San Francisco, California, USA
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Need a box/case for a project
StoreTags: diy electronics
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I am building a custom synth out of a brand-new Micro-ATX sized (8" square by about 2.5" tall) motherboard with a 1.2GB Celeron in it. The box will run Linux and it'll be my gigging synth-- plug it in and plug my Novation 61-key controller in it, and start playing softsynths with near-zero latency, just like a hardware synth.
I've got the mobo, and it boots up and runs nicely. Before I go too much further, I need a box to put it in. I want it to be the smallest, lightest enclosure possible. Ideally something about the size of a Mac Mini.
None of the pre-made cases/enclosures I can find online are just the right size-- most are too big or too small in one dimension. I suppose I could build one but I'd like to repurpuse/recycle something instead. Yes, I'm thinking of the cool factor here. Maybe an old half-rack hardware synth case, or a peice of old computer gear from the 70's or 80's. Or a dead Mac Mini case, that might be fun, if it'd fit.
I wanted to schlep down to Sunnyvale and go poke around Weird Stuff Warehouse, where I know I'd find the perfect thing somewhere, but it's too long a drive and gas is too expensive to go making a trip like that for something like this.
I haven't had much luck online because I can't see the inner dimensions of most things.
Anyway, any ideas-- or the names of any computer or synth boneyards in San Francisco, if they exist-- would be appreciated. | |
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06/10/08
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eyesnine
have you thought about using an old lunchbox? quick ebay search came up with this: link
i'm sure you could find one for whatever you're into, you'd just need a drill to add a power switch and maybe install a backplane (is that what its called?), or not if you don't mind opening it up all the time.
06/10/08
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Squeal
Will it fit inside your controller?
06/10/08
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lilt
06/10/08
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lilt
oops! you said square
ummmm go with the lunch box!
06/10/08
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eyesnine
those disk drives are hott. a 5.25" is the same size as a dvd drive, i think. you could even go with a commodore 64 disk drive, or an old mac disk drive, if you want to go that route.
06/11/08
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strangus
lunchbox was the first thing that came to my mind. Or a wooden cigar box.
06/11/08
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kenrestivo
Thanks! That Atari disk drive looks sweet! And probably the right size too (can't tell from the pic).
Also, old tape-backup drive housings might work too; I'll have to check the internal dimensions.
The lunchbox might be a bit too thin and fragile, but certainly cool-looking.
I wish there was a place locally I could go browse through a big stack of crap like this, with a tape measure at my side, and make sure the mobo will fit before buying.
06/11/08
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theflame
I';d totally go with an ammo box like this:
link
Hell yeah
Quite like this too:
link
Love the patina on this one:
link
And this one too:
link
All this talk of boxes makes me wish I had something to put in them...
06/11/08
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jogn
i love those boxes!
Why not one of those plastic toolboxes/first aid kits?
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