#825

Eowave and Erica both have a 3U 84hp skiff but not sure how they’re available that far away from Europe. And Modulaire Maritime seems to have 84hp skiffs on Etsy but also here in Europe :frowning:

1 Like
#826

Don’t have this but saw em at an event here in LA and they seemed nice. Perfect Circuit’s out of stock of them but you could try reaching out directly to the makers if it seems appealing?

Honestly though, if you’re open to some light DIY, I followed this guide for making a case out of cardboard, papier mache’d it with, tip top rails and it’s perfectly sturdy for little at-home skiff. You could probably do 1/4" ply with a handsaw following the same instructions for something a bit sturdier even. If I were to make a new case out of wood I might prefer to get one of these lasercut.

2 Likes
#829

I think that making a case out of cardboard for modules which are worth hundreds or even thousands of euros is extraordinarily bad advice.

I’m a full supporter of DIY, but that’s just daft. You could buy plywood and cheap tools for 50 euros to make a case. If that’s too much of an investment, perhaps wait until you can afford the right materials!

#830

The guide you link to shows a Tiptop µZeus power supply being used to power the cardboard Eurorack case, with the Tiptop µZeus being mounted directly to the side of the cardboard case.

I do own a µZeus and know how very hot its innards can get, which the µZeus manual also mentions: “WARNING: The internal components of the µZEUS can get very hot. Do not touch the internal components while the µZEUS is connected and/or powered.”
And some paragraphs down it says: “Do not install the µZeus directly to wood or any other flammable material, this will cause the uZeus to overheat.”

While I have not yet heard (luckily!) of any overheated µZeus due to poor installation, let alone a fire accident being caused by a µZeus mounted in a cardboard box, I’d rather have my µZeus living (and breathing, for that matter) in an open frame made with metal sidecheeks to which the rails are properly mounted.

Please consider: Even the cardboard box needs several comparatively expensive components (compared to cardboard, that is) – the µZeus with flying bus boards at 85 USD, the rails at 40 USD, and the power adaptor at 25 USD, totalling up to 150 USD. For just 17% more you get these metal sidecheeks cost at 25 USD, or way less if you have a metal workshop somewhere in reach.

Imagine the worst happens and such a cardboard box catches fire, sets the building aflame – and then the police and insurance company do a thorough on-site investigation and find out that a “misfit electrical installation” caused the fire. That’ll be a lot more bucks to shell out than 25 USD for an installation according to the manufacturer.

Disclaimer: I am not an electrical engineer nor a firefighter, leave alone an insurance agent, and in no way affiliated with Tiptop, I am just risk-averse (and old! :wink: ).

6 Likes
#832

On the topic of power supplies and overheating. I just built a wood (maple) case, reusing the power supply from a pod 60. There is some contact with parts of the circuit board touching wood, should I worry about overheating?

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#833

You should insulate it from the wood. Either put an insulator between the PCB and the case or use standoffs to lift the board up. Thermal problem could be an issue but I would also worry about electrical conductivity. Depending on the moisture content in the wood you will get some conductivity which can have an effect on the circuit.

4 Likes
#834

You can drill holes in the case for ventilation. I put rubber feet on my cases. This gives them space to take in air though holes drilled in the bottom. Then I drill more holes on the top to encourage cross-ventilation.

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#835

Cardboard? Maybe. But it would still work great for prototyping a temporary case as someone decides what size of case they ultimately want. Not rushing into more permanent housing for potentially hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of modules doesn’t sound daft to me.

But the more important point, @renegog didn’t say they made a cardboard case. They used cardboard and paper mache. Depending on what type of adhesive is used, this could make for a very sturdy case.

As someone who use to make theatrical masks and puppets with paper mache techniques, I still have masks in great condition after more than 1.5 decades. White glue, wood glue, or even epoxy would work well for a DIY case. I have puppet heads made with cloth and epoxy that are still hard as rock.

Another potential benefit of a paper mache case: it would allow someone to build a less boxy case body if they wanted to. More case diversity is a plus!

7 Likes
#836

I wasn’t singling out that post or its author. I could have been clearer on that, so apologies for that error

I was talking about the magazine article, which someone could find on the internet and not have the benefit of reading this discussion before that try to build themselves a case from cardboard.

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#837

As someone who has built multiple cardboard cases, I 100% agree:

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It’s really useful for prototyping different case designs before you commit to building/buying something more expensive.

19 Likes
#838

Does anyone know if the Intellijel 4U 104 cases will be re-released, or if the palette line is going to be extended with larger sizes? Alternatively, any recommendations for a different 4U 104 case? :slight_smile: thx

#839

AFAIK this is the only thing we know https://forum.intellijel.com/t/cases/1039/37
You can always just contact Intellijel and ask/express interest, they generally respond pretty quickly :slight_smile:

#840

There is some very stiff cardboard available. Reinforced with tape, it could make a very sturdy case for home use. The euro rails and modules alone create a sturdy skeleton. The cardboard doesn’t have to do a lot of work.

3 Likes
#842

anyone have cable holder recommendations? most of the ones i’m finding have to be screwed into something (wall, desk, whatever)… would love one that doesn’t need that. nothing too big, just holding ~50 cables or so in ~3 lengths

#843

anyone have a good source for sliding / square nuts ? the synth shops I know of all seem to be out of stock. I have a pittsburgh cell 48 case sans-nuts

#844

i got mine from synthcube… they’re out of M3 right now but they do have M2.5. not sure if this helps! any hardware store should have them too.

1 Like
#845

Pulplogic has M2.5 nuts as well.

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#846

kind of janky, but I 3d printed some sliding nuts, and just force threaded the screws in. Worked well enough until I got some rails from eurorack hardware. I actually haven’t swapper them out yet, cause I haven’t moved or added any modules.

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#847

I got this one. If you have an old mic stand, it’s really convenient.

4 Likes
#848

Seconded. That’s my favorite cable hanger atm.

1 Like