Pedal Cases and Enclosures

[zpyder]

What kind of boxes do you guys use?  It seems that switches and boxes are about half of the cost of a lot of beginner pedals...

I've heard a lot about the Hammond boxes, what else is out there?  And what are some creative ways to house these things?  I've used old sewing pedals for patch selectors.  I've also used electrical outlet boxes, which work real well, already have holes in them.  Kinda cheap lookin' though.  How about a carved out mini-log....

or.........

[jimbob]

I say use whatever- Its not a fashon show Ive used raco boxes. Mostly I buy from Smallbear the small enclosures. Whatever is cheapest. And not plastic.

[jonathan perez]

theres a member who uses wooden enclosures. theyre gorgeous. look around the for sale/trade forum.

ive used a pringles can as an overdrive..then found out mohomods uses em for amps...

plastic pencil boxes work, too.

[mikey]

Go through the Pictures! thread for some excellent ideas on enclosures.

I've used Bud and Hammond enclosures and right now I'm working on building sheetmetal boxes that hold multiple effects.  It's all good though.

[markm]

I've been using the basic Taiwanese made 1590B + 1590BB but I must say, the picture thread has caused me
to think "outside of the box" so to speak  (sorry!)
Anyway, I like what some of the fellas here have done with the Altoids tins and the pipe end caps from HomeDepot.
Very creative and inspirational.

[Processaurus]

you can team up hammond boxes too, like foxrox did in this prototype.  Notice he puts one upside down so that the angle of the sides of the boxes work better being stuck together. 
Also small bear has a new size box that the EH metal muff uses.  Its still all square and hammondy looking though.

[tcobretti]

I know this is discouraged around here, and I understand why, but I've actually used plastic boxes for many pedals.  In my fairly limited experience, you won't have any problems unless it is a very high gain circuit.  They are certainly less durable, but I haven't had any problems yet.

[petemoore]

  I have cut 'em out o wood. [and shielded the insides]
 I've cut 'n bent 'em outta sheets of metals.
 Never tried plastic. No reason except they're softer and not shielded,
 Anything that works works...
  I use Mostly RACO.
 I found out that 1/4'' oak boards, hinged works great for pedalboard if I mount the bottoms to the boards, boxes to the bottoms..and hinge the two boards [I used seat belt]...lightweight and fits in the suitcase.
 Thing about raco's is epoxy the punchouts before attempting to drill them...unless you  gotta vise and a system for it...I think the punchouts are too weak and I glue 'em all down, from the inside at least.
 

[newbie builder]

I use raco sometimes if I'm not sure I want to devote a real box to a pedal, but if I do I usually use these: http://pedalpartsplus.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PPP&Product_Code=1000&Category_Code=ENC
For smaller pedals and these: http://pedalpartsplus.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PPP&Product_Code=1400&Category_Code=ENC
for more complicated pedals.

[burnt fingers]

I have been using Raco boxes or the Radio Shack aluminium enclosure (Model: 270-238  |  Catalog #: 270-238).  It's pretty decent sized but not too big.  It'll accomodate a lot of circuits and they're $2.99.  I had to have my local rat shack order me a bunch because I kept buying them everytime they restocked.  I finally got tired of waiting for them to restock so I ordered a bunch.

Scott

[oldrocker]

So far all of my enclosures are the cheap plastic Radio Shack boxes.  And even those Ramsey electronic kit boxes.  They're plastic and aren't even a stompbox design (they are desk top boxes).  I shield them if they need it but I have to say I don't shield vary many and I've done about 20 builds so far.  IMHO this is a hobby for me and whatever is cheapest I'll try first.
I even used a plastic CD case to house a Green Ringer and Neo-octavia both inside it.  Although when the picture was taken there was only the GR inside.
http://www.logmonster.com/images/full/?pic=DSC00002_1150472865-422-12418.jpg
http://www.logmonster.com/images/full/?pic=DSC3_1150614807-422-12425.jpg

