Looking For Used 19 2U Rack Housing

[zaraxisof]

Hello, i am looking for any ex equipment 19'' 2U enclosure you don't need or have spare from old build. Even without faceplate, just for cheap. I have built my G9 pre in an old cash shelf box and would like to use an appropriate box so it will be more cool looking.

My locations are all over Greece and Germany (all over from Stuttgart to Aachen), Europe.

 

[Script]

How about defective, broken or just old equipment on evilbay. Includes delivery. I'm sure there must be something. If you don't need the faceplate, I found digidesign 002 or 003 to be quite spacious for a 2U case (002 is 29cm deep). At least in Japan, recently, a lot of digidesign stuff is selling as junk for as low as 8 EUR. You get power connector and some jacks with it for free. Screws are mostly imperial though, so European screws won't fit. Therefore might have to dremel out some screw rivets on case inside.

 

[MonoCutter]

How about defective, broken or just old equipment on evilbay. Includes delivery. I'm sure there must be something. If you don't need the faceplate, I found digidesign 002 or 003 to be quite spacious for a 2U case (002 is 29cm deep). At least in Japan, recently, a lot of digidesign stuff is selling as junk for as low as 8 EUR. You get power connector and some jacks with it for free. Screws are mostly imperial though, so European screws won't fit. Therefore might have to dremel out some screw rivets on case inside.

That's how i started collecting old Behringer gear back in the days.

 

[Newmarket]

Screws are mostly imperial though, so European screws won't fit. Therefore might have to dremel out some screw rivets on case inside.

Or, as it's a one-off , it shouldn't be too difficult to get hold of a few imperial screws of the correct thread ?
Or re-tap existing to suit metric ?

 

[Script]

LOL, as for Behringer 1U cases, I find them useless -- unless the very very old ones. But those are better sold as 'vintage mojo ' whatever nonsense

 

[Script]

screws of the correct thread ?
Or re-tap existing to suit metric ?

Sure, and if already positioned as needed, or workaround is possible, could use screws it came with.

 

[Analog_Fan]

how about:

Adam Hall 87408V Leergehäuse 2HE
thoman germany
59 €
​

Adam Hall 87408VRack Housing 2U
Thoman USA​

$52

not that expensive.

 

[Newmarket]

LOL, as for Behringer 1U cases, I find them useless -- unless the very very old ones. But those are better sold as 'vintage mojo ' whatever nonsense

I find the problem with a lot of 'scrap' 'consumer electronics' enclosures is that they have been optimised to be low cost for the specific product that they can be hard to adapt for general purpose use without a great deal of work. And front panels can be an issue esp where have lots of 'features' and display apertures etc.
I've had more success with enclosures from basic utility electronics - stuff like defunct network switchers and video sync stuff. They tend to not have much on the panel and a simpler construction ime.

 

[Newmarket]

Sure, and if already positioned as needed, or workaround is possible, could use screws it came with.

Yes. Alternatively self tapping type screws that will 'bite' in there - although not so great for remove/refit if doing that much.

 

[Script]

Adam Hall -- I tried to put a VU metre onto the frontpanel of an Adam Hall 1U. Not easy. Top and bottom lids are made of steel and have wide flaps for fastening the frontpanel. Hard work even with a dremel. Quickly regretted the purchase. Those 1U are OK for horizontal mid-aligned pots, switched, LED etc. -- 2U should be fine though. Back of case too might be steel though.

Long time ago, I had bought a heap of all- aluminium cases of various sizes and depths from modushop in Italy. Good price if purchasing several at a time, i.e. if they still have price breaks. Delivered by mail in a very heavy box that made the postal delivery guy swear

Within EU, could also check out frontpanels.de (Frank Roellen). I think he also sells just single cases.

 

[Analog_Fan]

Adam Hall -- I tried to put a VU metre onto the frontpanel of an Adam Hall 1U. Not easy. Top and bottom lids are made of steel and have wide flaps for fastening the frontpanel. Hard work even with a dremel. Quickly regretted the purchase. Those 1U are OK for horizontal mid-aligned pots, switched, LED etc. -- 2U should be fine though. Back of case too might be steel though.

Long time ago, I had bought a heap of all- aluminium cases of various sizes and depths from modushop in Italy. Good price if purchasing several at a time, i.e. if they still have price breaks. Delivered by mail in a very heavy box that made the postal delivery guy swear

Within EU, could also check out frontpanels.de (Frank Roellen). I think he also sells just single cases.

a Dremel is a hobby tool, not suitable for metal thicker than 0.1 mm.
Don't use a Dremel, it's good for modeling (very) thin pieces or soft material

to put a VU meter (or anything square, triangle or whatever) in a sheet of metal, you use masking tape on the right location, than draw the rectangle on there.
then you need a centering tool:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punch_(tool)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_center_punchYou want to drill a hole of 10 mm in each corner, so you need to punch a centering hole roughly 5,x mm from the outline of the square you wanna make, close to the corners of the shape on your masking tape, than you drill the 4 holes (first you drill with 3 mm to be fast and exact, than with 10 mm to widen the hole) but have them big enough hole so you can enter with the blade of a jigsaw (remember to mask the entire area) or small metal saw blade by hand to remove the square. than you file the hole you made to the exact specification you made on the masking tape, easy.

 

[Script]

Image shows what I meant, similar, problem with the flaps/folds on a 1U case lid that wouldn't close. That cutout (with a cutting disc for thin metal incl steel) makes space in the fold for a toggle switch that is not centre-aligned on the faceplate. Wouldn't want to do that by hand, especially when it's steel.

