It seems like we're always trying to adapt enclosures to meet our project needs or we have to spend a tone of money to ship in enclosures from Asia. What if there was an alternative closer to the States?
I know a friend who owns a sheet metal shop here in Evansville, Indiana. I was talking to him yesterday and asked him if he could make me aluminum chassis for my projects. He said they could if I could draw it up. Basically, I described the NABU chassis and what I would like changed on it for my project needs.
My question to you guys is what general features would you like to see as "standard" and what general dimensions work well for many projects? I'd like to give him a list of the features DIY Audio types want and the 10-15 most requested sizes so he can give me estimated prices for those chassis in both steel and aluminum. I'm hoping his prices will be competitive against imported chassis once shipping is factored into the total cost.
His business has CNC waterjet and CNC punches in addition to the usual requirements of laser and plasma cutters, welders, etc. So he should be able to produce nice, clean enclosures or aluminum faceplates. At a minimum, I'm going to have him cut a design into the top of my NABU chassis with the waterjet if the can mount it in the machine. Otherwise I'll have him create a new top for me with the design cut into it. I'm also going to have him make a prototype chassis for me to post on in this thread for you guys to see the final product quality.
MODS: If this thread needs to be moved elsewhere, let me know. I'm not trying to sell anything myself, just trying to see if we can develop a supplier of chassis that better suite our needs.
I know a friend who owns a sheet metal shop here in Evansville, Indiana. I was talking to him yesterday and asked him if he could make me aluminum chassis for my projects. He said they could if I could draw it up. Basically, I described the NABU chassis and what I would like changed on it for my project needs.
My question to you guys is what general features would you like to see as "standard" and what general dimensions work well for many projects? I'd like to give him a list of the features DIY Audio types want and the 10-15 most requested sizes so he can give me estimated prices for those chassis in both steel and aluminum. I'm hoping his prices will be competitive against imported chassis once shipping is factored into the total cost.
His business has CNC waterjet and CNC punches in addition to the usual requirements of laser and plasma cutters, welders, etc. So he should be able to produce nice, clean enclosures or aluminum faceplates. At a minimum, I'm going to have him cut a design into the top of my NABU chassis with the waterjet if the can mount it in the machine. Otherwise I'll have him create a new top for me with the design cut into it. I'm also going to have him make a prototype chassis for me to post on in this thread for you guys to see the final product quality.
MODS: If this thread needs to be moved elsewhere, let me know. I'm not trying to sell anything myself, just trying to see if we can develop a supplier of chassis that better suite our needs.
Aluminium extrusion to match a mac mini, with the curved corners and inset top panel.
In the following sizes:
same size, double height, double width, double height and width
and finally the big daddy suitable for tube amps: 1.5 depth double height double width.
For the double height boxes: Ability to mount a horizontal chassis plate inside at various heights.
Top and bottom covers available in: aluminium, steel and a few colours of acrylic plastic. White, black and maybe maroon and dark blue.
Option of pre-cut ventilation grilles in one of the metals.
Would be useful for DACs, amps, usb hard disks, TVCs, power supplies.
A nice wood veneer on the top would look rather nice.
In the following sizes:
same size, double height, double width, double height and width
and finally the big daddy suitable for tube amps: 1.5 depth double height double width.
For the double height boxes: Ability to mount a horizontal chassis plate inside at various heights.
Top and bottom covers available in: aluminium, steel and a few colours of acrylic plastic. White, black and maybe maroon and dark blue.
Option of pre-cut ventilation grilles in one of the metals.
Would be useful for DACs, amps, usb hard disks, TVCs, power supplies.
A nice wood veneer on the top would look rather nice.
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