can you buy empty rack mount boxes?

mus1k_freak · Post by **mus1k_freak** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 7:40 pm

working on building a mic pre of sorts, looking to rack mount it, do they sell like 1U rack mount kits? with just blank fronts that you can drill your own holes for switches and such in? i dont think ivde ever seen anything like that

MikeCzech · Post by **MikeCzech** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 7:49 pm

http://par-metal.com/

Go to 'product information' and look at the rack mount chasis.

There are other places too, but this is the only one I know of off hand.

Milkmansound · Post by **Milkmansound** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 7:52 pm

middle atlantic and raxxess (same thing?) both make cheap ones. I use them for projects that are not worth the $65 case.

www.partsexpress.com has them starting at about $35 I think.

I recently stuffed some trident modules into them - they are a little tight with their 6 inch depth, but they are cheap!

cwileyriser · Post by **cwileyriser** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 8:38 pm

Except for these: http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl ... er=262-440 , be prepared to gag on the prices!

Besides PartsExpress and Par-Metal, there's also Mouser (http://www.mouser.com) and DigiKey (http://www.digikey.com).

Or buy some crapped out rack gear on eBay and salvage the chassis.

digitaldrummer · Post by **digitaldrummer** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 9:22 pm

I bought some 2U front plates from Redco (www.redco.com) and then fastened them to the front of an old, gutted, Ethernet switch. cheap.

Milkmansound · Post by **Milkmansound** » Mon Feb 13, 2006 10:46 pm

cwileyriser wrote:Except for these: http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl ... er=262-440

this is exactly what I used for my Trident project:

housepig · Post by **housepig** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 8:55 am

digitaldrummer wrote:I bought some 2U front plates from Redco (www.redco.com) and then fastened them to the front of an old, gutted, Ethernet switch. cheap.

ditto - I have a couple of old rack-mount hubs that I picked up at a flea market for $1 each, with an eye to gutting them and reusing the housing.

brianroth · Post by **brianroth** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 11:41 pm

I've built a few gizmos in Sescom boxes:

http://www.sescom.com/enclosures/enclose.html

One interesting thing about those is that the front panel is 1/16" thick, which is an available plastic thickness from the guy who does my panel engraving with his laser device. Thus, I could toss the panel that comes as stock and slide in the engraved plastic panel.

One of these days, we'll also see how well his laser machine does with engraving anodized metal.

Bri

brianroth · Post by **brianroth** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 11:44 pm

cwileyriser wrote:Except for these: http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl ... er=262-440 , be prepared to gag on the prices!

Besides PartsExpress and Par-Metal, there's also Mouser (http://www.mouser.com) and DigiKey (http://www.digikey.com).

Or buy some crapped out rack gear on eBay and salvage the chassis.

Downside I see for the Middle Atlantic is the steel front panel, which is harder to drill/machine compared to aluminum, and most likely can't be easily engraved.

Bri

cwileyriser · Post by **cwileyriser** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 11:54 pm

Thanks for the Sescom tip - that looks like the best choice of all.

MD · Post by MD » Wed Feb 15, 2006 5:03 am

brianroth wrote: Downside I see for the Middle Atlantic is the steel front panel, which is harder to drill/machine compared to aluminum, and most likely can't be easily engraved.

Yeah, do try to get aluminum. Machining steel in a little home set up is a major pain in the keister (sp?).

mus1k_freak · Post by **mus1k_freak** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 2:23 pm

cool looks good, thanks for the suggetions, i found an old 10? band EQ in my basement thats 2U that im gonna gut, and buy a blank face plate for and machine it out myself, think thats defintly the most cost effective way to go

Milkmansound · Post by **Milkmansound** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 12:11 am

oh shit - that was steel? No wonder it was such a headache!

Message Board

can you buy empty rack mount boxes?

can you buy empty rack mount boxes?

Who is online