The Perennial Project Enclosure Problem

[ruffrecords]

Whenever you design a small project, whether it be passive, semiconductor or tube based, at some point you have to think about the enclosure it is all going to fit into. Full disclosure, my mechanical skills are poor. What used to be called "fitting" is all I can manage these days. Forget about drilling or filing holes and bending metal. I am happy to have a flat panel made by Frank Rollen, for example, and fit the controls and connectors to it but that is as far as I want to go.

The panels themselves are not the issue. The problem is finding an enclosure with the panels in the positions I want them. For some projects, a flat panel at either end of a box is fine. It worked well for the Classic Solo Project and I build all my power supplies this way and there are plenty of readily available standard enclosures of this type. However, there is a whole range of projects where what you really need is a nice flat removable panel on the top onto which you can fit the controls, and another nice flat panel at the back onto which you can fit the connectors. And it would be really nice if it came in a broad range of sizes. I have searched widely but as far as I can see this kind of enclosure does not exist so I was wondering if there is some fairly easy way of creating it? Would it be possible to make one using extrusions to make corners (similar to the way I have seen in pictures of Calrec modules) or maybe a framework could be 3D printed and have metal panels fitted to it. Bottom line, it would be nice to have a scaleable standard solution to this problem.

Cheers

Ian

 

[beatnik]

Extrusions need to be cut to size and probably adding threaded holes / inserts, which requires dedicated tools.

I have been using Ettinger threaded blocks together with flat plates to make rectangular enclosures of custom sizes.

https://www.ettinger.de/en/p/cube-standoff-threaded-4-x-m3/5x10x15-brass-nickel-plated/005.60.733

Frank also sells them, I actually have to credit him for this idea. But you will pay a lot less for the 100pc bag from Ettinger or their distributors.

https://shop.frontpanels.de/Threadblock-M3-1-piece

This system is very simple to use, just design the flat parts with Front Panel Designer or your favorite software and put them together using the threaded blocks.

I have been using these blocks with 1.5mm thick laser cut steel and the mechanical strength of the enclosure is excellent. It's also comes out extremely cheap.

For a small size case it's enough to have 8 pieces one in each corner, more intermediate blocks can be added if need extra support.

The blocks are threaded on all sides which is very useful because on the inside it can double as a pcb standoff, so the bottom set of blocks could be used to attach the bottom cover on the outside, and the motherboard on the inside.

 

[ruffrecords]

Hey Beatnik, many thanks for your reply.

You know how when you go to the supermarket but there is just one item you cannot find anywhere? So, you ask a member of staff and they point to the shelf right in front of you! That's how I feel right now. I already use Ettinger blocks in the modules of my tube mixers (the 223) but I have never come across the one you pictured. I usually get mine from Farnell but they do not seem to stock that one. Just need to find a local supplier.

Cheers

Ian

 

[beatnik]

I doubt you will find a UK supplier, at least I couldn't while I was living in the UK so ended up buying a few from Frank.

But it looks like you can get them directly from Ettinger in 100pcs bag

 

[ruffrecords]

I just tried Ettinger but they want a 30 euro export fee plus 24 Euros shipping which effectively doubles the price.

Cheers

Ian

 

[beatnik]

You might try SOS electronic which I also remember gave me a quote back then, maybe they don't have the processing fee at least.

Does Ettinger have the same processing fee for EU exports ? Otherwise I could order these to Italy and then send them to you with regular post. I might use a few pieces myself if you don't need the whole lot.

 

[Matt Syson]

You can thank UK people who voted for Brexit in 2016 for the extra hassle and cost.
Getting things through customs is a 'lottery' which may work or may not. I am still waitimg to find out if In Item I sent to the UK from France has had customs charges added. It did arrive in a week however.

 

[pvision]

I just tried Ettinger but they want a 30 euro export fee plus 24 Euros shipping which effectively doubles the price.

Cheers

Ian

Worth checking CPC Farnell. They have the 10 x 10 x 10 blocks listed plus a lot more Ettinger parts including some nice M3 brass spacers

 

[ruffrecords]

Worth checking CPC Farnell. They have the 10 x 10 x 10 blocks listed plus a lot more Ettinger parts including some nice M3 brass spacers

I tried both Farnell and CPC but neither one stocks it. The 10mm cube might well do for larger projects though.

Cheers

Ian

 

[MidnightArrakis]

Whenever you design a small project, whether it be passive, semiconductor or tube based, at some point you have to think about the enclosure it is all going to fit into. Full disclosure, my mechanical skills are poor. What used to be called "fitting" is all I can manage these days. Forget about drilling or filing holes and bending metal. I am happy to have a flat panel made by Frank Rollen, for example, and fit the controls and connectors to it but that is as far as I want to go.

