Really really long enclosures?

[hooya]

I'm maybe going to do a rather odd build. A guy that runs this guitar studio wanted to get a "basics" pedalboard for his lobby, so people warming up for lessons, or just learning about effects, can plug in and hear what some of the basic effects do.

So my initial thought was do just do a bunch of individual boxes and wire up a pedalboard, but then I got to thinking: why not create a meta-pedal? I know I've seen builds like this before, where multiple pedals are in one enclosure. That's kinda what I'm thinking.

I'd wire up a Fuzz, OD, Compressor, Tremolo, Phaser/Flanger/Chorus (not sure what circuit(s) yet), Rebote delay

Put it all in one box so there's only one input, one output, one power jack. That way the studio can hard mount it to a table or something and make it more difficult or impossible for someone to walk off with just one pedal or obviously the whole thing, plus it's more simple, no patch cables to deal with, or power daisy chains, since I'd wire it all up internally. 3PDT switches and LEDs on everything as usual though.

But the problem is finding a box to fit it all in. I'll try to keep all the effects to a max of three knobs, for simplicity sake. Circuit board size isn't an issue because some effects take up almost no board space inside a box anyway, and they don't have to line up nicely.

So any thoughts on a single enclosure for something like 6 effects? Doesn't have to be Hammond, obviously.

[.Mike]

Steel Studs and the $0.25 Effect Enclosure [Geofex].

I'd make one of those, but use some fancy pants wood for the ends, instead of risking injury (you or the users) with sharp folded steel ends.

Also, check out extruded aluminum enclosures. If you can find one that opens properly, that is. A lot of them only have access at the ends.

Mike

[haveyouseenhim]

I'm working on 5 effects + a tuner with a mute switch and a volume roller on the side in one enclosure. I'm probably going to make isolated power for each one too.
Here's the enclosure I'm going to use.

[Mark Hammer]

I picked up a three-button Sunn amp footswitch unit at a pawn shop in Billings, Montana 20 years ago.  Just finished installing a Ross compressor, Tube Screamer, and Rebote 2.5 into it.  One can often find inexpensive "castoff" footswitch units from amps that are suitable for repurposing. 

Another viable choice are old external modems, that also use extruded aluminum, although they are becoming rarer and rarer.  Here's an example of what I mean: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hayes-1000US-External-Smartmodem-9600-Baud-Modem-/110609221571

[markeebee]

Aluminium dado trunking? Like this:

http://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/categories/11407-president-square-dado-trunking-aluminium

Common (and therefore cheap) in the UK, not sure about elsewhere.

[davent]

This was posted on another forum where people were looking for long looper enclosures. They work to order,  i have no idea of costs.

http://www.customaluminumboxes.com/index.html

dave

[PRR]

> dado trunking? Common (and therefore cheap) in the UK....

The term is utterly unknown here.

There are WireMold products of comparable use, but chunky/clunky and you gotta buy 10-foot lengths and usually special-order in places that don't like small DIY orders.

http://www.legrand.us/wiremold/raceway.aspx

Even the new DS4000 series with the delicious curve isn't as nice as your dado trunking.

I've only worked with the bare-bone 2400/4000 series. Steel heavier than a car-frame, and looks about as pretty. The Aluminum would be easier for custom mods and is avilable with pretty curves, but it's too tedious to find the model number you want (I left some nasty feedback), and more tedious to actually get some.

I'm looking again at your dado trunking, wondering if discount-electrical.co.uk and their ilk will 'despatch' to the US, and how hard it would be to cobble our death-trap outlets into your roomy boxes.

[artifus]

The term is utterly unknown here.

perimeter/skirting/bench trunking? http://www.pgrahame.com/products.htm

[roseblood11]

I'd vote for individual enclosures, esp. if the pedals are meant to learn about effects: Understanding what changing the order of the pedals does to the sound is very important...

[asatbluesboy]

The term is utterly unknown here.

perimeter/skirting/bench trunking? http://www.pgrahame.com/products.htm

Any chance you'd know the (Brazilian) Portuguese for that? 

[PRR]

> perimeter/skirting/bench trunking?

No. The word "trunking" in electrics seems to be found only in UK and UK-influenced markets. Just like the concept of a Ring Main. Or the word "pattress" (found in Hong Kong regs but apparently very old in England).

Wikipedia "trunking"

US practice favors a lot of round conduit for rough-work, with bus-duct for larger projects.

WireMold offers a variety of on-wall wireway but most of it too plain-looking to rin in nice offices and homes.

[artifus]

cool. raceway is a new one on me, not heard of it before. tom-ah-toe, tom-ay-toe... let's call the whole thing off...

[davent]

Mammoth have a diecast enclosure that measures 2×2.6×9.75″, a couple of those might be enough to meet your needs, be like building for 1590A enclosures but you'd only be using a couple jacks for the entire build so the space could be there.

http://www.mammothelectronics.com/4S1032L-p/500-1006.htm

dave

[PRR]

> raceway is a new one on me

It is nearly everyday American.

Now that I look at it, I don't know where it comes from. I suppose "race" means big and wide and fast, like the Indianapolis Speedway.... but most car (horse, foot) races go round and round, not here to there.

Ah.... it unconsciously derives from a "mill race" which carries much water to (or from) a water wheel.