Cost Effective Boxes

[3v0]

What do you use for Cost Effective Boxes or Enclosures for your projects.

I have been using Sched40 PVC pipe (household plumbing, not sure what the UK equiv is) when looks do not matter. It is cheap, rugged, and can be mounted to a wall with a hose clamp or zip ties.

The following pic shows a relay/PS board with its end caps. The
cap with the text contains 3 LEDs in drilled holes (covered with
glue) and a power connector.

**broken link removed**

 

[meriad]

www.polycase.com has some cheap boxes, that I plan on using in the near future.

 

[Gayan Soyza]

Hi 3v0…. Here we have small plastic boxes with well ventilation holes.

For The small circuits we have box sizes from 5cm to 15 cm length & width 5cm …height about 4-6 cm available….
You can buy this for 25 SLR that is 0.25 US$ here.
But for amplifiers, power supplies I’m taking metal ones. Amp casings & power supply casings also available here.

But I don’t cover most of the small circuits. After seen the output of the circuit I just throw them & think for the next project. I won’t think about it anymore.

 

[Electronics4you]

I found a very good offer for a larger ESD box for storing electronics - only 8$, but they hadn't got anymore, so I hope any of you know where to find a similar one (also for an affordable price). What are these boxes called?

 

[Sceadwian]

ESD safe plastic boxes are over rated. If you need ESD protection use conductive foam and sink the leads of the chips into it, you can store them in pretty much anything, and so long as you run your hand against the surface of the box using a grounded wrist strap even the most static prone plastics can be used for electronics. I personally use ice cube trays for the little bits I rip off boards, never had anything go bad on me yet, no zaps either. My PC area does have a lot of grounding points though and the air is never damp.

 

[Hero999]

Before I managed to get my hands on antistatic foam I used to use polystyrene foam coated in aluminium foil which did the job pretty well.

 

[BeeBop]

The PVC pipe idea is cool!

I got an old parallel port intelligent switch for $6 in a second hand store, and I've seen these before, for around the same price. Nice heavy metal box, with a polystyrene front plate (easy to cut or weld on) and some bonus parts like 25 pin IDC cables and a TO3 5v reg on the back. Also have a few data switches, which I got for $2 each - low price for a sturdy metal case.

Also snagged some metal cases - look like a drill index, with out the index - new for $3 each, also at a flee mart.

In all cases (ha ha ha) they are less than half what I pay for a cruddy-boxy aluminum case in an electronics shop.

I also collect small plastic boxes which look like they could be used. My logic probe is cased in the plastic tube from a complimentary (hotel or airline) tooth brush. (Box was better than the crap brush inside!)
There are some breath mint containers which look a lot like the small iPod cases, once you peel the label off.

Also have a collection of small tins, but I think they are too nice to cut up for project boxes, unless there was nothing else.

 

[Ambient]

That Polycase site is a great find! I especially like the stackable cases. The prices look great, especially if you have something you want to produce in bundles. Or just buy several overkill sized boxes for future projects. Thanks for the link.

 

[meriad]

If you call up polycase, they will send you samples... free box...hard to beat pricewise

 

[Leftyretro]

The PVC mounting is pretty cool and I've seen it used by Hams for their Antenna components (preamps, baluns, relays,etc), great for weather protection.

As someone in another thread suggested, I tried a 'tubberware' application last night. It's for a milliwatt LCD meter based on a Analog Devices AD8307 log detector chip. Neat 8 pin chip by the way that I'm getting over 85db of range from -75 to +15 DBmw!.

Anyway, I talked SHMBO into giving me one of her tubberware sealing containers. This one is about 8"X4"X2" and has a semi-translucent top. Pics below.

I mounted everything to the inside lid using a hand reamer tool to make quick holes for the switch, connectors, etc. You can't tell well from the picture but the LCD display is just glued (silicone RTV) to the inside of the cover, no cutout needed to see the display!