 

[zaraxisof]

About faceplates, i have a close friend with CNC machines and lasercutters so i usually just get blank plates and engrave my own labelling.

How about defective, broken or just old equipment on evilbay. Includes delivery. I'm sure there must be something. If you don't need the faceplate, I found digidesign 002 or 003 to be quite spacious for a 2U case (002 is 29cm deep). At least in Japan, recently, a lot of digidesign stuff is selling as junk for as low as 8 EUR. You get power connector and some jacks with it for free. Screws are mostly imperial though, so European screws won't fit. Therefore might have to dremel out some screw rivets on case inside.

Yeap, old junk equipment would be a nice option. I have a Fostex 2016 19 2U line mixer that I don't use but its width is lilited for the G9. But i could sell this , buy something like that (or Adam Hall's one) and make / keep some extra money too lol.

https://www.reichelt.com/be/en/19-rack-housing-2-u-sin-2-he-sw-p247241.html
But if anyone has any of those, is welcomed.

 

[Analog_Fan]

Image shows what I meant, similar, problem with the flaps/folds on a 1U case lid that wouldn't close. That cutout (with a cutting disc for thin metal incl steel) makes space in the fold for a toggle switch that is not centre-aligned on the faceplate. Wouldn't want to do that by hand, especially when it's steel.

yeah, you will succeed, i even modified a cars body structure (the cars ladder frame / structure underneath of a uni body car) with that (in a hard to reach by anything else corner).
i used the the whole box of disc's for a cut of a bit more than 3 cm in length, well 3 cuts. around and estimated 25 or more disc's.
1 mm or 1.1 mm tick steel, i was constantly changing the replacing disc's for a total cut of of something like 9 cm in total.
Pretty sure anyone would get terrible mad and irritated.

much better using a jigsaw of just by hand (after drilling 2 or 4 holes), taping the blade with paper masking tape to give it some body to hold on too.
Althouhg you might need special swiss files if the holes are smalls you're trying to make.

https://www.mcmaster.com/swiss-pattern-files/precision-file-sets/

 

[Script]

Digidesign rack 002 looks like this. Sturdy case. That grey frame is just plastic. But you don't need the faceplate anyway. Sides have many holes for ventilation.

 

[zaraxisof]

I've had more success with enclosures from basic utility electronics - stuff like defunct network switchers and video sync stuff. They tend to not have much on the panel and a simpler construction ime.

Or an Equalizer scrap unit like Peavey 431F or DOD 831? I can find some of them pretty cheap (10-20 bucks) in my area.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/265214916274
https://www.ebay.com/itm/254821683024
What do you think? Especially this grey DOD one looks like oldie.. mojo lol

Plus, with the DOD you get a nice power socket and two XLR holes ready to use. But, the DOD is 16cm depth (Peavey is 25cm). Do you think it will fit the G9 pre inside?

 

[Script]

Nice cases. Scrap graphic EQs don't show up often over here

 

[joeblack007]

Or an Equalizer scrap unit like Peavey 431F or DOD 831? I can find some of them pretty cheap (10-20 bucks) in my area.

Wow! I kept two Dod 831 for the purpose of modifying them when I will have time after I have discovered they were one of Jim William's favorite secret weapons... I never thought about disassembling them for the parts...

''I do have a few faves I use around here. I have some old MXR graphics. Those were rebuilt entirely but they are proportional Q graphics, a rare beast these days as all modern graphics are constant Q using bandpass filters.

Those have the ability of creating complex EQ curves while still extrapolating the filter points into a very smooth line. If you make a big smily face on it, it will look just like that on the graphic analyzer.

Now if you create the identical pattern on a constant Q graphic, you will see "nipples" at each band center, there is no way to make that curve smooth without those bumps at each band center. The curves look like a picket fence, a round curve with little bumps. The resulting phase shift response is equally bad.

I also have an old DOD R-831 31 band graphic. It's also a swinging input proportional Q design but it's not limited to + - 12 db ranges. That one will boost/cut up to 30 db! That one is my guitar sounds tweaker as it's so powerful. Only the original "Frequilizer" from the 1970's has that much range. That one did + - 30 db in a sweep EQ design. Stevie Wonder still has them but I can't buy it from him, he keeps everything.

I also have/use a custom made Neve 81 series "formant spectrum EQ" stereo EQ. It was built with quality film caps and opamps, it's very effective with + - 18 db range. The hi/low shelf is unique as it has a very sharp shelf bend at max boost/cut. I've not found another design that can do that. The phase response isn't that great but that's to be expected with a bit of non-linearity.

The rest are the console EQ's, those are very effective as I don't need the outboards most of the time. Like Fletcher, I like proportional Q EQ's a lot. They are more forgiving. ''

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

 

[zaraxisof]

Wow, didn't know that. Network switches, server rack housings and non audio rack stuff goes pricey here, on the other hand old or cheap brands of audio rack effect processors, comps, eqs etc sell for nothing in many cases.
Will find a cheapo brand like Behringer or so, or I'll get the DOD's (it's a pair) and will fit the one's inners into my old cash self box. I didn't say i will through its circuit into garbage, no way indeed.
Another issue with the DOD is its depth. It's 6" / 15.3 cm.
G9's pcb is alone 14.5 cm. Count the control pcbs(back of faceplate) , they add a little extra depth too. Do you think it won't fit?

 

[Newmarket]

Wow, didn't know that. Network switches, server rack housings and non audio rack stuff goes pricey here,

For clarity. I'm talking about old stuff that now has no use on today's networks etc.