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Thread: Help with Laser case

  1. #21
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    If you want to make a cheap metal box and you don't have a lot of tools you can still do it pretty easily. You can use 16 gauge aluminum sheeting for the sides and you can use 1/2"x1/2" angle aluminum to hold the pieces to gether. Just drill or putch holes and rivet. The alum pieces are even thick enough to tap holes so you can screw into them if you want removable sides. I made by enclosue this way but used aluminum diamond deck as the sides instead of just flat alum. It has a nice industrial look.

  2. #22
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    Do you have any problems with the box flexing? I would have thought 16 gauge would be too thin, but it's certainly easy enough to work with.

    Also, I thought diamond decking was closer to 1/8 inch thick? That would be, what, 8 gauge or something? Or did you only use the thick material for the 4 sides of the box? (Top, bottom, left, and right?)

    Got any pictures of the box? I need to think about another enclosure for a new project of mine, and aluminum is a heck of a lot easier to deal with than steel... But the box can't flex.

    Adam

  3. #23
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    Jul 2007
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    Melbourne, Australia
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    Dave: Where did you get the supplies to build yours mate? Maybe with the price as well if you don't mind. I went to my local Bunning Warehouse only to find that they only have 2mm thick aluminum plate.

    PS: What did you guys use to cut them nicely? I have no idea to be honest. I have tried to cut the thin ones once using a jigsaw and the sides ended up jagged and uneven .

    Thanks.

  4. #24
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    There are different thicknesses of diamond deck. Mine is 1/16" thick. Diamond deck doesn't flex much due to all of the diamonds reinforcing it. But 1/16 aluminum is plenty thick as it is especially once it is in a box shape and each side reinforces the others.

    I don't have pictures now but eventually will.

    You can cut 1/16" aluminum with a jig saw, band saw, or even a circular saw or table saw with a carbide blade. I used a circular saw and it worked great. The trick to cutting them straight is to clamp a guide piece to it and then run the saw against it.

  5. #25
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    Cool

    I routinely cut 1/4 inch aluminum plate with nothing more than a hand-held electric jigsaw. You just have to go slow, and as you said - the work piece must be clamped in place.

    I wouldn't have thought 1/16th of an inch plate would be stiff enough. Interesting... I need to look into that some more. Using lighter gauge would simplify things greatly!

    Adam

  6. #26
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    Switzerland
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    Quote Originally Posted by VaThInK View Post
    Dave: PS: What did you guys use to cut them nicely? I have no idea to be honest. I have tried to cut the thin ones once using a jigsaw and the sides ended up jagged and uneven .
    Thanks.
    I used a high pressure (3000 bars) water jet to cut my 10mm base plate, it works great, you should try

    For my case, I used a simple but efficient design : a 10mm base plate, I drilled 10 M4 holes on its sides to screw the sides (alu, 2mm thick), and the top is held by 4 angle alu. Practical, you can remove one side at a time for adjustments for example. And it's damn stable







    Last edited by sbk; 09-04-2007 at 08:07.

  7. #27
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    Wink

    Dammit man, why do you have to post pictures of that thing. I'm not sure what I like to look at more, these or the pics in the spandex thread...

  8. #28
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    Talking

    Quote Originally Posted by allthatwhichis View Post
    Dammit man, why do you have to post pictures of that thing. I'm not sure what I like to look at more, these or the pics in the spandex thread...
    If you want, I can stick some pictures from the spandex thread on my projector

  9. #29
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    Jun 2007
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    northern maine.
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    Quote Originally Posted by allthatwhichis View Post
    Dammit man, why do you have to post pictures of that thing. I'm not sure what I like to look at more, these or the pics in the spandex thread...

    i agree.
    when i first saw pics of sbk's projector i thought,"damn that's beautiful."
    seeing inside only makes me more impressed.

  10. #30
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    Feb 2005
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    Thanks for the kind words!
    Just to say, at my beginning (not so old) my projector was assembled with adhesive tape and glue, the important is that works and give us pleasure to improve again and again

    Oh and I just realised that these pictures was old, I changed the one of my previous with new ones
    And you can see more here...

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