Original La2a case with hinged frontpanel...

Anyone knows were I can get a Original La2a case with hinged frontpanel?
Or something close? Preferable in the EU.

Allied Electronics (US) has this, which is close...

http://www.alliedelec.com/Images/Products/Datasheets/BM/HAMMOND_MFG/806-0896.pdf

Maybe someone with the right tools who can make (custom) it for me?  A paid job so to speak...

There is a whole thread for this.  I'm also currently awaiting a quote from a local machinist on these.  If the price point is right I may have them up for sale, likely in limited quantities.


http://www.groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=42683.msg564307#msg564307

Thanks! Missed that. Searched for La2a instead of La-2a....
Any idea when you know if you'll have these for sale?

I just sent the specs in yesterday so hopefully by next week I can get some estimates and if those sound good, get a prototype for review.

yeah, price, pictures......

status?

Am going to meet with him tomorrow afternoon to go over details and come up with best method and pricing

Might be a good time to get some feeler info on some basics.

What I'm proposing to him is:

All aluminum, 3RU, 120mm or 4.75in depth, hinged front panel.  Basically the same chassis pictured here on pg 3  http://www.groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=42683.40,

except that I want it to have a removeable top piece for easier build access.

I do not know if the pieces for the back, sides, and front panel will be limited to a single standard thickness, but if there's some leeway there is there a minimum preferred thickness for any of these?

I do know that the rack ears should be standard 3/8in thickness - so fairly hefty.

Feel free to add any other suggestions you may think of.


Note -  I want everyone to be clear that the cases I'm proposing are blank, bare bones chassis, no paint or pre-machining.  The idea here is to provide a good chassis that works for La2a, Pultec, Sta-Level etc., and leave the customization to the builder.  I'm also looking at providing a 2RU chassis of the same style for smaller builds - Altec 436, dual tube mic pres or other.

lassoharp said:

All aluminum, 3RU, 120mm or 4.75in depth, hinged front panel.  Basically the same chassis pictured here on pg 3  http://www.groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=42683.40,

except that I want it to have a removeable top piece for easier build access.

I do not know if the pieces for the back, sides, and front panel will be limited to a single standard thickness, but if there's some leeway there is there a minimum preferred thickness for any of these?

I do know that the rack ears should be standard 3/8in thickness - so fairly hefty.

Feel free to add any other suggestions you may think of.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the update.
Here some thoughts:

Frontpanel at least 3mm thick, back can be 2 mm (like schroff cases), sides maybe 3mm as well...dunno, 2 mm would be too flimsy??

Also, is 4.75inch the original depth? If so, maybe add an inch or two, cause it seems that otherwise your limited in your meter choice.
With a 4.75inch depth the original Beede meter will fit but for example a Sifam will tough the turret board, at least that's what I've read somewhere...

If possible, make the frontpanel hinge in a way so the frontpanel can be removed. Otherwise you'll have to send the entire case to Schaeffer for engraving.....

Thanks again for doing this!!

Frontpanel at least 3mm thick, back can be 2 mm (like schroff cases), sides maybe 3mm as well...dunno, 2 mm would be too flimsy??

Also, is 4.75inch the original depth? If so, maybe add an inch or two, cause it seems that otherwise your limited in your meter choice.
With a 4.75inch depth the original Beede meter will fit but for example a Sifam will tough the turret board, at least that's what I've read somewhere...

If possible, make the frontpanel hinge in a way so the frontpanel can be removed. Otherwise you'll have to send the entire case to Schaeffer for engraving.....

Click to expand...

Great points radiance!

I'm hoping to have front panel and sides at at least 1/8in ( 3.175mm) thickness.  It may work out best if the top and sides come from a single sheet of the same thickness.  I will know more on that later this afternoon. Would a thicker front panel create any problems for meter mounting?  I will look at possibility of having one thicker than 3.175mm. 


I'm not sure if 4.75 in is the original depth.  I was going by the one shown at DIYRacked forum (purusha?), actually 120mm which is slightly shorter.  It should be no problem to add some extra depth.  I wanted these cases to have a universality to them and thus be able to accommodate different meters, pots, attenuators etc.  How does 5.5 in (or 140mm) sound?  Or 5.75 in ? Hopefully some others will chime in here.  I think this extra length will work better for the Pultec projects as well. My Pultecs used 8 in depth but I probably could have done them in 5.5.

