DIY Enclosures LLC - a new chassis manufacturing company in the USA.

mwoods · « **on:** 14 Nov 2006, 08:19 pm »

I'd like to introduce a new line of chassis to the DIY community. These chassis will be available to order very soon at our eventual website location: www.diyenclosures.com Currently the site isn't up and I will inform everyone as soon as it is ready. We only need to fine-tune a few things and add some new images. It's soon enough though that I can show everyone some pictures of the parts I have in stock. DIY Enclosures is about what *you* want, so I think that AudioCircle will be a perfect open forum for your feedback. I've created these chassis with as many popular options as possible, such as preamp faces and knobs, IEC cutouts and modules, ventilated top panels as well as thicker blank top panels for tube projects. The parts can be combined in any combination, which the website will guide you through. They are constructed from .050" (1.3mm) anodized aluminum, except blank top panels which are .080" (2mm) thick. All fastener hardware is included, including: #8-32 stainless or alloy button head screws (depending on color of chassis chosen), four large rubber feet, and kep nuts. I would also like to note that we will accept international orders and all of our dimensions will be in both imperial and metric, prices will be displayed in USD and Euro. All prices will remain for a six month introductory period. The website should be ready in about two weeks.

This image shows the flagship model, the DIY1712. It's usable internal dimensions measure 17x12x3.5in, 431.8x304.8x88.9mm. Front panels measure: 17.5x4.1in and a full 1/4" thick, 444.5x104.1x6.35mm. This model with a blank face panel starts at $115. Add preamp face and two knobs for $30 additional. The indicator marks are compatible with Elma switches and the numbered inputs can be removed by rubbing them with a sugar cube. The sugar cube is abrasive enough to remove the silk screen, but won't leave any scratches on the metal. Knobs shown here are the clear anodized type1 and type2 knobs, which are also available in three other colors: gold, black, polished. The knobs are a full 2" (51mm) in diameter! They are machined from solid 6061 T6 aluminum. Knobs are compatible with most boutique hardware and accept 1/4" and 6mm shaft diameters and include a #6-32 set screw. Knobs sold separately will cost $20ea for anodized and $25 for polished (you get a deal when you order the preamp face).

Here is the massive DIY1013, which is ideally suited for solid state class-A amps, or huge power supplies. There will also be a heatsink version available. It is shown with the optional IEC cutout and IEC power module and a 225VA Hammond transformer. The IEC option is available on all chassis for an additional $7, which includes an EMI filtered, switched and fused power module.

DIY1013 shown with IEC on rear panel and blank face panel installed. Cost of this model is $115, which includes the blank face panel.
Dimensions:
imperial: 10x13x6in
metric: 254x330.2x152.4mm

DIY1013 does not include a preamp face option.

The DIY0908 is the perfect size for building smaller preamps, DACs, stereo chip or class-D amps. Shown here with IEC option and 225VA transformer. Cost of this model is $85, which includes the blank face panel. Add $30 for the preamp face and two knobs.
Dimensions:
imperial: 9x8x3.5in
metric: 228.6x203.2x88.9mm

Closeup detail of the side panel and face panel joint. The face panels include a routed grove, where the top, bottom and side panels fit into so that their edges are hidden.

DIY0908 with preamp face. Here you can see that the face panel brackets include pre-drilled pilot holes. These holes locate the exact center for mounting control knobs and hardware.

DIY0908 shown with polished type1 and type2 knobs.

The DIY0610 is a good size for monoblock chip amps, monoblock SET, power supplies, or headphone amps. The DIY0610 does not include a preamp face option. Shown again with 225VA Hammond transformer and IEC module. Cost of this model is $70 and includes the blank face panel.
Dimensions:
imperial: 6x10x3.5in
metric: 154.9x254x91.4mm

DIY0610 rear panel shown with IEC module installed and gold face panel.

TomS · « **Reply #1 on:** 14 Nov 2006, 09:41 pm »

These look great and it is a much needed and hopefully financially viable service for DIY'ers. If you put together something standard for GB150/300 and AKSA 55/100/GK1 for those in the states you'd probably have quite a few takers.

rbrb · « **Reply #2 on:** 15 Nov 2006, 03:00 pm »

Will you be able to supply the cases with cutouts for AC outlets, speaker binding posts or RCA jacks? They look great BTW.

mwoods · « **Reply #3 on:** 15 Nov 2006, 04:37 pm »

So far, the only rear panel cutout option that we have, is for the IEC power module. This is the standard receptacle for AC power input.

mwoods · « **Reply #4 on:** 23 Nov 2006, 06:43 pm »

Here are a few more pictures showing the heatsink versions. This option is available for the DIY1712 and DIY1013 chassis at $30 and $50 respectively. The heatsinks require drilling and tapping to mount them.

