>>> Looking for some feedback...

[O]

I have been thinking about this for a few months, so I figured I would come in here for some feedback, suggestions, comments, etc...

IF there was another alternative to the Hammond and the Hammond-style boxes for enclosures, how many DIYers would be interested.

Would a Boss style or an Ibanez TS-9 style be more practical? Any other styles?

Aluminum cast boxes seem to be popular because of the ease of use/drilling/finishing, would they need to be cast from any other type of metal?

What are the most desireable dimensions? Would having an option between sizes be better?

Lastly, what would YOU expect to pay for a cast aluminum, Ibanez-style enclosure ready to house your next DIY project?

I hope I'm able to get some great feedback. I'm really excited about this opportunity, but I need y'alls help. If you have any questions, feel free to drop me a PM and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks in advance for all the help!

[petemoore]

Aliminum is cool, anything else metal and strong would be cool.
 Three things I'd like:
 Shallow [high enough to fit a big dual pot + about 1/4''] or 1 1/4''
 Long [enough to fit a long circuit behind/between where I put jacks and pots]
 Wide [Enough for two or three circuits per box].
 ...that's me...I put the pots to one side of the board, then the board flips over with just removing the board mounting screws.
 There's a limit to how large the top surface can be and still be strong enough, depending on the type and thickness of metal used.
  I've been using big ones more lately, I can get three effects I know I use in one of them to work great together, using fewer jacks and battery clips is a nice feature...just plug the multibox in and go !
  I have one, it's an extruded aluminum panel [has 'L' shapes in the extrusion  for strength] it's a 'top...2 feet+ by 7'' and 1 1/4'' sides that are framed around in wood... it houses a booster, an Obsidian, a Tycho Octave, and a PHazer, still has room for more.
 I notice it stays put well. EZ to get into and rewire/mod. Small is cool, but I have to say iron accessability to bottom of board and general elbow room makes it easier to house circiuts.
 Sometimes I bend my own, and they're 6'' by 8'' tops, 1 1/4'' sides, I fit 2-3 circuits in these, could probably cram even more in...[but IMO, then it would be cramped...lol].

[Khas Evets]

Check out this site.

http://partouze.chez.tiscali.fr/stomp/introbox.htm

[MartyMart]

I think the the "Ibanez"  size would be fine, so long as we could use the area that normally has their switch in !!
I have a couple of those "hairforce one" box's and they are a nice size.
I would love a "sloping" box the size of a hammond BB, with the same screw on bottom plate, I've put too many circuits in "B" size boxes, that are tight and difficult to work in.

Marty.

[O]

@ Petemoore - thanks for the input. I'll keep that in mind since I think that housing 2 effects in one enclosure is a cool thing (maybe a narrower version of what you usually use might be more useful to everyone?)

@ Khas - I've seen that site and based on what I've read here, the boxes seem to be very well made.

@MartyMart - Would having a battery compartment accseible from the outside be beneficial? Would having a sloped front on the Hammond BB boxes leave less room for the battery?

Thanks for the input so far. I hope more people jump on here with their "wishlist" as far as DIY-oriented enclosures go.

[MartyMart]

@MartyMart - Would having a battery compartment accseible from the outside be beneficial? Would having a sloped front on the Hammond BB boxes leave less room for the battery?
[/quote]

I was not very clear, sorry  Hammond B or BB sizes are fine but I dont find them "deep" enough, I use 'BIMBOX" enclosures which are about 1.5cm deeper, much easier to fit a circuit/etc inside.
So if there were enclosures of those sizes, deeper at the back and sloping down to "hammond" depth at the front, that would be FAB !!
Battery access, like Ibanez or a small "clip& 1 screw" would also be great

Cheers,
Marty.

[O]

Marty, do you have dimensions for the Bimbox handy?

[javacody]

I agree with Marty. If you end up having more than one box made, perhaps you can make a single effect box and a multi effect box, with room for approximately three effects. I like the multi effects idea as a DIY'er, as it is economical and handy.

[O]

So an enclosure that could house 3 effects + batteries?

For everyone that has responded, what would be a basic dimension for a single effects box? dual? triple? (LxWxH with a sloped front)?

[JimRayden]

Sloped front is a cool idea indeed. I don't think the big pressable thing on the top will be suitable for DIY boxes though. I think the big metal round simple switches will be one of the characteristics of DIY boxes for long time to come.

But a simpler mechanism for opening the lid would be cool. It would actually be possible to make it work with only 1 screw while being safley closed and easily opened.

Maybe an extra wall in the box for dividing it into 2: Main area and battery compartment. Maybe it's not so necessary afterall. :\


---------------
Jimbo

[MartyMart]

Marty, do you have dimensions for the Bimbox handy?

BimBox ( 1590B size ish ) is L 12cm x W 6.5cm xD 3.7cm  not including the bottom plate !
Slightly bigger than hammond and much deeper !
A hammond 1590BB  is L 11.5cm x W 9cm x D 3cm

Marty.

[O]

Thanks Marty

What about a Boss style box that is replicated almost exactly. Wouldn't a "blue" switch and the 9v battery fit under the lid?

Thanks for the feedback... please keep it coming.

[Khas Evets]

I'd use it.

[O]

Ok, here is what I have so far.

1. A boss-style box, but wider.
2. A "multi-effect" box that can house 2 or 3 effects at once.
3. An ibanez-style box

Now, as far as price goes, what would be something reasonable for each of the boxes? The boxes will be cast aluminum, unfinished, undrilled.
(who knows, I might get brave and see if I can get a wah shell cast too)  :twisted:

[PB Wilson]

I like the size of the BB enclosures, but like others who mentioned it above, I'd like more depth. Not two inches high like the C-style enclosures, but somewhere in-between. The height of the Taiwanese 125-B enclosures is great, but are too narrow for some boards. Hammond does make some enclosures this size, but I haven't found a source that prices them around $8 US to make me buy a few.

Sloped enclosures are cool, but are expensive. A rectangular cast enclosure seems the way to go to keep it strong enough, easy to work with and affordable for me.

[PB Wilson]

I'll add that I want a deeper enclosure so I can put the In, Out and power jacks along the back with pots directly over them. A BB enclosure is too shallow.

[JimRayden]

I'd take one wah-box, please.  

Never seen a newly made wah box for DIY-ers yet.

------------
Jimbo

[O]

Well, depending on how well it goes in moving these boxes, I might try to do a wah shell next.

[petemoore]

Any kind of foot controller that you can stick a regular pot in would have it's uses for sure.
 I wonder how much trouble has been spent looking for a way to add conductivity to a side of plastic, like the inside of an enclosure. Some type of coating that the jack lockwashers could dig in to.
 Seems like PVC would be strong enough, but it only comes in a limited variety of shapes. For a production run, stamping a thin metal insert for shielding inside PVC might be worth looking into.  :roll:
 Too bad we can't talk RACO into making the junction box jeeest a leeeetle longer, and to forget about having to be stamping all those silly punchouts.

[O]

Ideally, I would like to get a run of wah shells... unfortunately, they are more expensive to make and require more parts. I'm going to get a run of the boss-style boxes made and see how they do.

I'm getting prices on the boss-style boxes tomorrow, so hopefully it will be something everyone can afford.