Tag: case

  • Case and new module finished

    Nothing is more motivating than an imminent deadline, and my gig in Berlin served as a good end point to get my new case finished, and a brand new module into it.

    The case was built out of a Habitat trunk, see more details here. I’m pretty pleased with how it turned out. It’s nice and light, and hopefully pretty sturdy. It survived the flight back from Berlin anyway.

     

     

    The new module is actually just a re-working of the GlitchDelay, but it’s using the new PCB I’ve designed. Which uses Teensy 3.5 (again) coupled with an external WM8731 codec (for reduced noise), and has 6 buffered CV inputs. It’s all SMD to keep the size down. The idea is that I’ll be able to produce different front panels, for different module functionality, but keep the back panel the same. I laser cut a panel on ply-wood for the first time. The contrast between the etched and non-etched material is much higher than with the acrylic, which I like.

     

     

    Next on the agenda is to modify the case to squeeze a row of 1U modules in. Ideally I can just use this case, with external noise boxes/instruments when playing out live.

  • DIY case almost ready..

     

     

    Happy Easter! I’ve spent my time off crafting a DIY case to house the modules I’ve been building. As I’ve been trying to perform using only DIY instruments and effects I’ve built myself, then as Jedi must craft their own lightsaber, it seems fitting I should create my own case. Actually, I already have my Chilli Box case, but I’ve rather outgrown it, size-wise.

    The case is based around a Habitat trunk which I got in the sale. I used aluminium rails from Mouser, which I set M2.5 nuts into. I cut these down to the correct length with a hacksaw. These were then mounted onto an aluminium mounting frame from Thonk. The frame went together ok, although, getting the supplied bolts to cut a thread into the aluminium rail was a bit tricky, and I managed to rather chew up the head on one of the bolts. Hopefully I don’t need to get that out again!

     

     

     

    The trunk case has a lip all the way around so I ‘plugged’ this by screwing a block of wood on each side, flush with the lip, that I could then mount the frame into.

    The power supply was just a cheap Chinese board from eBay (TPS5430), that I added a couple of extra filtering capacitors to, and then used Vero board to mount header to for the ribbon cabled to connect to. The filtering caps were 100uF and 10uF, chosen more due to what was on hand than by any form of science.

     

     

     

    Still need to mount and test it with all my modules, let’s see what new and exciting problems that brings..

  • DIY Sriracha Eurorack Case

    This weekend I built a DIY Euroack case out of a cheap tin lunchbox from eBay. I want this case to house some of my Teensy based modules and form an all-in-one guitar focused effects box. The project was reasonably straightforward. I used one of these power boards which supplies +12v/-12V from a 14-24V DC power supply. The board that the ribbon cables connect to is vero board with single header, doubled up. Everything was mounted using 11mm M3 brass stand-offs. The wooden rails are possibly a little thick and will limit the size of the PCB under the module panel. Will have to see how that goes. Putting in thinner rails should be feasible. All holes drilled with my new pillar drill. Much easier, with far less swearing than trying to use a standard power drill. The overall project build cost was around£20. Looking forward to filling this with my DIY modules!