Project housing - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Monstertov
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 08, 2022, 08:51:02 pm
content: Hi all!I was wondering what you guys use and what would be a cheap way to create custom housing for projects/prototypes.Things I've seen are wood. Easy to manipulate and customize. Also 3d printing but that seems expensive to start and maintain, slow but also highly customizable. I've also read you can use a laser to CNC acryl but I'm not really sure if that is a viable/cheap way to make things for a hobbyist. Please correct me if i see things wrong or if i need to see it as an investment.I like how panels like these look but I have no idea how these are made and where to start.

author: Kasper
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 08, 2022, 09:41:47 pm
content: My prefered quick and cheap solution is to buy enclosures from digikey.I like tupperware for ugly 'waterproof' cases.At work for something a little more custom and closer to something we'd go to production with, I usually pay people to 3D print low quantities, urethane cast qty of 10 - 200 and injection mold for larger quantities.Laser cutting acrylic or thin wood works well too. You can even make wood flexible by cutting a living hinge into it.Label makers are handy for labelling things. You could engrave labels while laser cutting but that's extra work and is harder to change.Local maker spaces, sign shops or engravers often have laser cutters that are easy to use. 3D hubs and FacFox are good for 3D printing. Your local library might have a 3D printer.

author: Kasper
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 08, 2022, 09:43:38 pm
content: You can also make enclosures out of PCBs. That seems like a particularly nice solution if you want silkscreen labels.

author: pcprogrammer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 09, 2022, 06:00:10 am
content: Way back I used those rub on letters on an aluminum plate and cover it with clear sticky plastic that was used to protect school books. (In Dutch it was named "boeklon")No idea if you can still get this, but it did give a nice looking result.The case itself I usually made out of laminated wood and then screw the aluminum front panel onto it.Edit: Added picture of a panel I made.

author: eti
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 09, 2022, 07:02:14 am
content: I thought this was a thread about Brooklyn housing projects.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 09, 2022, 09:16:52 am
content: I would paint the front panel white or light gray and apply those rub on letters. Radio Shack had rub ons to use as pcb resist: lines, ic patterns, symbols and such. They even had sheets with commonly used electronic words (volume, power, tune, adjust, etc) so you didn't have to place each letter individually. It was still a pretty tedious process. After all the rub on stuff was applied, I'd seal it with a few coats of Krylon Crystal Clear for protection. I think I still have some of those rub on sheets somewhere, probably dried up and useless by now.

author: SmallCog
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 09, 2022, 10:12:29 am
content: I use a lot of acrylic, sometimes bent to shapes, other times as a front panel to a box made of something else. My plastic shop will cut whole sheets to size for free so I tend to buy it sliced into various width strips that I can cut to length. I also use it to make brackets and stuff too.I often make the front label on printable waterproof sticker sheet which I also use as my drill template.https://megaofficesupplies.com.au/avery-936067-durable-heavy-duty-labels-j4776-10-pack-199-6-x-289-1-mm-1up/?scid=347110&setCurrencyId=1&utm_campaign=PaidShoppingAds&utm_medium=Shopping&utm_source=RL&gclid=Cj0KCQjw4omaBhDqARIsADXULuVdO1b8axMx5zaM1yf4Kx1jzhZHyXFc5rdXnAsvQTJkGAt9YzkF-bcaAlUdEALw_wcB] https://megaofficesupplies.com.au/avery-936067-durable-heavy-duty-labels-j4776-10-pack-199-6-x-289-1-mm-1up/?scid=347110&setCurrencyId=1&utm_campaign=PaidShoppingAds&utm_medium=Shopping&utm_source=RL&gclid=Cj0KCQjw4omaBhDqARIsADXULuVdO1b8axMx5zaM1yf4Kx1jzhZHyXFc5rdXnAsvQTJkGAt9YzkF-bcaAlUdEALw_wcBAnything that needs a durable finish I put one of these over the sticker (not this brand I can’t remember what brand mine are!)https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwid2rTn8tL6AhV27DgGHTMvA-UQFnoECBUQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com.au%2FAvery-Self-Adhesive-Laminating-Sheets-Inches%2Fdp%2FB00007E7D2&usg=AOvVaw0ML0FQ_0LfcfYKqklzEniP] https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwid2rTn8tL6AhV27DgGHTMvA-UQFnoECBUQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com.au%2FAvery-Self-Adhesive-Laminating-Sheets-Inches%2Fdp%2FB00007E7D2&usg=AOvVaw0ML0FQ_0LfcfYKqklzEniPA colleague did something similar but had the graphics printed up at a photo shop, stuck it on with spray glue, and covered with the self adhesive laminate. Looked pretty impressive!