The panels themselves are not the issue. The problem is finding an enclosure with the panels in the positions I want them. For some projects, a flat panel at either end of a box is fine. It worked well for the Classic Solo Project and I build all my power supplies this way and there are plenty of readily available standard enclosures of this type. However, there is a whole range of projects where what you really need is a nice flat removable panel on the top onto which you can fit the controls, and another nice flat panel at the back onto which you can fit the connectors. And it would be really nice if it came in a broad range of sizes. I have searched widely but as far as I can see this kind of enclosure does not exist so I was wondering if there is some fairly easy way of creating it? Would it be possible to make one using extrusions to make corners (similar to the way I have seen in pictures of Calrec modules) or maybe a framework could be 3D printed and have metal panels fitted to it. Bottom line, it would be nice to have a scaleable standard solution to this problem.

Cheers

Ian

>> See if anything on this website works for you. They either -- have -- or can "modify standard" enclosures to almost be whatever it is that you need:

https://www.takachi-enclosure.com/products

P.S. -- I still owe you a bunch of CAD-files and drawings!!!.....

Designing 18-layer PCBs and trying to decipher military test equipment schematics that were hand-drawn back in 1979 is (fortunately) keeping me too busy to hang-out on this forum these days!!! But, at least I get to work-from-home and the job does happen to pay exceedingly well!!!

/

 

[13engrsapper]

Extrusions need to be cut to size and probably adding threaded holes / inserts, which requires dedicated tools.

I have been using Ettinger threaded blocks together with flat plates to make rectangular enclosures of custom sizes.

https://www.ettinger.de/en/p/cube-standoff-threaded-4-x-m3/5x10x15-brass-nickel-plated/005.60.733

Frank also sells them, I actually have to credit him for this idea. But you will pay a lot less for the 100pc bag from Ettinger or their distributors.

https://shop.frontpanels.de/Threadblock-M3-1-piece

This system is very simple to use, just design the flat parts with Front Panel Designer or your favorite software and put them together using the threaded blocks.

I have been using these blocks with 1.5mm thick laser cut steel and the mechanical strength of the enclosure is excellent. It's also comes out extremely cheap.

For a small size case it's enough to have 8 pieces one in each corner, more intermediate blocks can be added if need extra support.

The blocks are threaded on all sides which is very useful because on the inside it can double as a pcb standoff, so the bottom set of blocks could be used to attach the bottom cover on the outside, and the motherboard on the inside.


View attachment 135398

Someone makes these!?!? I had been making my own. NICE!

 

[MidnightArrakis]

Someone makes these!?!? I had been making my own. NICE!

[Someone makes these!?!?] -- YEP!!! And.....I have been creating 3D CAD-models of them for another forum member on here so he can import them into his various "500-Series" module designs, as shown below:




At least my 3D CAD-models are even threaded, whereas the ones by ETTINGER are not.

/

 

[13engrsapper]

I thought the Ettingers were threaded? I better look closer. I just bought materials for a new "cleat" as we have been calling them.

 

[Newmarket]

I thought the Ettingers were threaded? I better look closer. I just bought materials for a new "cleat" as we have been calling them.

I took it to mean that Ettinger have 3D CAD models but omit the thread detail. But the physical parts are threaded.
I don't think it matters in realising a design tbh.

 

[ruffrecords]

>> See if anything on this website works for you. They either -- have -- or can "modify standard" enclosures to almost be whatever it is that you need:

https://www.takachi-enclosure.com/products

Thanks for the link. Interesting product range. I shall spend some time looking at them in detail

P.S. -- I still owe you a bunch of CAD-files and drawings!!!.....

No problem. No rush

Cheers

Ian

 

[TimG]

Hey just for giggles, I asked my new friend Tom Lam on Alibaba, about getting these made.
He said in a minimum order of >1000 he can sell us galvanized steel versions for .05, or for .64 he can make them in stainless steel.

I did send him drawings that weren’t mine but he didn’t seem to mind.

He offered to send samples.
I’ve never heard of them before but it ought be just fine.

TimG

 

[ruffrecords]

Hey just for giggles, I asked my new friend Tom Lam on Alibaba, about getting these made.
He said in a minimum order of >1000 he can sell us galvanized steel versions for .05, or for .64 he can make them in stainless steel.

The originals are made from brass. Can he do that also?

Cheers

Ian

 

[TimG]

I can ask! (Asked)

Maybe with Midnight Arrakis’s design we can make more certain the specs are correct if he has a file he wants to share. But let’s wait for the brass answer.

 

[JimJhn]

Not sure if this would help, but I was intrigued what these are and a quick cursory search of Aliexpress came up with these @ 26-cents each? Usually with enough searching on Aliexpress you can get the same items without any shipping fees?

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256...f15cb2&afSmartRedirect=n&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa

 

[ruffrecords]

Not sure if this would help, but I was intrigued what these are and a quick cursory search of Aliexpress came up with these @ 26-cents each? Usually with enough searching on Aliexpress you can get the same items without any shipping fees?

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256...f15cb2&afSmartRedirect=n&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa

What search term did you use because those are very close to what we are looking for?

Cheers

IAn