Hello folk,
I often usse trade offs for the casing of my electronics with wood knowing not being ideal (hlf sheildig effect of metal case).
So why casing became almost as much expensive than a finished low cost device with the electronic and the guaranty at the same price ?
Seems to me than transport increased fees is not the only culpritt ? VAT, well 20% averaage here in EC ? What else justification ?
So what else ? It is very no technology but is expensive (hifi 2000,, etc) !
I often usse trade offs for the casing of my electronics with wood knowing not being ideal (hlf sheildig effect of metal case).
So why casing became almost as much expensive than a finished low cost device with the electronic and the guaranty at the same price ?
Seems to me than transport increased fees is not the only culpritt ? VAT, well 20% averaage here in EC ? What else justification ?
So what else ? It is very no technology but is expensive (hifi 2000,, etc) !
Relatively low production count, service for customers buying only very low numbers, customer desire for a very high quality and best looking product.
but the low prodduction, rest is basic nowadays, no ?
So lake of volume and good purchasers (or suppliers made (OEM assembly) then marketing ?
Wondered nowadays as internet became easier why but Tobao jungle ressellers,, the front end brands makes not direct branding gaving up distributors ? Visibility ? It is just boxes, no need to be tried like a loudspeaker or a c ar I mean...
Hifi 2000 for illustration, not only, became so much exxpensive I consider it the expensive bottle over the cheap perfum of noawdays french fragrances (I'm french, okay I know it smellls good but all the main price is on the bottle and marketing and dream effect.
So lake of volume and good purchasers (or suppliers made (OEM assembly) then marketing ?
Wondered nowadays as internet became easier why but Tobao jungle ressellers,, the front end brands makes not direct branding gaving up distributors ? Visibility ? It is just boxes, no need to be tried like a loudspeaker or a c ar I mean...
Hifi 2000 for illustration, not only, became so much exxpensive I consider it the expensive bottle over the cheap perfum of noawdays french fragrances (I'm french, okay I know it smellls good but all the main price is on the bottle and marketing and dream effect.
Ya think the price of aluminum factors in? 😉
The factor in that DIY audio is a low volume business, so you have to get high margins to cover your costs.
The cost at ePay, AliBlahBlah, etc. has at least doubled in the last 10 years or so, so it doesn't seem to be a localized problem either.
Tom
The factor in that DIY audio is a low volume business, so you have to get high margins to cover your costs.
The cost at ePay, AliBlahBlah, etc. has at least doubled in the last 10 years or so, so it doesn't seem to be a localized problem either.
Tom
Recently I bougt a 30w PP tube amp off ebay built from spare & salvaged parts from a design by the esteemed Claus Byrith.
The builder used an old Sony turntable plinth for the casing - it was a great idea and looks good.
The builder used an old Sony turntable plinth for the casing - it was a great idea and looks good.
Time to them to purchase seond hand life recycling product (green whasing, sometimes less expensive comoddities) locally, less yransport multiple local market and local founder little suppliers ?
Lack of ideas ?
Lack of ideas ?
I found nice cases for amps on Ali and eBay but they are not cheap either. So instead I lately turned to a different strategy: I looked at used and defective amps, PA and HiFi, with scratched front or top, they are often sold by the minimum bid. Then switch the front or double it with aluminum or wood.
I think almost entirely raw material cost. Take a look at pricing for "nice" wood like walnut. It is a fortune. Wood (2x4) spiked during covid but is back down to reasonable again. Cu is also crazy expensive these days. I never remember people stealing outdoor AC units for the coils growing up. I expect it all to get worse as demand side for metals is up for green energy production and supply has not and maybe cannot catch up. Miners are mainly buying each other's assets and not developing new mines much.
If you can find a good donor chassis, putting your stuff into an existing chassis is a good way to go. You can usually add your own front panel and such.
Another option is to go to a metal scrap yard and buy sheet aluminum by weight. Sure. It won't be pretty, but some time with 400 grit sandpaper (or a bead blaster) fixes that. Then just make what you want. I did a lot of that in high school.
Tom
Another option is to go to a metal scrap yard and buy sheet aluminum by weight. Sure. It won't be pretty, but some time with 400 grit sandpaper (or a bead blaster) fixes that. Then just make what you want. I did a lot of that in high school.