I can have screw holes for the hinged front panel instead of rivets for clean and easy removal of panel.  Would it make a difference if they were through holes vs threaded?

lassoharp said:

Would it make a difference if they were through holes vs threaded?

Click to expand...

I prefer through hole...

The one on the other thread is only is two pieces .....bottom/back one piece forming an "L" shape followed by the "C" shape piece forming the sides and top. If I had actual dimensions or a dwg file of the unit I could price out in my area.

If you create as above then you would build/solder all components on "L" shape then add second piece at end which is how it is manufactured.

The fabricator I met with this afternoon unfortunately wasn't able to do one at a feasible price point ($180-200). They do mainly custom millwork and aren't set up for economical production quantities.  Too much manual labor involved and no way to get around it.  I spoke with a 2nd shop today that is better set up for large qty production and have sent files for review and a rough estimate on materials and labor.  I plan to meet with him at his earliest convenience to discuss the most economical way to produce these.  I may propose taking on some of the assembly and fitting myself.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I thought it would become expensive...What are you willing to pay max.?
Any news on the 2nd shop?

radiance said:

I thought it would become expensive...What are you willing to pay max.?
Any news on the 2nd shop?

Click to expand...

I'm hoping to get a price point of < $100.  The hinged front panel should not present that great of an extra expense from a parts/fabrication standpoint and ParMetal already offers a more complex 3RU chassis for < $100.  The extra manual work of assembling the whole chassis will be on shop time and I'm looking at trying to cut that cost down by  having the metal shop do the basic box only which would be an automated punch cut with automated tap & die for the screw holes.  The bends will be manual but that's about all.  Then a simple cut for the front panel and that would be it.  I want to buy the bulk hinge and rack ears, which come as standard long L pieces, and have another local shop do simple cut to correct lengths, and then handle final assembly myself.  I haven't heard back from the 2nd shop since sending the drawings last week.  I plan to call this week and try and arrange an in person meeting.  There are several ways the basic box can be made and I want to make sure I understand what the most economical approach will be.  If the 2nd shop doesn't work out I will call others until I find one that is willing to accept the job.  I

As a feeler, what would be a deal breaker price point for the group?  I told the owner of the 2nd shop that I was looking at an initial order qty of around 50 units pending a good price point.  Obviously if the price ends up being very high fewer people will be willing to buy and it may render the whole project undoable.  So it would help if I had an idea of what everyone's cut off point for max cost is.  I'm currently going by the purusha case which is priced at 140USD, though I'm not sure if his cases are pre cut with full front panel graphics or if it's just a blank chassis with painted front panel(no graphics).  If he is offering them pre machined with full graphics at that price it will be very hard to get a price point for a blank chassis that makes sense. 

For a basic unit,
with no cutouts for meters or other front/rear panel drillings,
and no screen printing,
but with rack ears and hinged front panel, I'd be in for up to 110usd or so for a couple of units.

That allows some for shipping to my distant part of the globe

Hope to see your efforts go forward ..

Cheers

Thanks for the input alexc.  I have a feeling it will be slower moving than I was hoping for but I'll just have to be patient with things.

Actually, on further reflection, I'd go up to $130 usd for the no frills unit.

I just love that style of case and there's nothing like it around my parts ..

and there's nothing like it around my parts ..

Click to expand...

Yes, that's the main reason I decided to try and do this.  I wish there was a commercially available equivalent but surprisingly there is not - anywhere that I can find.

What is somewhat ironic about that is that there are numerous standard style chassis and the more complex ones from Par-Metal already out there.  The expense of adding a hinged front panel would not be an excessive one AFAICT.  The front panel does not have to be the fancier Retro type with the twist lock tabs, just simple screws like the UA.  I would guess the market for hinged front panel is equivalent to typical projects the avg DIYer would use the standard chassis for in that they're both relatively small.  If they can afford to produce one type then why not the other?

Do you have dwg files for the chassis.....? There's a shop that my friend uses for amp chassis's who has low prices.....