since hobby boxes are way expensive from radio smut (i mean, shack), i have been forced to become more creative in re-housing electronic projects.
i plan, very soon to start building LFO synths. after seeing them in rubbermaid containers, altoid boxes and even cardboard, tin cans etc, i am looking for creativity.
in trolling the local goodwill and other thrift stores, i have come across some cool, mod tupperwear containers in orange, blue, yellow, etc! i think the retrovibe would be really cool! and these are easy to drill holes into.
question on casing: when is shielding actually needed? what about metal cases? i know that iron is farrous, and copper conducts charge...is aluminum safe from this?
also, what about batteries? is it more practical to house batteries in prefab cases, so acid does not leak and destroy containers?
thoughts?
You can get battery cases on any electronics site/store, and if not, steal one from an old broken toy. I think metal would be okay/easy to use as long as you don't use body contacts for obvious reasons, and you cover the end of wires with hot glue/heat shrink tubing/whatever to prevent them touching metal.
shielding is usually to prevent whatever's inside from picking up stray signal - radio waves, interference etc.
some circuits are more prone to this than others. you might need it, you might not.
metal boxes will provide shielding (the faraday cage), but that is because they conduct. and that includes aluminum.
(perhaps this should be a new thread?)
what about paint? i found that an oil based metal paint adheres well to plastic. has anyone tried that paint made for for plastic outdoor furniture?
or should one just get some trusty old tester's model paint?
what are the pros and cons of each?