures when I have some more completed.

I am also think that etching (to make paint stick better) and priming will be included in the $20.... should make it a little more value for the extra cash.... 

Thanks again and I will keep everyone updated.

Mick

[Speeddemon]

Hey Mick, they look awesome.

The smaller blue one, what color is that and is it spraypainted or powdercoated?
I'm looking for that color in powdercoating.

[mojotron]

Hi all....

Thanks for the interest in the boxes. I will post more pictures when I have some more completed.

I am also think that etching (to make paint stick better) and priming will be included in the $20.... should make it a little more value for the extra cash.... 

Thanks again and I will keep everyone updated.

Mick

Hey Mick, $20 sounds about right and a good value for high quality work as you pictured.

If you find that you needed to make something cheaper, in order to sell more, the Hammond type of sloped enclosures are likely cheap to fabricate, the only problem with these is the thickness of the metal. Fulltone does this very well with their enclosures, but I don't know if one really has to use steal. I have experimented with this and with the right jigs and/or a good brake these would likely be simple/fast to make for those with a knack and the right tools.

[Steben]

The one thing I will note about folded sheet-metal boxes is that their relative sturdiness depends on a) their surface area, and b) where you mount any switches.  Typically, as long as the chassis does not have a huge surface area that can bend under the weight of your foot, you'll be fine.  As well, mounting the footswitches as close to the edge/skirt of the box will help to make the place where you apply the most pressure the most structurally rigid.

A couple of notes form the engineer-architect in me. The metal sheet is like structural floors. If you look at it as a plate, rested on two beams (shortest measure to the sides), there will be quite little difference in strength nor bending, whether you place the switch near the edge or not. The difference: the bending at the edge is smaller, giving switching comfort. It is like structural bootstrap ping. The bending at the mid is about the same, however. The strength hasn't changed either (the breaking treshold). So be careful: there is a chance a very broad sheet can be damaged when switched a couple of times, even if you have the switch at the edge. In other words, if it will break when the switch is in the mid, it will do so also if the switch is placed at the edge. So test the stiffness in the mid.

So hints:
-Always try to have the box as small as possible
-If large, try to have a small measure (rectangular shape), whether it is length or width. Don't make large squares.
-The more you switch (->volume boosters) the more fragile the sheet will become on the long run, the stronger/smaller it should be.
You could say: the bigger the pedal, the smaller the switch frequency.
-Placing the switch at the edge gives extra comfort, not extra strength of the sheet.

[Cardboard Tube Samurai]

Do Hammond ship to Australia?