Dan,
This is an addendum to the last e-mail on the subject if it shows up.
To do cabinet construction right, you need a few shop tools. A break and a
shear that will handle up to at least 24" wide material. They make these pretty
cheap now. You can get a pan-box break for around $200 and a combination
break-shear-roll for about $400. On aluminum, the best ways to fasten a cabinet
together is either spot welding or press-nuts. Press-nuts is the cehapest route
for the beginner. They are installed with a modified pop-rivet gun. However, if
you can ever find a good small used spot welder, its the berries. If you have a
shear, you can buy larger sheets and cut out what you want.
There are two types of breaks available at a cheap price. There's a standard
press break which uses V dies, and a pan-box breaks which has an apron that
swings up to bend. Either is capable of bending up flanges with steps on them.
However, you have to watch what the clearance is on the back sides for a
minimum bend. My prefered type is the pan-box break.
Cutting holes is the next thing. I use cone bits for all switch holes, etc.
They go up to 3/4" dia. in size. Over this, I use chassis punches. For big
holes like for a fan or large tube socket, you can use hole saws or a nibbler.
You can buy electric or air nibblers which are now pretty cheap. For cleaning
the holes up, use a hand held de-burring tool. Most machine shop supplies carry
these little hand held tools really cheap with replacement blades.
Painting is next. here dont buy cheap stuff as it don't last. It wont lay right
either. The professionals use powder coating, but that is expensive.
Labeling is next. You can buy the rub on labels, or now print them. If you have
someone local who can do the etched aluminum ones, it's the best. Or, you can
set up a silk screen if your going to do several.
That's about all I know to tell you right now. Hope it helped.
Best,
Will
*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********
On 8/2/05 at 7:22 PM Dan K9ZF wrote:
>I've found this to be a very interesting thread. It is on topic, but
>quite different than the usual subject matter.
>
>Building chassis has been more of a hold up for me than the electronics
>part of homebrewing amps. But I found some nice old cabinets at the
>last ham fest I went to, so I'm about ready to get started now.
>
>Where is a good place to buy sheet metal? Most of the places I have
>found seemed awfully expensive.
>
>73
>Dan
>
>--
>K9ZF /R no budget Rover ***QRP-l #1269
>Check out the Rover Resource Page at: <http://www.qsl.net/n9rla>
>List Administrator for: InHam+grid-loc+ham-books
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Amps mailing list
>Amps@contesting.com
>http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/amps
_______________________________________________
Amps mailing list
Amps@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/amps
|