This is the DIY1013HS, which comes with four 6" tall heatsinks. The windows on the side panels are for mounting power transistors or IC's directly to the heatsink.

DIY1712HS

DIY1712HS shown here with gold preamp face panel and black type1 and type2 knobs.

mwoods · « **Reply #5 on:** 19 Dec 2006, 05:31 pm »

The online store at http://www.diyenclosures.com is now open for orders. Orders will ship same or next business day up until the 23rd of Dec. All products are in stock. There may be a few glitches with the site which you can email me about. One restriction exists now: that shipping address must be the same as billing address. If you have problems with this, please leave me an email and I can contact you by phone. Thanks and I hope everyone enjoys the new enclosures.

sl_1800 · « **Reply #6 on:** 19 Dec 2006, 06:44 pm »

your web site looks great. When I get around to that class D amp I will be ordering my chassis from you.

shokunin · « **Reply #7 on:** 19 Dec 2006, 07:42 pm »

I like the enclosures and there's plenty of customization options. If I redo another UCD amp, I'll definitely get one of your enclosures, maybe one in Gold to match my zeels..

mwoods · « **Reply #8 on:** 20 Dec 2006, 01:38 am »

I just wanted to make a few more clarifications about the company and its website. We are located in Boise, ID while the chassis are manufactured in Portland, OR. The website is a fully automated ecommerce site, which accepts VISA/MC and American Express check cards. We ship domestically via UPS and USPS, while international shipments are made via USPS. All prices are displayed in US dollars and shipping will be determined for you automatically. Use the "customize this chassis" buttons to choose the chassis options and to add them to your shopping cart. Thank you and I wish everyone happy holidays.

-Michael Woods
DIY Enclosures LLC

JoshK · « **Reply #9 on:** 22 Dec 2006, 02:52 pm »

Michael,

I took a look at your website and played around with testing a mock order with some customization. Great site! Great service to us DIY'ers! Your prices seem very fair, especially considering that you manufacture state side when all your competition is doing it in Asia. My hats off to you and I hope you succeed.

One constructive nitpick I have is with shopping. I know I personally like to see the price for the item or the customization option before having to place it in my basket or proceed to the next step. I knew your prices from this thread, but if I were a new potential customer browsing your site trying to make a choice between cases, having the price visible before having to add it to your basket is helpful.

Maybe you could approach some of the many kit providers out there (AKSA, Hagerman, Greg Erskine, etc) to see if you could work on some standard customized solutions for their kits. This might make it easier for some of their potential kit builders to approach the project while providing some synergy of businesses as well.

Cheers,
Josh

mwoods · « **Reply #10 on:** 3 Jan 2007, 12:53 am »

Quote from: JoshK on 22 Dec 2006, 02:52 pm

Michael,

I took a look at your website and played around with testing a mock order with some customization. Great site! Great service to us DIY'ers! Your prices seem very fair, especially considering that you manufacture state side when all your competition is doing it in Asia. My hats off to you and I hope you succeed.

One constructive nitpick I have is with shopping. I know I personally like to see the price for the item or the customization option before having to place it in my basket or proceed to the next step. I knew your prices from this thread, but if I were a new potential customer browsing your site trying to make a choice between cases, having the price visible before having to add it to your basket is helpful.

Maybe you could approach some of the many kit providers out there (AKSA, Hagerman, Greg Erskine, etc) to see if you could work on some standard customized solutions for their kits. This might make it easier for some of their potential kit builders to approach the project while providing some synergy of businesses as well.

Cheers,
Josh

Josh,

Thanks for your kind words about my company. I have been contacted by a few kit builders before the holidays, but so far I've not heard back from them yet. I did get my prices up onto the pages before customizations. Right now though I'm having a short setback.. I'll be unable to take orders online until late next week. Until then people can still contact me directly via email and pay via paypal. Thanks for everyone's patience.

-Michael Woods

mwoods · « **Reply #11 on:** 10 Jan 2007, 02:41 pm »

Ok! More bugs have been worked out of the website. The shipping works in IE now and I can process the online transactions. I've also adjusted the shipping weights down some, so shipping estimates will be less expensive. You can still email me and request other payments such as Paypal or money order, but the preferred method is by using the online VISA/MC option. I'm also letting everyone know that if you post pictures of your projects on the DIY/audio forums (any of them), just send me a link to it and I'll give you a 5% discount on your next order!

F-100 · « **Reply #12 on:** 10 Jan 2007, 08:11 pm »

Any Grand Opening sale coming soon??

amplifierguru · « **Reply #13 on:** 10 Jan 2007, 10:49 pm »

Hi Michael,

I'd certainly be interested in your chassis for my customer needs for the GB150D and GB300D amps. Do you have ratings for those heatsinks and is it possible to do a steel shield box for 300-500VA toroids?

