Covering up extra holes on enclosure..any ideas?

[mth5044]

I foolishly ordered a drilled enclosure (to my specs) without triple checking that everything would fit. Now a toggle switch won't fit into the enclosure and there is a hole for it near the center of the enclosure. I can forget about the switch as it isn't too useful, but how do I go about pluggin up the hole? I was thinking about putting the pedal upside down on a hard surface then filling the hole with hot glue or some kind of puddy.

I was going to label the pedal with a piece of paper then clear coats, or maybe spray paint, but I'm afraid with the paper that it will sink slightly where the hole was. And with the spray paint.. well.. yeah.

So, any tips? 

[Jered]

  JB quick, works great.

[WLS]

This is how I fill mistakes.

1. Use JB Weld to fill the hole.

2. Sand it smooth.

3. Apply Automotive Glazing Putty.

4. Wet sand smooth.

5. Primer & paint.

Hope this helps!


Bill

[StarGeezers]

JB Weld , what a GREAT idea !!!!!     Thanks !!!!

[Morocotopo]

A nice (or better yet, ugly) screw and nut and washer. Gives that cool industrial/ I don´t care/semi finished look. Have I done it? Mmmm, yes...

[WGTP]

Stickers, like stars or guitars or girls or supernova, etc. 

[R.G.]

Use what the pros use - Bondo!

[Paul Marossy]

I've never tried Bondo, but I have used JB Weld on several occassions to fill holes in enclosures that I "recycled". It works OK.

[hday]

If you're lazy you could buy a plastic hole plug at a hardware store. They come in most standard sizes and just pop into place.

[Paul Marossy]

If you're lazy you could buy a plastic hole plug at a hardware store. They come in most standard sizes and just pop into place.

Yeah, that would work, too. Been there, done that. But only because they were large holes, at least an inch in diameter.

[newfish]

Either...

Invent a new feature on your build (switchable input caps / extra clipping diode or whatever).

...or a fictional control (such as, 'suck' or 'mojo'...)

...or...

Put a big 'X' of Gaffer / Duct tape over it.  Makes it all the more rock and roll.

[FlyingZ]

Use what the pros use - Bondo!

Don't know about JB Weld but I'm certain bondo doesn't conduct electricity. I got noise through an old power plug hole next to a volume pot before.

[WLS]

Don't know about JB Weld but I'm certain bondo doesn't conduct electricity. I got noise through an old power plug hole next to a volume pot before.

If it's a metal box that conducts electricity then what difference would it make 

Bill

[earthtonesaudio]

I just salvaged a large enclosure that has three 1.5" holes, 4 3/8" holes, and a square hole for a parallel port in the sides, 4 small holes in each corner on top, plus a bevy of threaded holes for the things that used to go in the larger holes.

I plan on doing a variation of the "light emitting border" but on the sides, and just arrange my controls to fit the top holes.

[bside2234]

I've filled holes with solder and sanded it smooth. I used a piece of a plastic sheet that my wife uses in the oven for cookies or baking or something (shh! don't tell my wife. She thinks she misplaced it!) to plug one side and just filled it up. If you have a torch it levels out pretty nice.

[v846]

Another JB Weld user here, stuff seems to hold up OK..

[MikeH]

I've used JB weld or bondo or whatever, and 9 times out of 10 the "plug" ends up coming loose and I get a circular crack through the finish.  I think the fill needs to be anchored to the enclosure better, maybe with a small piece of screen, or just a major wad of the stuff on the inside behind the fill.

[Brymus]

Sorry to hyjack this but I have a JB weld question.
I was gonna use it to attach a heat sink to a chip- does anyone know the thermal transfer properties of JB weld?

FWIW many many years ago I worked in a plant that made pipe from fiberglass and epoxy(JBweld basically)
The pipe was used for moving acids and other harsh liquids under pressure at several hundred degrees.
Ive also used it on my old Bronco in place of bondo -alot harder to work with but the side with bondo fell out years ago -the side with the JB weld is still holding.

Here is a hole solution -use the aluminum tape for duct work and tape it under the hole then fill the top with JB weld and bake at 300 for about an hour.
I repaired the cam on my double bass pedal with JB weld and the oven- it held up until I got a new one.
My friends thought it was funny but it worked through countless practices.

[Electric Warrior]

drill some more holes, paint it yellow and call it the "swiss cheese pedal" 

[mth5044]

Haha wow, many replies.

Unfortunatly, many won't work, due to my lack of mentioning the enclosure is already painted   

To the recomendation of putting something in the hole like a switch, my OP said that there was a switch in there, but I can't fit the PCB in with the switch there so I had to take it out.. that's why the hole is there in the first place 

I could try JB, but I can't be sanding the top of the enclosure.

Stickers and what not would be cool, or tape, but I like the way the pedal looks/is going to look with the decals, and a big power puff girl would just look a bit strange 

Hrmmm