Amp enclosure help

[Holmes81]

Hello,

I'm looking to build a small valve amp AND am looking to also build the enclosure.

I'd like to build something similar(aesthetically) to the orange dark terror amps as can be seen here:

(from Orangeamps.com)

To me it looks like a 1u 1/2 rack on the bottom with the cage and front plate added on top.

So anyone have any suggestions on how to replicate this?

the bottom (control) part is not so bad it's more the top slotted part that I am finding difficult to source.

(Sorry if this is in the wrong forum{possible parts?} please move if required)
Any suggestions?

Many thanks.

 

[Enzo]

What you are looking for is a chassis and chassis cage or chassis cover. Hammond makes them I know, and I am sure others.

Here is a representative sample from one vendor:
Angela Instruments Online Catalog - Chassis - 1451 Series Hammond Cages

Hammond Mfg. - Perforated Chassis Covers (1451 Series)

 

[Holmes81]

That's very helpful, any other manufacturers?

 

[indianajo]

Lansing-enclosures.com of Ithaca, NY has been discussed on diyaudio.com. I haven't used them, I have enough junk stainless motor drive enclosures to build a dozen projects. And I don't have an imported digital camera, so there is nobody who cares what my projects look like. Your project will look better, mine will play music while I am wasting time on the internet.
Diyaudio store below in the vendor forums has an italian manufactured enclosure usually in stock.
I wouldn't try bending up something do it yourself. I have had access to Jet brand press brakes and shears at work, they are totally incompetent at working anything thicker than 18 ga brass. The real thing in brakes and shears are about $5000 each used, probably worn out. I do cut holes in sheet metal with greenlea punches and square holes with drills holes connected by a carbide hacksaw blade. Drill bits over 1/2" diameter (14mm) tear up the sheet metal too much without a lot of special tricks.
Factories use enclosures from Hoffman manufacturing. Nema 12 looks like factory **** but is tough enough and can be screwed to the wall. Don't use the plastic models for linear audio, RF interferance can get in. You can cut up metal mesh for holes for fans with a cutoff wheel on a 4 1/2" grinder. Use safetyglasses doing metalwork. I put nylon bats behind the grills to filter dust out of the air on the fan inlet, something even pro PA gear doesn't have. I get the air filter material and stainless mesh from mcmaster.com, along with boxes of machine screws and nuts, cordgrips, Nema LE laminate for point to point wiring, etc.

 

[tinitus]

there could be many ways around this, but the cost effective is probably to use a Modushop Pesante box

modushop.biz

me..? I would also use plywood

but man, that Orange design is ugly...sorry
but I guess ugly is a way to be noticed too 😀

 

[indianajo]

me..? I would also use plywood

You must not have anybody driving by beeping out "Dixie" continually on his CB or ham radio, when he is not bragging about his equipment with the microphone. No lamp dimmers, computers with switcher power supplies, LED lamp strings in your house. Maybe your house is sheathed in aluminum siding, to be a Faraday cage. The Peavey, Hammond Clock Co., and Dynakit equipment is well protected against RF, but I had to extensively rework the Herald Electronics mixer to keep RF from getting in the steel box and going out to the amp to be heard.

 

[tinitus]

noo.. full metal inside, and plywood outside
but the plywood 'jacket' means you can use cheap metal

 

[Enzo]

I like the Orange design, it is retro-industrial looking. I have some old McMaste PA amps that look like that - minus the garish color.

 

[scrimpu]

Since its already been put out there, that's about the ugliest thing I have ever seen. It looks more like a space heater than a guitar amp.

 

[shanx]

Depending on budget, and what metalworking tools you have you may be able to source the bottom enclosure fairly easily, and get the top cage fabricated. Here is another resource for custom metal that is quite unique. You do the design work with their software, upload the final drawing with a request to quote and they can fabricate it directly from the file.
Custom Electronic Enclosures for Engineers and Designers

 

[Holmes81]

Thanks for the suggestions.

It looks like to achieve the look I want, will require custom metal work.

So at the moment it will just be built onto a standard chassis.

The black terror seems to have divided opinion, it really appeals to me. Probably something to do with function first, or just the simplicity of it.

Thanks.