You are lucky if you can still find 'junk' equipment. In my area, things go straight to the 'electronics recycling' where scavenging is unfortunately not allowed.
🙁
Nice ideas - wood with aluminum plates added?
You used threaded inserts into the wood?
Are those glued in or 'screw-in'?
I got the Ashly amp chassis on eBay, it was sold for parts due to the extensive damage to the amp board. I think is was $50, a great deal for a full working chassis without the amp.
All wood?
One problem is heat and ventilation, so you need to be aware of that. Wood is a good thermal insulator (and is flammable! 🙂 ).
If using solid wood, thin panels aren't very strong.
The problem I've found with using wood for faceplates and back plates is that most of the controls (pots, switches) and jacks don't attach well to thicker panels. So I've had to 'hollow out' the wood to allow the nut to thread on to the component. If the component is 'buried' into the back of the wood panel, it can be difficult to solder to it, if modifications have to be made.
I have used a thick wood front panel on the chassis from an old commercial receiver and it looked OK.
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Wood is an insulator, you will need to install a fan or bottom and top vents to remove the heat.
Threaded inserts glued with epoxy.
The first time I fabricated a case like this. Next time will be better.
Most audio should be inside a closed metallic box. Otherwise it picks up all the power hum/buzz in the room, also radio stations.
This does not have to be an actual metal box. I have seen wood and plastic lined with metal foil, that works fine. Kitchen foil works but it and the glue are awkward. Self-stick copper foil is sold for the purpose but very expensive. Go to the home fixing store, duct aisle. The cloth "duct tape" is actually not even good for ducts, and certainly not for shielding. Keep digging. They should have a heavy roll of Aluminum self-stick tape, that's what you want.
Nashua Tape 324A Foil UL Listed HVAC Tape
I saw some interesting ideas for metal layout and drilling in this video:
YouTube
He uses Forstner/SawTooth bits for drilling the larger holes (in aluminum).
If the bits are decent steel they should cut Al OK, though you'd want to find some cheap drills, I think. The good Forstner bits are expensive.
I prefer step drills, and I have a punch for octal tube socket holes.
YouTube
He uses Forstner/SawTooth bits for drilling the larger holes (in aluminum).
If the bits are decent steel they should cut Al OK, though you'd want to find some cheap drills, I think. The good Forstner bits are expensive.
I prefer step drills, and I have a punch for octal tube socket holes.
There's another thread here that's relevant,if you haven't found it already....I just did.
building wooden chassis for tube amp, how to do it right?
building wooden chassis for tube amp, how to do it right?
here is another idea, Post your Solid State pics here.
very very cheap.
I subsequently covered the sides with 3mm red acrylic panel, just slid over it with sufficient clearances.
Here it is sitting pretty on my HT sub .
regards
Prasi
very very cheap.
I subsequently covered the sides with 3mm red acrylic panel, just slid over it with sufficient clearances.
Here it is sitting pretty on my HT sub .
regards
Prasi
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Prasi-
Is that real carbon fiber on the top and base, or 'imitation' ?
It looks excellent.
The plastic surround is a good idea for safety to keep fingers out of the 'sparky' bits!
🙂
Hello VictoriaGuy,
Its from aliexpress, so must be imitation🙂, some thing like this
127cm 3D Carbon Fiber Film Vinyl Sheet Film sticker Car sticker phone motorcycle accessories Cover Waterproof on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group
Yes , I have a 10 month old in house, so have to keep everything protected and covered.
Regards
Prasi
Its from aliexpress, so must be imitation🙂, some thing like this
127cm 3D Carbon Fiber Film Vinyl Sheet Film sticker Car sticker phone motorcycle accessories Cover Waterproof on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group
Yes , I have a 10 month old in house, so have to keep everything protected and covered.
Regards
Prasi
A collection of hand tools: hand drill and drills, file, sheet metal seamer, metal nibbler, hack saw, and sand paper. Combine this with scraps collected over the years, all of which could be found in the odds and ends section of a hardware store or metal shop or bits from a scrap dealer if you don't have a collection or "junk". Here is what I came up with for a low cost chassis.
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For my disco amplifiers I have always used PC cases.
I pull the guts out of the power supply and reuse the mains switch, mains connector and fan housing.
I put a fan on the opposite corner to the power supply to blow air out of the case.
The fan on the power supply blows in air to the amplifier heat sink.
PC cases can be got cheap new or second hand.
I pull the guts out of the power supply and reuse the mains switch, mains connector and fan housing.
I put a fan on the opposite corner to the power supply to blow air out of the case.
The fan on the power supply blows in air to the amplifier heat sink.
PC cases can be got cheap new or second hand.
With the concern around working with ac line potential as large as it is on this site, I am surprised that placing that kind of energy into a wooden box, assumably inside one’s living quarters, hasn’t had the same diligence.
So besides risking your home value, or well being is it not worth the time and effort spared to make a proper enclosure, or is cheaper always better?
I have seen lower powered equipment in lesser enclosures, however they have had been given a ul rating. I would think that a little overkill might be a good thing with diy equipment in the event of any issue.
I use dead amplifier cases for amp projects, I seem to have a few of those.
So besides risking your home value, or well being is it not worth the time and effort spared to make a proper enclosure, or is cheaper always better?
I have seen lower powered equipment in lesser enclosures, however they have had been given a ul rating. I would think that a little overkill might be a good thing with diy equipment in the event of any issue.
I use dead amplifier cases for amp projects, I seem to have a few of those.
I have glued double sided circuit board blanks to cover the inside of wooden chassis. Connected them with wires soldered to each piece and grounded to the central ground point. Seems to work. I have even used one of them as a kind of "ground plane" for builds wired point to point by running wires from the circuit board material to circuit grounds.
You must be worried about all that AC wiring inside your house walls, next to wood studs?
I absolutely do not understand what you are talking about.
How is an aluminum plate fastened to a wood frame dangerous?
Guitar amps have wood cases with the chassis slid inside; all the console stereos, and before them console hifi-s and 'parlour radios' had wood cases.
My amps don't catch on fire, so perhaps I've gotten complacent.
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