Project Boxes

[Deep Blue]

While I love the project boxes available from small bear... well, let's just say I build my own pedals for a reason, and that reason is that I'm cheap.

Anyways, I did some brief searching around here to see if there was a topic about project boxes, but I was unsuccessful.  I'm sure there have been some and I just missed them, but...

I did see mention of Hammond boxes in a thread somewhere.  I did some quick google work, and found this.  It looks like pretty much exactly what is needed for a (relatively small) pedal.  Are these popular with any of you?  And can anyone find any reason that I sounldn't order a few of these?  Or can someone suggest another cheap (but sturdy) alternative to expensive project boxes?  Oh, and I checked out Junction boxes at Home Depot, and I don't really like them.

Thanks.

[80k]

While I love the project boxes available from small bear... well, let's just say I build my own pedals for a reason, and that reason is that I'm cheap.

Anyways, I did some brief searching around here to see if there was a topic about project boxes, but I was unsuccessful.  I'm sure there have been some and I just missed them, but...

I did see mention of Hammond boxes in a thread somewhere.  I did some quick google work, and found this.  It looks like pretty much exactly what is needed for a (relatively small) pedal.  Are these popular with any of you?  And can anyone find any reason that I sounldn't order a few of these?  Or can someone suggest another cheap (but sturdy) alternative to expensive project boxes?  Oh, and I checked out Junction boxes at Home Depot, and I don't really like them.

Thanks.

those are plastic.  they should work okay but could use some shielding.  after devoting so much time to building a pedal, it's definitely nice to spend that extra few bucks for a die-cast aluminum box.  i stick with the 1590 series.

yea, those Junction Boxes from Home Depot are okay, but you gotta JBWeld the holes and they are hard to drill.

[Deep Blue]

They're plastic?  Crap.  I'm glad you told me that, because I was going to order some.  Apparently, I should learn what "ABS" means.  Thanks for the warning.

[petemoore]

Junction boxes like at the hardware store [used to house/shield] wall wiring in housing/Industrial  
 I take the basic RACO bondo it liberally [1nce or 2wice]/trimming and sanding to a textured or perfectly 'flat' surfaced box.
 I JB welded some too...gets tha tindustrial/ slop look I like.
 Only thing is bonding the punchouts and backing them adequately prior to and during the drilling processes...I knocked on part way out once I have like 5 finished RACO/to stomp bax conversions ... sturdy yes and shielded.....CHEEP

[drew]

"ABS" = acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene. Used to make things like remote controls, telephones, etc.... the amounts of the A/B/S are varied when the polymer is made to give the plastic different properties.

More than you wanted to know - BUT - here's an awesome tip. You can use "plastic weld" (found in many hobby shops) to repair things made out of ABS. The "weld" is a solvent that dissolves the plastic and when you put pieces together after being broken with it, it actually bonds the plastic parts together almost as good as new, no glue or residue. Useful for putting the easily-broken-off screw mounts in plastic drum machines/old pedals back on when you snap 'em off trying to get at the insides...


drew
toothpastefordinner.com

[MartyB]

Been playing with some extruded rectangular aluminum tubing I bought off eBay.  There's a company in Florida that auctions it in 18" pieces.  I paid like $6.00 a stick counting the shipping, but I can get 4 nice size boxes per piece (just slightly smaller than the 1590BB but alot bigger than the 'phase 90' size).  All I need is a cool way to cap the ends, and I'm getting close.