why are diy chassis so expensive?

gogofast

gogofast

Addicted Member
time and time again, i find myself getting great diy ideas or restoration project ideas from here, find parts easily, but never able to source right chassis for the project.

radio shack has crap plastic boxes with paper thin metal top, online sources including AES, PE, & etc has chassis that are too shallow. i need something with atleast 4" depth, but only thing i can find are so expensive. some $89, $119, even $179 just for a good chassis! sometimes i browse thrifts in search for pieces with good chassis potential, but can't find anything so far.

any good source or idea would be appreciated.
 
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My local "You Do It Electronics" stocks metal chassis from Hammond and LMB. The LMB stuff comes in more generous depths...and I see you can buy these online although I've never done that. I used an LMB chassis with a 4 inch depth for a project once.....worked just fine.....with lots of room.....and not that expensive, either.

http://lmbheeger.com/product_categories.asp
 
You can always buy just the bottom panel for a Hammond chassis, drill it, punch it, whatever, and then make a wooden base for it....

Makes a chassis really economical to produce without looking crappy and cheap...

For an example, look at how the Bottlehead tube gear is constructed...
 
rickb & jcricket!

great ideas! just proves that you just gotta ask no matter how dumb the question might be :D :thmbsp:
 
Chassis too expensive? Yer doin' it wrong.



I begged for the scrap aluminum at the local panel shop. Even if I paid for it, it would have cost no more than $20 a sheet. The frames are 2x3 and 2x4 construction grade lumber, compliments of the dumpster. I try to put the pieces with the hammer marks on the back. :)

 
"why are diy chassis so expensive?"

Because you were going down the buy-it-yourself path rather than the do-it-yourself one.

Pretty much anything that can hold parts in alignment can be a chassis.

Instead of buying a pre-made one, buy tools that let you craft anything you want.
 
ah! now i get it. i've been working on bottlehead gears, too, and just been a dumba** not to think about how they build their chassis. great ideas, guys! i really appreciate the enlightenment. :D :thmbsp::thmbsp::thmbsp:

soundmotor said:
Instead of buying a pre-made one, buy tools that let you craft anything you want.
Click to expand...

time to buy a welding torch...
 
i third that "yer doin it wrong" comment.

cutting holes in a nice lined up fashion is no coincidence. i prefer to recycle a junked chassis before even attempting to punch my own. sure it may not be 100% pretty but there will be plenty of mounting holes already done for you and the price will be right.
 
Hey Ty, great idea of using different width boards for the air inlet. Easier than putting on feet. Not sure how it will look with miter joints though.

mike
 
thanks for the link archie2, but i need something deeper than 3". i have a few power trannies that has exposed lead on the sides that can't be mounted on the top of the chassis.
 
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