The shop I go to I believe is called "The Metal Supermarkets" , I believe they have chains across the US and Canada and do internet orders .....
Google it ....
Cheers
Peter Daniel describes how he builds a chassis here: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/everything-else/13246-way-build-chassis.html
Thank you very much. very informative. Hmm my transformers probably >10 lbs so maybe I should go with like 1/8"..
Yeah that's what I've been looking at too. Pretty good prices
what did you do for feet?
FWIW I have been making my amp chassis since forever (1969).
Always aluminum, hate iron for all the extra work it needs, including sanding/filing rough edges and burrs, anti-oxidation treatment , etc.
In the beginning, I had flat sheet cut and bent at some fabricator's, everything else was drills, Greenlee punches and filing.
I chemically treated surface to get good paint adhesion, and started silkscreening.
Later I bought punchers and dies, which allow holes of any shape (rectangular rocker switches, slots for slide pots, etc.) plus cutting perfect, almost burr less holes.
Even later, bought my own shear and folder to be able to work at a Pro level, at home, and finally got an Aluminum processor to make custom sheets for me, in a size where I have no waste and in the metal hardness I need.
Some examples:
1) a 1972 200W Power Amp (still working weekly ); vendor cut and bent 2mm aluminum, all round (drill) holes, printed paper panel behing 2mm acrylic:
2) home cutting custom 43cm x 1 m x 1.5mm aluminum sheet, with an old shear bought as scrap:
3) bending aluminum , press folder also bought as scrap but added custom made "V" blocks, allow sharp or rounded bending:
4) Full homemade rack cabinet (meaning I started with a flat sheet of metal, not just drilled a pre-made cabinet):
In Stadium use, among some distinguished friends (the top siver one is also mine) :
When I say Stadium, I refer to this:
5) silkscreening panels:
6) some end product panels and chassis:
As you can see, aluminum is a *very* flexible material, and allows Pro results with inexpensive tools.
Always aluminum, hate iron for all the extra work it needs, including sanding/filing rough edges and burrs, anti-oxidation treatment , etc.
In the beginning, I had flat sheet cut and bent at some fabricator's, everything else was drills, Greenlee punches and filing.
I chemically treated surface to get good paint adhesion, and started silkscreening.
Later I bought punchers and dies, which allow holes of any shape (rectangular rocker switches, slots for slide pots, etc.) plus cutting perfect, almost burr less holes.
Even later, bought my own shear and folder to be able to work at a Pro level, at home, and finally got an Aluminum processor to make custom sheets for me, in a size where I have no waste and in the metal hardness I need.
Some examples:
1) a 1972 200W Power Amp (still working weekly ); vendor cut and bent 2mm aluminum, all round (drill) holes, printed paper panel behing 2mm acrylic:
2) home cutting custom 43cm x 1 m x 1.5mm aluminum sheet, with an old shear bought as scrap:
3) bending aluminum , press folder also bought as scrap but added custom made "V" blocks, allow sharp or rounded bending:
4) Full homemade rack cabinet (meaning I started with a flat sheet of metal, not just drilled a pre-made cabinet):
In Stadium use, among some distinguished friends (the top siver one is also mine) :
When I say Stadium, I refer to this:
5) silkscreening panels:
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
6) some end product panels and chassis:
As you can see, aluminum is a *very* flexible material, and allows Pro results with inexpensive tools.
I used the rubber feet from an old stereo and attached them to the bottom ....
Scrap yard
Hey every town in america has a scrap metal place. Find it. You'd find they sell metal by weight. I pay 1.75 a lb for aluminum @ a place called Foils (yea I know they sell only tin foil is the joke) in harrisburg NC. Alcoa and a 100 others are in every city in america.
You may have to recognize and buy, cos usually they dont have it rated properly. But 6061 and 2024 dominate the aluminum market. You like diamond plate in your amp = easy easy - its usually 6061 and shiny to start with and near freaking indestructible.