Cheers,
Greg

mwoods · « **Reply #14 on:** 11 Jan 2007, 02:44 pm »

Quote from: amplifierguru on 10 Jan 2007, 10:49 pm

Hi Michael,

I'd certainly be interested in your chassis for my customer needs for the GB150D and GB300D amps. Do you have ratings for those heatsinks and is it possible to do a steel shield box for 300-500VA toroids?

Cheers,
Greg

Greg,

This is a very conservative rating. With natural convection, each of the four 6" sections of heatsink have a thermal resistance of .75 degrees C per W. For a class-D application, I'm sure that it would be more than enough. I do have smaller individually sold heatsinks and I'm not sure of the rating on them. They all have a decent amount of material that I think would work fine for most class-D amps. As for the toroids, I don't have any steel material. I do however have extra aluminum chassis dividers which could be used to separate power and signal sections.

ctviggen · « **Reply #15 on:** 11 Jan 2007, 04:39 pm »

Greg is doing class A or class A/B. This is his 150W design:

http://www.diyhifi.org/amplifierguru/guru_002.htm

mwoods · « **Reply #16 on:** 11 Jan 2007, 06:15 pm »

Quote from: ctviggen on 11 Jan 2007, 04:39 pm

Greg is doing class A or class A/B. This is his 150W design:

http://www.diyhifi.org/amplifierguru/guru_002.htm

Ohh ok.. I'm sorry I just assumed that GB150 and GB300 were class-D amps! Anyway I believe I've had another person ask me about how to heatsink those mosfets. To get them all mounted on two or more heatsinks you'll probably have to extend the leads. It's safe to extend the leads for the source and drain, but extending the gate lead can cause oscillations. You can avoid that problem by soldering the gate resistor directly to the mosfet gate and then extending the resistor's opposite lead.

amplifierguru · « **Reply #17 on:** 11 Jan 2007, 11:47 pm »

Hi Michael,

Thanks for the heatsink info. It would appear that one 0.75C/W heatsink would be fine for each GB150D in Class AB mode (150W rms) so the chassis as such could accommodate 4.

BTW the D stands for discrete (a no chip design). Confusing, hey?

However, I have DIY clients who are wanting a chassis/heatsink combo for the GB300D (300Wrms) or the GB150D in Class A (112W continuous dissipation) configuration, both of which would need to straddle both heatsinks on one side in a straight 7.2" x 1.25" contact area in the middle of the flat face. That would involve removing the rib and possibly running a flat Al bar above and below the module to thermally couple the two heatsinks.

I would not want DIYers to be extending the wiring of the MOSFETs which benefit from the minimal gate (and other pin) wiring inductance.

What is the internal height of the heatsinks?

Greg

mwoods · « **Reply #18 on:** 12 Jan 2007, 06:31 pm »

Quote from: amplifierguru on 11 Jan 2007, 11:47 pm

Hi Michael,

Thanks for the heatsink info. It would appear that one 0.75C/W heatsink would be fine for each GB150D in Class AB mode (150W rms) so the chassis as such could accommodate 4.

BTW the D stands for discrete (a no chip design). Confusing, hey?

However, I have DIY clients who are wanting a chassis/heatsink combo for the GB300D (300Wrms) or the GB150D in Class A (112W continuous dissipation) configuration, both of which would need to straddle both heatsinks on one side in a straight 7.2" x 1.25" contact area in the middle of the flat face. That would involve removing the rib and possibly running a flat Al bar above and below the module to thermally couple the two heatsinks.

I would not want DIYers to be extending the wiring of the MOSFETs which benefit from the minimal gate (and other pin) wiring inductance.

What is the internal height of the heatsinks?

Greg

Greg,
Here are the internal dimensions of the heatsink windows:

DIY-1712HS
2x windowed cutouts per side measure 3.5" (88.9mm) long by 1.5" (38.1mm) tall with .25" (6.35mm) radiused corners.

DIY-1013HS
2x windowed cutouts per side measure 4" (101.6mm) long by 2" (50.8mm) tall with .5" 12.7mm) radiused corners.

amplifierguru · « **Reply #19 on:** 12 Jan 2007, 08:49 pm »

Hi Michael,

Quote

DIY-1013HS
2x windowed cutouts per side measure 4" (101.6mm) long by 2" (50.8mm) tall with .5" 12.7mm) radiused corners.

This would be a 'snug' fit for my GB150D 150Watt amp modules, one for each window. Great for a 4 channel Class AB ( e.g. Orion)

However, for Class A operation, the GB150D needs all the heatsinking on one side for the continuous 112W of dissipation. To enable that we would need to cut out the rib and screw a pair of MOSFETs to each heatsink on that side with the join down the middle. however, this is not good thermally, unless the two heatsinks have intimate thermal contact to eliminate edge rise.

Perhaps the inner fin of both heatsinks mate effectively over their surface area to ensure even temperature under these conditions?

greg