Tom
... or the city dump/recycling station. In many places electronics are handled separately and in some cases you're allowed to grab stuff that's been thrown out by others. A quick touch-up with a rattle can will do wonders for cosmetics as long as the equipment isn't all smashed up.
Tom
Tom
I used to find hifi and pc casing in the town main recycling wastes station... Not anymore acess is possible. Here they fed up now about people that look at and look for such stuffs. AT leas there are sometimes braderies basement fests.
Look for cheap leaking coolant PowerMac G5 computers.
Great case. Sometimes very cheap.
Great case. Sometimes very cheap.
one might consider aluminum extrusions.
in the Toronto area there's a company called the metal supermarket that lists lots of shapes in lots of sizes.
I've worked up cases for the BA3018 balanced preamp, the Pearl 3 and ACA Redux balanced monoblocks using these.
all I have to do is figure out how to cut and drill aluminum.
in the Toronto area there's a company called the metal supermarket that lists lots of shapes in lots of sizes.
I've worked up cases for the BA3018 balanced preamp, the Pearl 3 and ACA Redux balanced monoblocks using these.
all I have to do is figure out how to cut and drill aluminum.
You can cut alu with a circular saw, miter saw etc, a carbid tooth is preferred but not mandatory (alu is soft). The surface should be taped off to avoid scratches while handling it. The cut side will not look great but that can be sanded to fix that or you can use a router with a carbid or HSS router bit (usually better surface than a saw cut). You can drill it with any drill press (for correct angle) but tape off the surface first. You can even use a jig saw for cut outs. Practise on a scrap part first though.
Why is casing expensive?
Well I can buy a 48” x 120” piece of .063” Aluminum for $262 off the internet. Or about half of that locally. As far as I know the mill that makes it is just a bit up the road.
I normally get that cut in slices 20” x 48” to fit easily into my small 10 station turret punch. That will give me a flat sheet that has all the needed holes and corner notches. From there it goes into my press brake that bends it into most of the box. Another punched flat sheet becomes the bottom. Perhaps a third piece of .125” thick aluminum becomes the front. Retail price is about $1 per hole. So just cutting a piece with four corner notches is $8.
I can leave it natural finish or have it anodized. Lately my local anodizer has instituted a minimum charge of $90 per order.
So that puts my modesty large case at a cost of more than $125.00!!
Of course if you buy the machines new including an engraver you will spend around $300,000. Used well worn around $60,000. Of course used will require a rebuild or two.
Much more reasonable is a manual shear, a hand brake and a pantograph engraver. Probably under $5,000 with everything new!
All of a sudden the cost of even a Bud box seems quite reasonable!
My turret press does have a counter in it, so I have run it almost 10,000 sheets. My current cases I am making get 24 cases out of each run. Currently building 1,500 units. These are for security microphones used in prisons.
The microphones are dual output, but not stereo, with a built in compressor/limiter and a line level output. Designed to be powered from 12 to 36 volts AC or DC. Almost 100dB range from noise floor to clipping.
Well I can buy a 48” x 120” piece of .063” Aluminum for $262 off the internet. Or about half of that locally. As far as I know the mill that makes it is just a bit up the road.
I normally get that cut in slices 20” x 48” to fit easily into my small 10 station turret punch. That will give me a flat sheet that has all the needed holes and corner notches. From there it goes into my press brake that bends it into most of the box. Another punched flat sheet becomes the bottom. Perhaps a third piece of .125” thick aluminum becomes the front. Retail price is about $1 per hole. So just cutting a piece with four corner notches is $8.
I can leave it natural finish or have it anodized. Lately my local anodizer has instituted a minimum charge of $90 per order.
So that puts my modesty large case at a cost of more than $125.00!!
Of course if you buy the machines new including an engraver you will spend around $300,000. Used well worn around $60,000. Of course used will require a rebuild or two.
Much more reasonable is a manual shear, a hand brake and a pantograph engraver. Probably under $5,000 with everything new!
All of a sudden the cost of even a Bud box seems quite reasonable!
My turret press does have a counter in it, so I have run it almost 10,000 sheets. My current cases I am making get 24 cases out of each run. Currently building 1,500 units. These are for security microphones used in prisons.
The microphones are dual output, but not stereo, with a built in compressor/limiter and a line level output. Designed to be powered from 12 to 36 volts AC or DC. Almost 100dB range from noise floor to clipping.
From what I understand, setting up the extrusions for a heat sink is not exactly cheap either.
Tom
Tom