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I'm aware of all the Hammond boxes and the various knockoffs that you can get from Smallbear, or Mouser or Digikey. However, I am continually surprised that nothing from a Home Depot can be found that's cheaper and just as sturdy, or maybe more interesting at least, than the Hammond boxes. Outlet/conduit boxes like this make really ugly pedals, in my opinion:



So I went looking for something else. This is what I found:


http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R ... ogId=10053

$4.27 individually, I'm sure there's some place contractor selling more of them as a lot that is cheaper.

My thinking is that I can make plates to cover the holes that are drilled for the in, out, and DC jacks, and a top plate for the stomp switch. It's actually probably more work to do that than a Hammond box, however, these are very, very close: die-cast aluminum case 4.577" x 2.81" x 2.09" -- Hammond 'B' size are 4.39" x 2.36" x 1.03" so these are a bit bigger. Oh, and this is already powder-coated that grey color.

Edit: These are similar and only $3.37:


Edit edit: This one is only $1.98 each. I gotta get down to Home Depot:

http://www.homedepot.com/Die-Cast-Alumi ... ogId=10053

Blank covers are $0.48 if you're worried about what will cover the back..

So I picked up one of the $1.98 boxes (Red Dot brand) and here's the top, which isn't too pretty:



If you flip it over, though, it looks like a stainless steel wall outlet cover. Not entirely sure that you could stand on this stamped sheet metal if you mounted a stop switch on that side, though. I'm not entirely pleased with the finish, either. It seems to scratch easily.

I'm going to make a Thingamagoop-like monster, and this enclosure is going to be perfect, since it isn't necessarily a great enclosure for pedals. Thingamagoops look like this:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_QFHI3lDiw[/youtube]
Mine will likely have two LED eyestalks, two CdS cells (photoeyes), two toggle switches and three knobs given my current breadboarded circuit. Oh, and line-out + DC jack. I'm tempted to integrate a VCO circuit that uses IR leds and IR detectors to let them communicate, but that may be a little bit more complicated (and require me to build another one..)

These look pretty cool but I've never tried to work with them:



They are metal 2x4 framing studs they come in different lengths starting at 8ft.
My thought was you could cut them to what ever length you needed then some how make the sides.
Maybe you could cut it so it had flaps at the top that folded down to form the sides kind of like a pizza box?
If you cut the first box with the flaps coming from the top of the stud and the next with the flaps from the under side you wouldn't waste as much of the stud.

Does any of this make sense?

If not surely this will http://www.mammothelectronics.com/.

We have a sheet metal brake at our shop, but I haven't learned how to use it yet. I may be able to fold up a project box with that.

Here's a box made from square tubing that I found on instructables:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Valve-G ... ages#step1

Here's another project with a nice folded sheet metal case and synth-like wooden ends. You could modify the dimensions to get a Moog-sized case or smaller (like the Verellan pedal I saw on B/S/T?)

http://www.instructables.com/id/Quick-a ... ject-Case/

Extruded aluminum / boxes are another way to go. I think the issue is here is you either have to cut it so that the extruded tube forms the sides, and make a top/bottom, because if you try to use the extruded aluminum as the top, you can't really get in there to solder.

I still think the Hammond boxes look best, though.

Lastly, if you don't need another chorus and don't mind DPDT switches and funky case shapes, you could order one of these from Best Buy for $8 + S&H and save money and time on the case, switches, jacks, knobs, etc:

Mine came broken, so eventually it will become another effect, or a pedal testbed (with a breadboard glued where the knobs are in that picture.)

Those chorus pedals are in store only.

Where did you find those framing studs, MEC? They don't carry them at my home depot/lowes.

Jero wrote:Those chorus pedals are in store only.

Where did you find those framing studs, MEC? They don't carry them at my home depot/lowes.

Ah, I ordered mine a couple months back now. But it arrived broken, so I don't recommend getting it shipped anyways..

Jero wrote:Those chorus pedals are in store only.

Where did you find those framing studs, MEC? They don't carry them at my home depot/lowes.

I used to work at a contractor supply place an we ordered them in on pallets for our customers.

I'm not sure where you can walk in and buy one off a shelf, maybe a lumber yard or more industrial type building supply place.

You could also "source" them from construction sites, unless like me, your to old for that kind of thing.

I'm working on a build in this crazy steel box my dad had in his shop.


I think it's a junction box for running outdoor electrical conduit. It's big and heavy and kind of ridiculous for something that would fit in a Hammond 1590, but hey.

i made the enclosure for my Turpisoris (uglyface) from a touchlamp base....

Very cool!

MiddleEarthCrisis wrote:You could also "source" them from construction sites, unless like me, your to old for that kind of thing.

Haha done plenty of "sourcing" but its been a while. I remember we built a mini ramp in one night with all "free" wood.

I got this enclosure to put a prototype compressor circuit in...
Not brittle, easy to work, squashing the sound... Couldn't resist it!

Nice! I've used the Gladware-brand tupperware that sliced meat/cheese comes in from the Grocery store. Makes a nice temporary enclosure, easy to work with, you can "drill" it with an x-acto even. And all that hard work you put into your circuit is on display!

You kids are weird.

I like it.

McSpunckle wrote:You kids are weird.

I like it.

Just trying to find something cheaper and workable for those of us that are building pedals as a hobby. I can get Hammond cases everywhere online, but I'd never order in a quantity where they are cheaper than $2 per in a Hammond 1590BB size. Sadly the outlet box has too much crap molded into it, despite being pretty much identical (and a little bit bigger inside, which would make it more forgiving to new pedal builders.) Despite it being fairly ugly and unsuitable for a pedal, I think it will make a neat little thingamagoop-like creature once decorated.

I am going to try the sheet metal folding case from Instructables for a synth-in-a-box circuit a friend is working on.