RackMount Enclosures

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ChuckD

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 3, 2004
Messages
578
Location
Irvine California USA
Hey just wanted to "RE-START" this thread as I thought it was very valuable last time. And I used it to order my Enclosure.

I got Mine at:

http://www.par-metal.com/
2U 10 series cost $49.00 US

DIYer nrgrecording has some great layouts (Gyraf stuff) pre-made at:
http://www.nrgrecording.de/html/schaeffer.html

You can send the files to
http://www.frontpanelexpress.com
For about 50-60 USD they will engrave and Drill the panel.


I just sent mine to FPExpress today I'll post the results when I get it back.
My total cost is just above 100 bucks US for a pretty slick box.


Who had some other/better/cheaper ways???

-Chuck
 
I just wanted to post and say that Front Panel Express (USA-Oregon) totally rules. I had an SSL front Panel made there and it looks fantastic. Everything was straight and all my parts fit no problem!!

I would recommend anyone in the US who needs killer panels to at least check out Front Panel Express. Oh yeah, make sure to DL the newest FPD software (v3.2?) cause the prices are updated. A little more, but sooo worth it...

Oh yeah, the Par-Metal cases have a lip on the front of the top and bottom covers that can get in the way of meters, etc. In the future I will order them without the lip (I think I can), but an easy solution was to buy a nibbler and cut out little sections.

Ian
 
I think FrontPanel is up in Seattle Washington. At least that is where I just sent mine? Not that it makes that much difference.

They have a sister company over in Germany I believe.

The PAR-METAL 10 Series is what you want. No lip on front panel, and it is cheaper! You have to pay extra for the lip to get in your way (I think they call it some sort of RF shield).

-Chuck
 
I'm curious as to the cost of your SSL panel from FPE?

(If you saw my engraving nightmare thread over at the evil empire you'll know why)

cheers,
kent
 
?? More to provide your own???

That doesn't seem right? At least this it what Heinz at FPE said in borken english:

Dear Chuck,

the price we have given to you was based on customs material. If we to provide you with our material the price would be $ 94.75 each.
So, we think it would be a better idea to send us your panels. To the price of $ 61.71 each we have to add one time cost of $ 9.80 for the setting up of customer material.

Best Regards
Heinz

I think that means it is cheaper to provide your own?? Doesn't it?

BTW: This was the quote for the "Gyraf PULTEC EQ" not the SSL, which IAN is right there is more colour on that one.


-Chuck
 
I just wanted to post and say that Front Panel Express (USA-Oregon) totally rules. I had an SSL front Panel made there and it looks fantastic. Everything was straight and all my parts fit no problem!!



Would love to see a pic of your panel :thumb:

Would you be willing to share your FPE design? :razz:
 
Yeah, I need to snap a pic first! I don't know how to attatch the .fpd file to this post, but if anyone want it, they can email me at imacgreg (at) umail.ucsb.edu

Here's info about my Fornt Panel Design:

Designed around the Par Metal 10 series 1U rack case. The pot holes are for standard 24mm pots. The switch holes are for the Lorlin switches. The meter holes are for the Behringer BE46/47/4? series meters. The power and bypass switch holes are for 16mm Omron switches. Feel free to modify at will!!! The rack holes and the holes to mount the front panel to the chassis are NOT in the design, because all my front panels have these holes already.
 
Wow! There's got to be a cheaper alternative! I'd say that's the achilles heel of DIY: project enclosures! To quote Morgan Jones from "Valve Amplifiers" ©1995, ". . .all constructors in the early '60s must have had access to a full mechanical workshop." LOL I know what he means! Actually, he's got a great idea for a cheaper chassis in that book. Doesn't cover everything, but. . . Electronics & mechanical are definitely 2 different sides of the coin, but I gotta say, after seeing how much enclosures cost, I'm willing to learn some metal work! Since it's just a box, all you'd really need is a small press brake, @ $200, and a drill press. Just add metal! You gotta figure, after 2 jobs, you've already paid off the equipment. I guess it depends, also, on how much you plan on building, but to me, that seems the best (not the quickest) solution. Just my thoughts! Actually, the hardest part of making your own enclosure, is the frontpanel, but thanks to NRG recording, for giving me some new insight into this! :cool:
 
[quote author="The Kid"]Wow! There's got to be a cheaper alternative!... [/quote]Yes, I?m beginning to think that the way to go is to lay it out, have a silk screen made, and ink it yourself. For onezees and twozees it wouldn?t be worth it, but for several, it would. For one or two, I?d just buy some decal material at my local hobby shop and print to it with a laser printer.
 
Hey, someone posted a picture of their DIY LA2a not so long ago that had the perfect size chassis and it had a flip down front panel. He said it was a Hammond chassis and that he bought it through a place in Canada. He gave the name but I can't remember it.

I searched quite a bit for that place and through Hammond's website but I haven't found anything about this particular chassis.

Does anyone remember any of the information from that?
 
You know, it wouldn't be that bad to pay for silk screen even if you had only 2 plates to do. Think about it, FP will cost you well over $100 each...at least $80 each if you don't have the teletronix logo done. You can certainly screen your plate for that kinda money.

As for the hammond chassis, it's a standard part and can be had from several places...digikey for one. 5-525D...look http://www.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail?Ref=213734&Row=120439&Site=US
 
Silkscreen = $. Can be self-done, but it works best for making loads, not at all cost-effective for one-off or two-off runs...

I had a really nice method worked out using sticky-back paper lining, but Kruz's site hosted the stuff, and it's currently being rebuilt. Once everything is back up, I can probably post pictures and descriptions again! :thumb:

There's no hinge on the Hammond, but it's pretty cool and very cost-effective for the job... I made mine using a cut-down Hammond Eurocard rack, but they start at $80, and then you have to get front & back panels made...

keith
 
I guess it depends where you live. I can have screens (2 color) made for about $150. It certainly isn't cheap but comparable to engraving.

I'm planning on using these hammond boxes. They will require some modification of course (can't use anything stock :green: ) to get the hinge and rack ears looking right. I'll probably just make new front panels (aluminum) but I haven't decided yet.
 
I bought some Lazertran film recently, some folks seem to have made really good looking panels using the reverse laser-print followed by baking method, and then de-glazing the surface with polish. I will try it next week, the only drawback I can see would be not being able to print white.
 
I was wondering if anyone know's of a good place that makes enclosures where the screwheads don't stick out. I really like par-metal cause they're cheap and close to me but i've been having some rack rash troubles and i've put tape on to solve the problem but it's damn ugly. Thanks
 

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