[petemoore]

  A/B monitor junction boxes are cool, I have a couple of those also.
  Even the little steel thin ones that...well it had a buncha LEDs in it, and the top and bottom are probably 3'' wide, 1/2'' deep, 4.5''...
  I start off with a trimmed height RS alluminum box, about 1'' tall or less, then I put that in a cool looking wood box as top and 3 facia, just made to fit the bottom and partial 3 sides of the...I don't think I ever knew what these are, but often they are found in a pile of computer junk, modem I think..anyway I can make a wood top and sides that pressure fits into one of these as bottom and partial 3 sides, leaving the jacks in the RS end as the 'back side' [slightly ugly side where the RS end mounts the jacks.
  Sounds funky and a lot of work, but the wood looks cool, I like mitering pieces and glueing them, goes quickly, the RS boxes I used for say a phase 90 was too light and once I got a hole through the aluminum, 1/2+ of the mounting was done by the switch. I didn't want to disturb the RS box, but didn't like that it would flip over because of it's lack of weight and width, anyway it was fun to just add that into wood and a different metal bottom...worked out to be pretty EZ, sturdy and look good.
   For wood boxes though I use 1/4'' oak so I can glue and pin nail the sides, slanting the back so I can 'flat drill' from the inside so the jacks insert far enough to catch jack threads with the nut [otherwise I'd have to drill part way through from the outside, and it looks cool havin the back slanted. Then I cut a template out of paper for the shield sheet, cutting it to form the top/sides and back...I use copper sheet, but to access the inside I have a 'bend' instead of a hinge...works fine...I just bend it so far and have to 'thumb hard' very close to the bend, plus I didn't make the bend line sharp...use at your own risk.
  For homemaking boxes, the right tools and experience help...to get a perfect one I had to do a couple 'first ones...use clamps/vise and leather sheet metal gloves...
  For getting large holes in thin copper without twisting the workpiece around the drill bit, I sandwich and clamp the sheet between two boards and drill through the three substrates.

[bwanasonic]

The enclosure and switch is indeed usually the costliest aspect of a DIY project (once you have purchased tools). You have to decide where your priorities are, I guess. I build pedals with the intention of using them in a live setting, so I need an enclosure that is durable, compact, and reasonably *aesthetic*. For my purposes, if something is worth building, it's worth putting in a decent enclosure, so I stick to die-cast aluminum for most things. But I am more of a guitar player, and less of a pure experimenter that is constantly tinkering with various circuits. It may not be a *beauty contest*, but showing up to an audition with a bunch of Raco boxes and Altoids tins will be part of your overall *First Impression*. Whether or not this is good/ bad depends on what you are auditioning for of course!

Kerry M

PS. After reading Pete's above post I realized another major factor is how much time you are willing to spend on an enclosure. This is not an area I seem to excel at, so this is another reason I just shell out the $ for Hammonds, Taiwanese 125Bs, etc. It takes very little effort to make them *presentable*.

[petemoore]

  Good notes Bwanasonic !!!
  Raco's Can be made to look smooth outsided, but that's alot of work with bondo, 3 coats was the min. for me to get a 'perfect' box, although the bondo stands up pretty good, it simply is not as hard as aluminum or metal, and the bottoms sticking out...another matter.
  I just went for the multi-color psychadelic paint jobs that kind of follow the punchout holes...I think they're 'cool'  .
 

[mojotron]

I don't think these are that bad looking, I have a standard 2, 3, 4, 5/6 pot template, I drill out 10 at a time...., link them together, no epoxy, and at $1.5 each I they are dirt cheap - so I can afford cool paint 

[petemoore]

  I think they can be More interesting when they Don't look production perfect.
  Wood Grain can be a very good color for this.

[moody07747]

i just found out about small bear last night  lol

they have plenty of items in stock and they are nice metal

for some other boxes try jameco.com and allelectronics.com