author: PaulAm
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 09, 2022, 04:44:50 pm
content: An easy way to make reasonable front panels is to generate artwork and then print it on clear adhesive film (or, you can print on white adhesive stock, like label stock). This works well if you have a color laser printer. If you only have an inkjet you need to laminate another sheet on top to prevent the ink from bleeding if it gets wet.I used to use the dry transfer lettering, but that's getting hard to find with the death of drafting supply stores.If you want white lettering on a dark background, a silkscreened pcb is about the best way to go.Making a decent enclosure can take more time and resources than the project you put inside of it.I have a stack of old equipment I raid for the enclosures when I need something. I'm also partial to the boxes that have 2 U shaped top/bottom pieces and separate front and back panels. They're pretty easy to work with and you can buy or fab them if you have the equipment.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 09, 2022, 08:03:23 pm
content: Uh, 3D printing is not that expensive and not much trouble compared to CNC. And it's very flexible.Now the point against 3D printing IMO is not cost and maintenance. It's the appearance of whatever you print. Unless you use extremely expensive 3D printing technology (not anything that you could buy as an individual or small business), flat surfaces in particular will always look bad unless you do some "post-processing" by hand which is time-consuming and can require annoying chemicals.Now for panels, you can always 3D print and then stick an adhesive front panel sheet. Looks like what is done on your picture (except that the frame is aluminum not plastics.)

author: Kasper
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 11, 2022, 03:59:42 pm
content: SLS 3D printing has a good uniform appearance and is quite strong. It's rough kind of like sandpaper but doesn't have the ugly lines that you get from FDM.3D hubs is a great source for reading about various materials and getting instant quote and DFM check.

author: trophosphere
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 11, 2022, 05:02:46 pm
content: I've been using stacked laser cut acrylic over the last couple of years and it seems to be working quite well so far for making modules. It can be quite expensive though if you are ordering frequently from those online laser cutting shops for a couple pieces at a time so investing in a laser cutter will really be ideal - plus you can use it to cut other stuff too like wood.Attached is an example module I made enclosed in stacked acrylic.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 11, 2022, 07:52:16 pm
content: Quote from: Kasper on October 11, 2022, 03:59:42 pmYes, that is exactly the kind of technology that I evoked as expensive. For SLS printers, count several thousand bucks at a minimum.Now of course if you can't justify the investment, you can always outsource the 3D printing of your parts, there are hundreds of services that will do that for you.

author: Kasper
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 11, 2022, 07:59:56 pm
content: Quote from: SiliconWizard on October 11, 2022, 07:52:16 pmTypical SLS price for me is $200 (including shipping) for 10 pieces about the size of a watch.It'd be cool to own a printer but then I'd have to convince my boss to hire someone to operate it or I get demoted from designer to printing tech.

author: pcprogrammer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 12, 2022, 05:20:25 am
content: Quote from: Kasper on October 11, 2022, 07:59:56 pmFor a hobbyist who mostly only needs one that is expensive especially for something the size of a watch. Even with smd technology for a hobbyist it is not easy to design and build small stuff. Way cheaper to just buy some standard plastic or aluminum boxes and work with that.