DIY 500 Series Lunch Box

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hoodun

Active member
Joined
Sep 17, 2014
Messages
41
It has to be here somewhere and I just cant find it. I build guitars (with my dad who is the real builder) and I want to make a nice layered wood 500 series lunch box. Maybe even sell them.

Where can I get the correct connectors? Any tips on how to provide the power?
 
I've built 2 or 3 wooden lunchboxes.  Nothing fancy, just ply wood, but they work.    I bought 18 slot connectors, because at the time that's all I could get hold of easily, & found I could buy 2 different sizes of angle aluminium from my local hardware shop that positioned them perfectly to line up with the fingers of the modules.  I used to use a small piece of pcb to block off the 3 slots I didn't use..  I used some aluminium square section bar for the mounting rails, which I drilled & tapped for the screws that secured the modules in place. The cost was probably around £40 UK including the PSU.
 
Rob Flinn said:
I've built 2 or 3 wooden lunchboxes.  Nothing fancy, just ply wood, but they work.    I bought 18 slot connectors, because at the time that's all I could get hold of easily, & found I could buy 2 different sizes of angle aluminium from my local hardware shop that positioned them perfectly to line up with the fingers of the modules.  I used to use a small piece of pcb to block off the 3 slots I didn't use..  I used some aluminium square section bar for the mounting rails, which I drilled & tapped for the screws that secured the modules in place. The cost was probably around £40 UK including the PSU.

Can you post a pict?
 
That's the best I can do at the moment.

One thing I did was glue kitchen foil on the inside of the box, which is connected to the mains earth through the psu box, so that the modules are screened.
 

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Frank Rollen has just released a new 19 inch rack box. The 3U version can apparently easily be made into a 500 series lunch box.

Cheers

Ian
 
I will have to do some searching on a psu. the 51x complicates things but I will need the 24v with latest mic pre.project.

I may be able to get what I need with a 30vac 18 0 18 torrodial and some lm337 lm317 to adjust to 16, 24 and 48? ...research time.
 
Rob Flinn said:
That's the best I can do at the moment.

One thing I did was glue kitchen foil on the inside of the box, which is connected to the mains earth through the psu box, so that the modules are screened.
Which eq's are in the middle?
 
KDE said:
Rob Flinn said:
That's the best I can do at the moment.

One thing I did was glue kitchen foil on the inside of the box, which is connected to the mains earth through the psu box, so that the modules are screened.
Which eq's are in the middle?

MEQ500.  It was a kit that Max Kircher made a few years back.  I say kit, it was the pcb, transfomers & inductors.  The rest of the bits were self sourced, including the front panel & hardware.
 
I just ordered parts for the 51x lunch box. Im surprised no one is making these.

I plan on making a 5 or 6 slot. I believe that is all that is needed since the whole point of the lunch box is to have a single chain to bring with you. Maybe an extra pre.

I am also converting one of my AM16s to a 51x.
 
hoodun said:
I will have to do some searching on a psu. the 51x complicates things but I will need the 24v with latest mic pre.project.

I may be able to get what I need with a 30vac 18 0 18 torrodial and some lm337 lm317 to adjust to 16, 24 and 48? ...research time.

If you are looking for the transformer only I have the following ;

Primary : 115 + 115
Secondary 1:  0 - 17.5 -25.5 @ 1.4A
Secondary 2:  0 - 17.5 -25.5 @ 1.4A
Secondary 3:  0 - 17.5 -25.5 @ 1.4A
Secondary 4:  0 - 17.5 -25.5 @1.4A
Secondary 5:  0 - 48 @ 250mA

Primary : 115 + 115
Secondary 1:  0 - 17.5 -25.5 @ 1.9A
Secondary 2:  0 - 17.5 -25.5 @ 1.9A
Secondary 3:  0 - 17.5 -25.5 @ 1.9A
Secondary 4:  0 - 17.5 -25.5 @ 1.9A
Secondary 5:  0 - 48 @ 500mA

If you are looking for PSU boards I have many options too.

I also have a new 500 series rack in 11, 6, 3, and 1 slot versions.  I am working on timber/plastic  cheeks for the desktop versions but you can also do it yourself. I will be updating the link with the final production stock in Black this week.

Product description;
http://groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=57588.0

White market listing;
http://groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=52462.0

However, here is a quick image of the 3 slot.  The empty slot on the right is to accommodate 2 x single width and 1 x double width modules. Alternatively you can use it for on board power supply.
 