Feet - lots of machinery and tool stores have feet in their catalogs. I paid $5 for a baggie full - like 20+.
Cool.
Srinath.
Hey every town in america has a scrap metal place. Find it. You'd find they sell metal by weight. I pay 1.75 a lb for aluminum @ a place called Foils (yea I know they sell only tin foil is the joke) in harrisburg NC. Alcoa and a 100 others are in every city in america.
You may have to recognize and buy, cos usually they dont have it rated properly. But 6061 and 2024 dominate the aluminum market. You like diamond plate in your amp = easy easy - its usually 6061 and shiny to start with and near freaking indestructible.
Feet - lots of machinery and tool stores have feet in their catalogs. I paid $5 for a baggie full - like 20+.
Cool.
Srinath.
That's a computer case.
I prefer Par-Metal:
Par-Metal
For materials, Speedy Metals has been good for me:
Speedy Metals Online Industrial Metal Supply
I'm in Canada, the only scrap place we have is the government run dump. I know there is electronic disposal there but I don't know if they let you take anything. I will check today.
That silverStone case is $$$$$ ....
Seriously - get a cassette deck from the 80's 90's. One of em black metal case jobs, not the pseudo silver plastic junk. Gut it. Stuff the inside with your amp. As a bonus you have a 9-15v trafo you can wire up to some unholy tube pre ... and slap on a face plate.
Or VCR case ... or any other un functional amp/receiver/cd player etc. Would look like it came from the factory ... cos it did.
Cool.
Srinath.
Seriously - get a cassette deck from the 80's 90's. One of em black metal case jobs, not the pseudo silver plastic junk. Gut it. Stuff the inside with your amp. As a bonus you have a 9-15v trafo you can wire up to some unholy tube pre ... and slap on a face plate.
Or VCR case ... or any other un functional amp/receiver/cd player etc. Would look like it came from the factory ... cos it did.
Cool.
Srinath.
Loved Speedy Metals, a treasure cove.
They have *everything*.
Par Metal is impressive ... but their prices are impossible.
Almost U$450 for a custom punched and silkscreened 2U Rack cabinet
Nothing, of course, for their "star" customers (Boeing/IBM/Lockheed/etc.) .... but for the average hobbyist it's murder.
They have *everything*.
Par Metal is impressive ... but their prices are impossible.
Almost U$450 for a custom punched and silkscreened 2U Rack cabinet
Nothing, of course, for their "star" customers (Boeing/IBM/Lockheed/etc.) .... but for the average hobbyist it's murder.
Canada is one of those countries I've lived in where nothing seems to make sense.
I guess this is one of those.
In my town scrappers cant wait to get their crap out to resale @ retail scrap metal prices instead of cart it to the smelter by the trailer load and get less $$$ ... I buy scrap from them, like wires and transformers out of microwaves etc etc I pay between 50c and 80c a lb depending on what it is. Aluminum is $1.75 a lb, I bought a 4lb 1/8th sheet of 2024. Looks beautiful, cost me $8 or so.
@ smelter they make less than 50 /lb. Anyone who discourages counter sales and only trucks them out is a moron IMHO.
In toronto I've had so much trouble getting parking for my motorcycle. Car lots wanted waaaaaaaay more for parking a motorcycle in a wasted corner spot WTF, that spot sitting there with no $$ comming in - I'll give you $25 a month, nothing you have to do really except not tow the thing if its there. They said no. WTF.
Others didn't want to park a motorcycle at all because there was a sign on the gate arm that said no pedestrians, bicycles, motorbikes, and showed the gate hitting a guy on the back. WTF ...
I love timothy's coffee though, so I guess every place has its advantages.
Oooo dude - take a bunch of wrenches, cutters and pliers and what not with you and go down to your nearest stop sign ... that is decent grade aluminum. A bit thin though.
Seriously man, a VCR is $5 to 10, an old boat anchor like a hitachi or nec from 1985. Craigslist for it.
Cool.
Srinath.
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