[zkool448]

I thought I'd start a casework thread as I've not yet seen one dedicated to DIY housings/enclosures. Basically we can share some of our builds and progress here for those thinking about DIY’ing their own, and also to see a few ideas from others.

Please share some of your homemade metal, wood, acrylic, etc enclosures (or any other designs you've built) either before, in-progress, after pics, drawings, How To's, etc. Perhaps some Q&A discussions regarding tools, milling, cutting, recessing, drilling holes techniques, etc.. Pretty much anything relevant to all DIY enclosures, including internal wirings and connectors you've used for your PS, amps, DACs, speaker cabinets, etc.

I'm no expert in building amp housings, just a newb with limited skills acquired through woodworking and bit of luck to have access to a small shop with enough tools. I’ll start with the few DIY amps I recently finished in the last 3 months:

Millett Starving Student Hybrid (Amp 1)

Millett Starving Student Hybrid (Amp II)

Cavalli Audio SOHA II

Cavalli Audio CTH (Compact Hybrid Tube)

... Completed (2009-May-24). Link to my build log.

Cavalli Audio All Tube Futterman Bijou (The Jewel)

... Completed (2009-July-23)
 
Concept:

More pics of final build here, and vu meter video clip.

 

 

[BlizzofOZ]

Limited skills???

Some really nice work... very neat and classy!
Not sure about anybody else, I'm impressed...

SS Amp II, is that made out of wood and painted black?

 

[smallcaps]

very dope builds!

 

[.Sup]

myGod thats fantastic!

 

[logwed]

Both look amazing!!! I especially like the second one, but the first has a beautiful clean look.

 

[kuroguy]

His limited (woodworking) skills are better than most people's extensive skills. The woodworking part isn't teribly difficult if you have the proper tools. the difficult part is having the artistic creativity to envision an attracive and interesting case. You, sir seem to have most of our shares of that particular ability while most of us have to settle something somewhat less artistic.

Awesome work there.

 

[Wilf]

I personally think that your case work, zkool, is some of the best I've seen regardless of origin.

What could help people is to perhaps share how you made some of the cases, and what tools you used, and what techniques. In the first build, you have wonderful clean, straight edges. How did you do that? How did you achieve the consistent rounded oblongs around the heatsinks?

I have an idea how you did that, but please share you experiences!

I would love to see a comprehensive "how I did this" for the SOHA case, featuring dirty, dirty shop pictures. Perhaps a bit on finish as well.

This thread here diyAudio Forums - A 'how to' for High Gloss Finishing - Page 1 is a good step-by-step guide how to achieve a good, high gloss finish.

If you did something similar for casework, you'd achieve godhood, nearly.

 

[cobaltmute]

Love that SOHA case

 

[holland]

I love the SOHA II case as well. How did you make the top panel?

 

[aloksatoor]

those cases are beautiful!!! esp the curved ones which merge into the heat sinks

 

[MoodySteve]

I'll bite...

Bijou

Work so far:

Hopefully will look like this some day:

 

[dbfreak]

Both posters... That is some very creative and gorgeous case work! You got talent.

 

[pabbi1]

Such a humiliating process... me overcompensating for lack of skill by using expensive material - Bolivian Rosewood in this case.

All my other builds are in my sig - casing is not my strong suit.

 

[dbfreak]

A case I completed a few months ago for my HK Citation 12:

 

[BlizzofOZ]

I couldn't cut a piece of wood to save my life... even with the right tools.

Beautiful work!

Looking closely at the SOHA II case, the top piece... what is that made out of? Is that wood also? Just like the black SS case, they have a metallic look to them.

I love the second SS case because it has that, oh what is called... art deco? That look from the 20s/30s era.

I second the thought of HOW you made them. Hoping you took pictures during the process.

Once I complete my Mini3, I hoping to try a SS myself... if I can get my hands on those tubes.

I would be interested possibly buying a case from you... hand made by you.
I know that I couldn't pull that off myself.