Enclosures - 30 cal ammo cans???

[NaBo]

Hey guys, i just had a (hopefully) good idea for an enclosure for some of
my effects projects.  A 30 cal military ammo box!  The size of these
things would be great for 2 or 3 effects in there when you lie it down, and
unlike any other ammo cans i've come across, the 30 cal ones are only 3" to
3-1/2" wide so they wont be ridiculously high off the ground.  they're relatively
cheap too... 5 bucks.  see, im not too concerned with size, weight, or
cosmetics.  i'm concerned with good sound.  to me, the aesthetic lies
within the fact the effect sounds too good to be homemade, but is.  not to
mention the inherent coolness factor involved when you see "200
CARTRIDGES  7.62MM  ..." etc on the bottom of these things.  plus, the lid
is secure (airtight and watertight if the gasket is still in good condition)
and easy to remove for battery changes or any repairs... i mean common
is this not a good idea???  it seems like it to me... but im just a lowly
musician with very limited knowledge of all things electric...  :oops:

I have another question to pose if someone answers "sure, go to it".  i think
i want to still have completely separate power supplies and switches for
however many effects i manage to cram in one... unlike the diagram here
http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/pdf/two_in_one_wiring.pdf
would i have to separate each effect inside the can to avoid risking
hum?  ... like with a piece of steel or aluminum cut to size and partitioning
the can?  what about grounding with the jacks?  i think i wanna keep the
jacks separate too, so i can just completely bypass an effect if i want, or
take it out altogether... but would you guys recommend just one in/out
per can?

I'm stupid, i know.  I really wish i had the time to dedicate to this new hobby
of mine, but im just too busy becoming an english specialist right now
instead of an electrical engineer... (why, im not really sure :roll:)  
But hey, that's what you're all here for! ... right?  riiiiiight?    

[Michael Allen]

Hey man, it's a metal enclosure. Go with it.

If you mount more than one in the same enclosure and you are worried about noise issues and hum, make sure each jack is isolated from the enclosure. You can buy rubber gromet/washers that do the trick...

[vanhansen]

I have several of those ammo cans.  One holds tools in my truck and the other has some stuff in it in the garage.  I have another one that is empty and ultimately I plan on mounting the eighteen or tube reamer together with my Ruby in the same enclosure.  I was looking at the empty ammo can and thought, hmmmm, that would be interesting.  Go for it.

[Paul Marossy]

I had a thought that a .50 caliber ammo can would make an interesting tube amp head...

[NaBo]

Hey man, it's a metal enclosure. Go with it.

If you mount more than one in the same enclosure and you are worried about noise issues and hum, make sure each jack is isolated from the enclosure. You can buy rubber gromet/washers that do the trick...

how would i ground to the chassis then?

[Paul Marossy]

how would i ground to the chassis then?

Star ground. Connect the ground to "chassis" in only one place. It is kind of convention (these days) to use isolated input jacks. You don't want any hum to get picked up at the input and then get amplified...  

[NaBo]

that makes so much sense to me that im actually surprised.  so i just collect the grounds from both effects together and then just use one wire to ground.  no ground loops, no hum.  thank you thank you thank you.  this board = the greatest.

anyway, i picked up 3 of the boxes today from an army surplus down the street (i live in downtown toronto) for 10 bucks each... but that's canadian, and none of the other places i called even had any... and the ones i saw on ebay were selling for around 5$US, plus about 10 for shipping.  so yeah.  im happy with my purchase, they're in great condition.  only thing is, they kinda ruined the coolness factor by putting a slosh of green paint over the writing.  i think i'll just try using a cloth with some paint thinner on it to get down to the good stuff.

[petemoore]

We used to have 'unlimited' supply, wish I could find one.
 They make ashtrays out of them, vases, few other things, great pencil holders etc.
 I don't know what mm these were, but they'd have been perfect candidates for making SB enclosures out of.

[troubledtom]

i've used them , buy all i can get!
             -tt

[cab42]

Reminds me that I have a dynamite box (used for mining in Greenland) somewhere. Hmm - maybe I should use it for a Ruby...

Carsten

[Doug_H]

;lkj

[SirPoonga]

not sure how easy they are to drill either.  But your effects, other than your input and output ports, should be fairly water tight:)  I use these things for geocaching.

[petemoore]

I made an Explorer replacement Brass Pickguard. Long story.
 It started out as about 5'' round, and pretty tall, I cut the bottom off it, cut down the side of it, bend it, Bent it More, Hammered it, hammered it again, kept on hammering it, then about the time I thought I was almost done hammering it some more again, I started to keep on hammering it.
 Anyway I ended up with the heaviest pickguard I've ever seen, large, quite Bad and Brassy to be certain.
 That's what I did one Saturday, with inspiration, a POS Gouged 'ol plastic PG as template, and a whole day if not more to kill, hammering.
 I shure wish I could find my 'Stock from the Penn Central Railroad", the pieces made great anvils...I had a short section of rail and one of those flat plates that go under.