Wedge shaped box - Gauging interest and looking for design ideas

[DutchMF]

With the lack of small wedge shaped boxes being available for DIY builders, I thought it might be a cool idea to have some made. I kicked around some thoughts with a friend of mine who knows a lot about sheet metal fabrication, and came up with this:



It's a bit larger in all directions than a 1590B. The flat part is large enough to accommodate two chickenhead knobs, for all you vintage fuzz freaks. It's assembled from two parts like this:



The holes and screws needed for assembly aren't in the model yet.... For size reference I also have a pic that includes some knobs, a stomp switch and a 1590B:



I'm thinking of getting some quotations for the cost of having this made (my friend has some contacts in that business), and because a small run would be more cost effective than 1 or 2 singles, would this be of interest to any of you if the cost remained reasonable? Finally, some questions:
- how much would you be willing to pay for a box like this? IOW: what do you think is 'reasonable'?
- any problems you see with the design?
- anything you would like to see added/changed?

Thanks in advance for any input you might have on this!

Paul

[stevie1556]

I'm interested, depending on cost per box.

I've got no idea on what would be a reasonable price for them though.

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[RobA]

I'm interested in seeing what you can come up with. I priced out some boxes that were similar from a couple of places close by to me and the prices were insane -- like government pork levels of insane.

Is the top (fat) part of the box big enough to do top mounted jacks under the pots there?

Cost wise, I'll have to think about this for a bit, but the price competition points could be considered to be things like the cool shaped Hammonds. Still, as a special one-off kinda thing, I could see paying a bit more than that.

Size wise, personally, I'd like it to either have the same footprint as the 1590B or be increased in size up to the footprint of the 1590BB or maybe even a tiny bit bigger.

[jubal81]

Great looking box. I don't know if you'd ship them to the US, but I don't think they'd be too popular if price + shipping is much more than about $15.

[DutchMF]

I'm interested in seeing what you can come up with. I priced out some boxes that were similar from a couple of places close by to me and the prices were insane -- like government pork levels of insane.

Is the top (fat) part of the box big enough to do top mounted jacks under the pots there?

Cost wise, I'll have to think about this for a bit, but the price competition points could be considered to be things like the cool shaped Hammonds. Still, as a special one-off kinda thing, I could see paying a bit more than that.

Size wise, personally, I'd like it to either have the same footprint as the 1590B or be increased in size up to the footprint of the 1590BB or maybe even a tiny bit bigger.

Thanks for the comments, Rob. The top mounted jacks are certainly possible, I've been modelling some more in Autocad, and the design leaves ample clearance over both 1/4" and DC jacks. Price-wise, the Hammond pricepoint is very hard to beat, but on the upside, expanding to 1590BB size would add very little to the cost, since the manufacturing is probably the most expensive.

Great looking box. I don't know if you'd ship them to the US, but I don't think they'd be too popular if price + shipping is much more than about $15.

I'd be more than happy to ship to the US Jubal, but if this were to go forward, I'd need to team up with somebody across the ocean to do some re-distributing, otherwise the shipping for each individual order would be rediculous! I think I can send maybe 8-10 for about 25 euros including tracking.....

I'll try to get some quotes soon, but I've been considering other options as well, including doing part of the production myself..... We'll see where this leads!

Paul

[DutchMF]

more pics, now including in/out jacks, +9V jack and LED. As you can see, plenty of space to house a pcb and more pots, switches etc.





Paul

[RobA]

Looking good, I'm really interested. Any ideas on the materials at this point?

[Mich P]

Down for a couple if you will do.
Mich P.

[gordo]

I'd like a little bit more area on the top deck (for 2 rows of knobs)

[selfdestroyer]

I too am very interested in some, just really depends on cost and shipping for me. Look forward to see where this goes. Your mockups look great also.

[jkokura]

I'd get some. The real question isn't if you can get them made, it's whether they come powdercoated or not.

What's the chance you partner with Steve or Cole in getting the painted?

Jacob

[DutchMF]

I'd get some. The real question isn't if you can get them made, it's whether they come powdercoated or not.

What's the chance you partner with Steve or Cole in getting the painted?

Jacob

That's a really interesting thought Jacob. I really like what the results might be, but the shipping would increase two-fold: first from me to Steve or Cole, then from them to you, and all parties should at least break even, cost-wise. There's two ways to solve this, and both won't work: First, me and Steve/Cole/Whoever could charge all the shipping to the guys buying the boxes, which results in a price almost nobody is willing to pay. Second, I could invest in a powdercoating setup and do it myself, but I really don't have a space to do that (Mrs. Dutch wouldn't like me baking those boxes in our appartments kitchen!). Still, it is an interesting thought, and now it's stuck in my brain! 

I'll get a quote for the manufacturing first, and then see what I can do powder wise. Thanks for thinking ahead Jacob!

Paul

[rullywowr]

I'd be down for a couple if this moves forward.  I also am game to ship these out to other USA brethren as I am well equipped with shipping supplies/label creation. I do have a powder coating setup and would consider  coating them for interested  parties.  Let see where this goes!  Nice job so far, Paul.

[Govmnt_Lacky]

To throw a wrench at the monkey....

Looking at how the 2 pieces fit together, it looks like you will HAVE to use foot bumpers of some sort as the only way to secure both pieces of the enclosure together will mean having the screw heads exposed at the bottom 

Any way you could incorporate some small-ish tabs on the bottom to give it a hinged open/close ability?

[jkokura]

Good point. Either the screw holes need relief so you can use the pan-head style screws we typically use for boxes, or you need to put the fasteners on the sides of the enclosure.

Also, have you thought about having a machine shop also powdercoat them? For example, you can order 100 of them, and get them for $X.YZ per box, then have them all powdercoated by a local shop for $X.YZ and then adding those costs together plus your upcharge.

I think if the design makes sense, the cost isn't prohibative, and the colour(s) are attractive, you'd have no problem selling 100 of those boxes. I'd bet if you did runs of the right number you'd probably be okay.

Hard part of any business is the startup capital. You'll likely be shelling out $500-700 before anyone buys anything, and you have to think about boxes and foam to pad the enclosures you ship, and all sorts of things like that.

You sure you're ready for this Paul?

Jacob