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I was about to e-mail you to report. My deep apologies for the delay. For small batches I am using a small machine shop here. He normally makes bagpipe chanters and has been snowed under with orders. As a result my cases have been put aside. I'll knock his door on Monday to see when he is able to get onto them.

 
sahib said:
hoodun said:
I will have to do some searching on a psu. the 51x complicates things but I will need the 24v with latest mic pre.project.

I may be able to get what I need with a 30vac 18 0 18 torrodial and some lm337 lm317 to adjust to 16, 24 and 48? ...research time.

If you are looking for the transformer only I have the following ;

Primary : 115 + 115
Secondary 1:  0 - 17.5 -25.5 @ 1.4A
Secondary 2:  0 - 17.5 -25.5 @ 1.4A
Secondary 3:  0 - 17.5 -25.5 @ 1.4A
Secondary 4:  0 - 17.5 -25.5 @1.4A
Secondary 5:  0 - 48 @ 250mA

Primary : 115 + 115
Secondary 1:  0 - 17.5 -25.5 @ 1.9A
Secondary 2:  0 - 17.5 -25.5 @ 1.9A
Secondary 3:  0 - 17.5 -25.5 @ 1.9A
Secondary 4:  0 - 17.5 -25.5 @ 1.9A
Secondary 5:  0 - 48 @ 500mA

If you are looking for PSU boards I have many options too.

I also have a new 500 series rack in 11, 6, 3, and 1 slot versions.  I am working on timber/plastic  cheeks for the desktop versions but you can also do it yourself. I will be updating the link with the final production stock in Black this week.

Product description;
http://groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=57588.0

White market listing;
http://groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=52462.0

However, here is a quick image of the 3 slot.  The empty slot on the right is to accommodate 2 x single width and 1 x double width modules. Alternatively you can use it for on board power supply.

I believe I placed an order for a trafo from Classic API, I will have to double check... still have not received it yet so I may need a trafo still. If you sell psu boards that will give me the rails I need, Im interested. The racks look great in those links. Mine will be wood since I am in a family of guitar makers...
 
Rob Flinn said:
I've built 2 or 3 wooden lunchboxes.  Nothing fancy, just ply wood, but they work.    I bought 18 slot connectors, because at the time that's all I could get hold of easily, & found I could buy 2 different sizes of angle aluminium from my local hardware shop that positioned them perfectly to line up with the fingers of the modules.  I used to use a small piece of pcb to block off the 3 slots I didn't use..  I used some aluminium square section bar for the mounting rails, which I drilled & tapped for the screws that secured the modules in place. The cost was probably around £40 UK including the PSU.

Sorry for beating this old dog. Would you mind telling me what PSU you used?

Thanks alot
Peter
 
DawnInEden said:
Sorry for beating this old dog. Would you mind telling me what PSU you used?

Thanks alot
Peter

I made one myself.  Probably using lm317/337.  I don't think I built phantom into the PSU for this particular box because I wasn't using any mic amps in it.  However I built another one since then Which I thin had pahntom.  It's not difficult there are loads of psu circuits that one could use.
 
Rob Flinn said:
I made one myself.  Probably using lm317/337.  I don't think I built phantom into the PSU for this particular box because I wasn't using any mic amps in it.  However I built another one since then Which I thin had pahntom.  It's not difficult there are loads of psu circuits that one could use.

Thanks!

Sorry again, I'm an old noob :). I was thinking of a MW LRS-35-36 powering the  lm317/337 to send the +/- 16V and the +48V.

If you had to guess, should that work?

I was also thinking of using a second LM317 LM337 for the 48V and hook it to the MW. The amount of parts would only be slightly larger, than tripling the +16V.
 
DawnInEden said:
Thanks!

Sorry again, I'm an old noob :). I was thinking of a MW LRS-35-36 powering the  lm317/337 to send the +/- 16V and the +48V.

If you had to guess, should that work?

I was also thinking of using a second LM317 LM337 for the 48V and hook it to the MW. The amount of parts would only be slightly larger, than tripling the +16V.

Sorry, but what is a MW LRS-35-36

Normally better to use a tl783 for phantom power it is more capable with regards to the difference between input & output voltage.  This makes it more reliable in this application.
 
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