I found this to be a very quick and easy way to get a prototype mounted for safe handling. I see tubberware in thrift stores for pennys so this has got to be one of the most cost effective ways I can think of.

I'm sure I'll continue to explore and develop this tact of mounting.

Lefty

 

[mneary]

I like Altoids tins. They come in two sizes, and I love the mints.

 

[sam2]

Second on the Altoids.

The metal containers are good if your project needs to be sheilded.

Tin food and paint cans work really well and come in many sizes( CHEAP). The paint cans can be bought new at some stores that mix there own oil base paints. Our local paint store has quarts and gallons.

I just used some quart sized metal paint cans for a RF filter project and they worked great.

Sch 40 PVC works great for antenna enclosures too.

Scavenged PC power supply boxes , just gut them and use, they have the switch, power plug and fan already there, and you can get bad ones for free at any computer repair.

sam

 

[chemelec]

If you have any Plastic Suppliers in your area, go buy a 4 by 8 foot sheet of ABS Plastic.
It comes in Various Thickness and most common in Black or white color. (Sometimes in other colors)
.08 to .125 inch thickness is quite good for cases.
Its Fairly Expensive, But you can Make a LOT OF CASES from a Shhet of this.

You can cut it into any size or shape by Scoring it with a Razor knife (Exacto-knife) and break it.
(Somewhat Simular to how you cut Ceramic tile)

You can than Join the Pieces together using "MEK" (Methyl Ethyl Keytone)

Let Dry and than a bit of Filing or Sanding to Finish it off and you have a Custom Case to fit any Project.

Now you can make Custom Cases, Any Size or Shape that you Want. And Quite Cheaply.

To Finish a case fairly nicely, Draft up and Print off a Decal onto Clear Acetate. Than glue it onto the case using "3M Photo Mount Adhesive".

 

[BeeBop]

If you have any Plastic Suppliers in your area,

So where are they in YOUR area? If I remember, you are in the Lower Mainland?

Do you get the "MEK" (Methyl Ethyl Keytone) at the plastics supplier?

 

[chemelec]

So where are they in YOUR area? If I remember, you are in the Lower Mainland?

Do you get the "MEK" (Methyl Ethyl Keytone) at the plastics supplier?

No I am in the Okanagan. "Hedley, BC."
But there is a Place on Annacis Island "Acrylco Mfg.LTD"
604-524-9441

There are Many others.
MEK, Try a Paint Store. They can Order it for you.

Acetone will Work also, But NOT AS GOOD.

 

[TekNoir]

For most of my projects I use plastic cases typically used for housing sports cards. They are relatively cheap (pocket change, especially if bought wholesale or from a convention) and come in a number of sizes (1/4",1/2",1",2", and 3" in height are most typical). The smallest are great for surface mount or handheld projects and the larger take up just enough (or little enough) space to make for great battery based or wall-wart based benchtop equipment.

I also use a few different types of Altoid mints tins and Eclipse mints tins for metal enclosures. Tic-Tac cases are handy for the smallest of projects. I have also used breath strip cases to enclose micro keychain lights for friends.

All-in-all, a quick jaunt through any of a number of large chain home improvement stores usually turns up a many number of things which one could use.

 

[BeeBop]

But there is a Place on Annacis Island "Acrylco Mfg.LTD"

hey, THANKS!

 

[chemelec]

Here are some Simple Examples, also Score and Break:

 

[Torben]

I've used cookie tins...

...for instance, for mic splitter boxes. Sand the rim under the lid and around the lip of the base to make a good contact. It's actually sturdier than I would have thought; I hung the hardware (including transformers) from the inside of the lid and the weight pulls the lid down into a nice concave shape which makes the thing way more rigid than it was before.

Now I just need to convince the missus that Jensen transformers are something worth springing for.


Torben

 

[BeeBop]

Here is a link to another smart idea:
http://www.geofex.com/Article_Folders/steelstud/steelstud.htm

enclosures made very cheaply!