Sources for amplifier cases

[Momomo67890]

Old recevers off face book $25-50 strip it down easy.

 

[DWPress]

there is also Front Panel Express.

Yes, I had really good experiences with them too but couldn't remember them on earlier post.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

Ghent Audio

ghentaudio DIY Aluminum case-kit, wiring harness, audio cable DC DC-ATX ethernet cables for ICEpower Hypex Purifi

ghentaudio provide case-kit, wiring harness for full series of modules from ICEpower, Hypex/NCORE/Purifi Providing audio grade DC cable, DC-ATX cable, ethernet cable and RCA/XLR/Coas/3.5/6.35/speaker audio cable Welcome custom case-kit, wiring harness

ghentaudio.com

 

[MCH]

Great thread,
Do you mind that we expand it to plastic enclosures. Not for amps, obviously, but for other sort of projects?
I propose it because they are really hard to find of decent quality and decent price, at least in EU. I know of a couple of German companies that make some modular expensive ones for instruments but for cheaper, decent, well documented (important) diy I only know these Japanese ones, available in TME and digikey:

TAKACHI - Manufacturer of electronics enclosures and industrial enclosures

TAKACHI is a manufacturer of electronics enclosures and industrial enclosures.We provide over 22,000 items : Plastic enclosure, Handheld enclosure, Aluminium enclosure, Diecast aluminium box, IP67 waterproof enclosure, Junction box, 19

www.takachi-enclosure.com

 

[ta240]

It is nice to have good sources for plastic enclosures too.

 

[Hipocrates]

Security Measure

www.ebay.com

 

[Hipocrates]

and sometimes I use wood a 1/8 aluminum sheets scraps, but that require some DIY.

 

[DWPress]

My MiniDSP 4x10 digital preamp with 2x analog input and phono stage from 15 years ago. Made out of an old Aiwa CD player chassis, burled maple front and one of my old copper etchings for a back plate. All kinds of possibilities to suit your tastes and whimsy if you've got some tools, vision and skill.

 

[Hipocrates]

My MiniDSP 4x10 digital preamp with 2x analog input and phono stage from 15 years ago. Made out of an old Aiwa CD player chassis, burled maple front and one of my old copper etchings for a back plate. All kinds of possibilities to suit your tastes and whimsy if you've got some tools, vision and skill.

View attachment 305024 View attachment 305025

I love it, very nice job

 

[Sokel]

I was thinking about an ASR (not the site) amplifier style acrylic case since the time I owned one.
It's an easy material to work with and there's sources who make stuff with that everywhere.

 

[ta240]

and sometimes I use wood a 1/8 aluminum sheets scraps, but that require some DIY.


View attachment 305020

I do like the look of the wood case. Did you build it around metal you had with the vents? The hardest part I run into is finding things with vents so I can have some airflow.

 

[Hipocrates]

@ta240. They are basically 3 little pieces of wood glued together (sides and front), with a dowel joint.
The top with vents is a piece of plywood with a hole in the middle.
The bottom is a piece of aluminium sheet where the amp boards are mounted.
The vents came from a piece of an burned AVRs that I usually grab from a repair center that they just discard, so sometimes they give old or unrepairable AVRs that I disassemble for my DIY projects. If you have access to a recycle center or repair shop they will give you some used electronics that you can re use for free.
Another source of vents are aluminium or stainless perforated laminated, they are used on construction and sometimes you can get scraps for free or just got to a store and get some pieces.
For the back panel I use acrylic or aluminum and I drill the holes and make the IEC hole with a dremel and carbide bits.

Tools, I mainly use hand tools(hand saws, hand planes, chisels, files rasps) since I'm a traditional woodworker aficionado, a hand drill, a rotary tool (like a dremel) and angle grinder

The thing is that if you get some source of used electronics and materials, you can create your own chassis using free materials, they will not be as neat as something from $200 or $500 chassis from ghent audio or modushop, but it can be very fun and rewarding. (at least to me as a hobbyist).

EDIT, I forgot to add you can get JST connectors from mouser and US made wire on ebay for lunch money that will last you forever.

 

[ta240]

That is great! I thought the entire top was metal. I do like woodworking. I built a tube amp in an old 3 bottle wine box. I treated the wood with fireproofing spray and on the test pieces MAP Gas could char the wood but it did not catch fire.

 

[Hipocrates]

That is great! I thought the entire top was metal. I do like woodworking. I built a tube amp in an old 3 bottle wine box. I treated the wood with fireproofing spray and on the test pieces MAP Gas could char the wood but it did not catch fire.

Nice!!, that's the spirit! I still try to make the bottom of aluminum for grounding.
Another source of those bamboo cutting boards they are very inexpensive and you can use then as well, and if EMF noise is a concern you can try putting copper foil. I don't have problem with EMF, but internet people say it works, so that must be true

 

[ta240]

I may buy some acrylic and just see how easy it is to work with, blacking it out from the inside looks really good.
I waited too long on a good deal on an sony with wood sides. It was more than I wanted to spend but looked so cool and has a large section with vents for fitting heatsinks inside.

 

[Hipocrates]

I like it, what are you going to install there?
Just in case, When working with acrylic I have way better results when drilling using something for lubricate the drill bits and one have to be gentle, 3 in 1 oil is what I use. Low speed, since it likes to melt or crack.

 

[ta240]

I've got a Rod Elliott P101 that is currently loosely attached to a chunk of wood with an SMPS. I didn't get the amp in the picture, I will keep watching for one at a reasonable price to pop up, if I don't build something else sooner. I may try cutting openings to fit heatsinks through wood and go that direction. It is too hot outside right now to do much and I still haven't gotten around to putting a DIY split system in the garage.

Great tips on the acrylic, thanks.

 

[Matias]

Modushop from Italy as well. They have several lines and sizes and options, and open to customization.

Modushop by HiFi2000

Specializzati in produzioni di hifi, case per computer e fresatura su frontali. Dal 1977 la ditta HIFI2000 si occupa principalmente della progettazione e realizzazione di contenitori per l'elettronica con un alto grado di finitura

modushop.biz

 

[ta240]

Modushop's products are really solid too. The shipping and exchange rate makes the ones with external heatsinks a bit more than I want to spend but really great products.

 

[Hipocrates]

Rod Elliott P101

well you have the heatsinks and the power supply, the rest will come up easily, you could make a small box with acrylic panels, angular aluminum and some screws, a good thing of acrylic is that you can sand it an paint it you want, that can be very inexpensive and I'm pretty sure that whatever country you live you can get the parts on a construction store. and hack saw, a drill and spray paint is all what you need.