One Way To Use An Aluminum RS Enclosure

[Paul Marossy]

When I built my very first effect, about 2-1/2 years ago, I bought a two-piece aluminum enclosure from RadioShack to put my circuit in (Black Cat OD-1 clone). The enclosure originally measured 5"x3"x2" or so high and I cut it down by 1/2" so it stands around 1-1/2" tall. It's been sitting around for a long time and I wanted to use it for something.

I decided a while ago that these enclosures just didn't work for guitar effects, but I revisited the idea last night because I wanted to get my Highway 89 operational, but didn't have a Hammond 1590BB enclosure handy. So, here is what I came up with: (sorry for the grainy pictures  :oops:)

All pots, jacks and switches are mounted in the top half of enclosure. Notice that there is room in front of the 3DPT switch for a 9V battery.



Here is a view of the rear showing the input, output and power jacks.



Here is the top view. To re-use this enclosure, I fastened a piece of sheet metal on top with some liquid nails and drilled new holes as needed.



I actually like the way this thing looks, kind of minimalist and cool. I also like the way the galvanized sheet metal looks, kind of like a flame maple effect...

Anyhow, I just thought I would share this with those who are looking for more easily obtainable enclosures. These can be bought off the shelf at RadioShack, I believe. At least this was the case a couple of years ago. Anyhow, it only takes about 15 minutes or so to cut down the enclosure.

FWIW.  

[ExpAnonColin]

Very guitar-effect looking.  I like how you can fit the whole shebang in it quite well, without being totally packed for space.

-Colin

[petemoore]

Galvanized? Too cool looking to be Galvanized...ok how did it come out so good? You finished it with ...[?].
 I have a bunch of these things, just sitting around, 1 still has a phase 90 in it. Very low weight, and too tall, and looks like a cheepo RS project enclosure...lol
 just an angle plug twisted 1/4 turn can lift the other end of it.
 I like the idea of the added weight, so the thing will sit on the floor on it's own accord. More the merrier with these ultra lights, makes them feel more substantial.
 I think the box's appearance is superb, galvanazed or not, very stable material. The overall appearance looks like 'old' quality [I mean this in a complimentary way], to my eye quite appealing.
 What kind of prep and finishing work was done to achieve this? You have one fine looking piece of metal.
 Also the emblem...where did you get that? I posted about emblems a while back, I keep my eye out all the time for anything that could look like a cool vintage emblem...I have a 'Marlboro" pedal, it has a small emblem on it.
 Tell me more about that galvanized picec please, where did the piece come from?
 Too kool!!!

[Paul Marossy]

pete-

Thanks for the compliments.  

I thought it turned out pretty well for a spur of the moment thing...
About the galvanized sheet metal, it's just this stuff you can buy in a sheet at Home Depot for roof repairs. It's in the roofing section and they come in sheets that are approx. 8"x6". I found the best looking pieces that I could find and I just cut a piece out of a sheet and slapped it on top of the enclosure. Believe it or not, all of the metal is just unfinished. The sides are "brushed" aluminum. The picture makes it look a little shinier and more slick than it really is. It still looks good in real life, though.  :wink:

The Highway 89 logo is just the emblem from the schematic, increased in size and applied to a piece of cardstock, which is then in turn glued to the face of the enclosure. It actually covers up a hole from a pot that was there previously... so this enclosure has housed three circuits now. But, I think the Highway 89 is here to stay.

As far as the weight goes, it probably weighs about 1/2 pound. Like all of my pedals, I put this 1/16" thick self-adhesive foam-rubber stuff on the bottom, which keeps it from sliding around. You can buy 8-1/2"x11" sheets of it in various colors at Walmart for less than $1 a pop. Works great for all sorts of stuff!


anonymous-

Yeah, I like the way it all fits in there, too. I wasn't sure it was all going to fit in there when I started, but I found the most efficient way to pack it all in there.

[Mike Nichting]

Very cool Paul;~~!!!!
I really like that alot~!! Nice,Neat work bro.

All the best,
Mike Nichting

[Alex C]

Yes sir, that's fantastic!  Excellent stuff once again, Paul.   And hey Mike, good to see you back again.  


Alex

[Doug H]

Looks beautiful, Paul!

Doug

[Paul Marossy]

Thanks Doug.  

I modded my Hwy89 per an earlier thread. I changed C6 to a .047 and that seems to sound pretty good to me. Different amps sure react differently to this circuit! It seems that the Fender type amps (tone stack before preamp) make it sound more anemic - I probably need to turn up the gain a little bit, I guess. I don't have a Marshall type amp (tone stack after preamp) to test it out on, but plugging it straight into a digital processor, it sounds pretty fat. Weird...

[Lonestarjohnny]

sure looks nice Paul for somthin you had layin around, good design on your logo and top plate,
JD

[Marcos - Munky]

I used this kind of enclosure, but mine was smaller than this one. Works great for me, and now I need to buy more to use as enclosures.

[RickL]

I've done the same thing with RS enclosures (cutting them down). The ventilated enclosures make great stompboxes if they're cut down by 1/2" to 3/4". I'll also add to the chorus of approval of the added top plate. It looks great.

[yano]

Hey, I went to Walmart and nobody seemed to know what I was talking about...what department do you find this self adhesive foam in?

thanks!

[Brian Marshall]

Hey, I went to Walmart and nobody seemed to know what I was talking about...what department do you find this self adhesive foam in?

thanks!

The problem started when you decided to talk to them.

I swear half the people that work there have fetal alcohol syndrome.


Last time i went to wal-mart i went to buy some spraypaint, and some plastic containers for etching.

Got up to the counter, and it took the girl 5 minutes to scan 3 items.  She was sitting on a stool, because she had back problems, and had 2 operations, and needed another one.  Then she started talking about her boyfriend, and her family.   I said about 3 words.

bri

[Paul Marossy]

yano-

Oh sorry, I forgot to mention that it's in the arts and crafts section, where the fabric and stuff is. They offer about 8 or 10 different colors, including black, which I always use. I think it's meant for kids to cut shapes out of them and stick on stuff. Works great for my purposes. (yeah, most people at Walmart don't know their butt from a hole in the ground - no offense to any Walmart employees. Some of them do seem to be brain dead)

RickL-

They sell ventilated boxes?! I never noticed any of those in the stores around here...

[RickL]

:oops:  Maybe they don't any more. When RS stopped stocking most electronic components they sold them all off at fire sale prices and I bought everything from every store I could find. I'm still using up stuff I bought a couple of years ago and I forgot that it's not stocked now.

Sorry about the confusion.

[Paul Marossy]

No problem RickL. I was just wonderin', that's all.  :wink: