Learning to build boxes.

[RaptorD.Meezus]

Hey guys and gals. I'm wanting to start building some box mods for myself and for my friends. I've been doing some reading on it, and I think I've got the basics about down. I have some supplies, waiting on payday to get more.

So, this will be my first box I make, and I have just a couple basic questions. I'm going to be making a dual 18650 series MOSFET box with a simple switch and 510 in a Hammond 1590B enclosure. The questions I have are:
1.) What would be the best way to measure the size of the holes I need to cut?
2.) What would be the best tool to cut out an area for a voltmeter to face outside the box?
3.) What is the best way to remove the lean from the Hammond enclosure, and how can I tell which side has it?
4.) How would I go about powder coating the enclosure? Should I have just gotten a powder coated one from the factory?

I know these are all pretty stupid questions, but they're the things I don't know about, and am curious about.

 

[dc99]

First I wouldn't jump straight into a series box. That's your choice though. Be safe and use fuses.
1 buy a cheap caliper to do measurements. (harbor freight)
2 I use a dremel and files to square it off
3 belt sander and patience. The side with the lid is taller. They don't look bad just left alone.
4 Pay a powdercoat company. If your not picky on color they will sometimes just put them in with something there already doing. Just ask. Its a pain to get paint to stick to aluminum, self etching primer is your best friend. You can also have them anodized

 

[LobsterGoD]

I would suggest just giving it a nice acid etch design then spraying it with some clear before you throw the internals in.
Looks a lot better and more personalized than just a regular powder coat IMO.
Fairly easy to do too, the hardest part is making the stencil.

 

[RaptorD.Meezus]

First I wouldn't jump straight into a series box. That's your choice though. Be safe and use fuses.
1 buy a cheap caliper to do measurements. (harbor freight)
2 I use a dremel and files to square it off
3 belt sander and patience. The side with the lid is taller. They don't look bad just left alone.
4 Pay a powdercoat company. If your not picky on color they will sometimes just put them in with something there already doing. Just ask. Its a pain to get paint to stick to aluminum, self etching primer is your best friend. You can also have them anodized

I guess you're right. Should probably start off with a parallel build. Thank you for your response and your answers, they have been very helpful. Now I just need a list of all the tools I'm going to need. Mostly what I need to know is sizes of drillbits to use and what acessories to get for the Dremel.

I would suggest just giving it a nice acid etch design then spraying it with some clear before you throw the internals in.
Looks a lot better and more personalized than just a regular powder coat IMO.
Fairly easy to do too, the hardest part is making the stencil.

I have no idea what that is or how to do it, lol.

 

[dc99]

You need cutting wheels for the dremel. A good solder station. (its worth it in the long run). Basic stuff like epoxy, picks, shrink tubing, step drill bits, solder, and a lot of patients

 

[ddarlington24]

I would also suggest some youtube searches there quite a few that are very detailed and explain everything you need to do
to get started.

 

[DaveSignal]

A larger sized voltmeter can be cutout with a dremel cut-off wheel. But the smaller voltmeters that are most often used in a Hammond box are hard to cut with a cut-off wheel... the wheel is larger diameter than the length of the sides of the voltmeter, so you have to wear the wheel down significantly... and then you have to be careful about not hitting the box with other parts of the mandrel. I cut my voltmeters out by drilling a hole and filing.

A 1590B is a good box to start out with. It is big enough to fit all of the compenents without any major modifications.

 

[dc99]

For the .28 I drill each end and then cut out the sides. Then you can just file the corners square. As Dave mentioned the B box is bigger and easier to work with for a first box. That was my first box. I just ordered a sled from a guy on Ebay that fit perfect. Ordered the mosfet and fuses from mouser. Switch and 510 from varitube. Still have it somewhere around here and it still works. Be forwarned: this hobby is addictive. HaHa. There are some good vids on youtube. Just don't pay attention to the people using the switch without mosfets. There is no 50amp switch.

 

[RaptorD.Meezus]

Thanks everyone. Another question I have: what gauge wire should I be using? It varies, doesn't it? Based on how much of the load is being carried by each part? From what I gather, the most common gauges of wire to use are 16 and 14, does that sound about right?

 

[DaveSignal]

Thanks everyone. Another question I have: what gauge wire should I be using? It varies, doesn't it? Based on how much of the load is being carried by each part? From what I gather, the most common gauges of wire to use are 16 and 14, does that sound about right?

depends on how low your are building. But I would do 14g to the 510 and something much thinner like 22g for the switch.... assuming you are using a MOSFET.

 

[batteredwombat]

First I wouldn't jump straight into a series box. That's your choice though. Be safe and use fuses.
1 buy a cheap caliper to do measurements. (harbor freight)
2 I use a dremel and files to square it off
3 belt sander and patience. The side with the lid is taller. They don't look bad just left alone.
4 Pay a powdercoat company. If your not picky on color they will sometimes just put them in with something there already doing. Just ask. Its a pain to get paint to stick to aluminum, self etching primer is your best friend. You can also have them anodized

This is what i did ^^. When sanding lid watch out taking too much off weakening screw holes on lid.

 

[BlueridgeDog]

Cut your openings from the inside. The curve of the cutting wheel will let you have a finished look on the outside. Also, cut 1/16 or 1mm from the desired finish line and file from there.

 

[Gummy Bare]

Bookmarked! I'm in the same boat as the OP, been collecting parts & tools, need a couple more, and then off to my first box mod.

Sent from my SM-T320 using Tapatalk

 

[Gummy Bare]

depends on how low your are building. But I would do 14g to the 510 and something much thinner like 22g for the switch.... assuming you are using a MOSFET.

Does it matter if I use all the same gauge wire? I picked up thick enough wire (can't remember the exact gauge off the top of my head, but it was what everyone on the FB box modders group recommend), but only one size.

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[DaveSignal]

Does it matter if I use all the same gauge wire? I picked up thick enough wire (can't remember the exact gauge off the top of my head, but it was what everyone on the FB box modders group recommend), but only one size.

Sent from my SM-T320 using Tapatalk

No, but getting a low gauge wire soldered to the switch contacts is not as easy as using a thinner, higher gauge, plus it takes up more room. Using a MOSFET with resistor, the switch is only working with a very small amount of current, so the super low gauge wire to support large current flow is unnecessary.

 

[Gummy Bare]

No, but getting a low gauge wire soldered to the switch contacts is not as easy as using a thinner, higher gauge, plus it takes up more room. Using a MOSFET with resistor, the switch is only working with a very small amount of current, so the super low gauge wire to support large current flow is unnecessary.

Gottcha, maybe I need to find a small amount of higher gauge then. I'll have have to check my switch and room am working with.

I just picked up a CNC machined, anodized aluminum project box with perfectly cut hole for the charger port. It even has the top 510 hole already cut and indented for the 15mm auto adjust phat daddy 510 to sink in and sit flush with the top of the box. Things pretty cool, turns out a shop in my area had some CNC made.

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[Gummy Bare]

Is 22G a common size for box mods when placing them in the none load bearing part of the circuit? I need to order some I guess, I wanna make sure I get the right size.

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[DaveSignal]

you could use higher gauge than that if you wanted. there is a 15k ohm resistor in that circuit. Its going to be way less than even a single amp running through those wires. 22g is fine though.

 

[RaptorD.Meezus]

I've fallen behind for a little bit. Funding is a little short, so it's going to take me a little while to get all my parts and tools together. Life happens, lol.

One thing I wanted to ask about was advice on using a non-conventional switch. I have been really liking the idea of using an arcade machine button as a firing switch. The only problem I think I would encounter is how wide and long they are (giggity) and fitting them into a Hammond box. I think the 1590B would be wide enough, but I'm not sure if it would be tall enough, to handle one of these HBFS-24 - Akishop.jp I mean, it looks no longer than a "normal" switch one would use for this application, so it shouldn't be much of a problem, right? It's just a bit wide and girthy(giggity).

 

[DaveSignal]

I've fallen behind for a little bit. Funding is a little short, so it's going to take me a little while to get all my parts and tools together. Life happens, lol.

One thing I wanted to ask about was advice on using a non-conventional switch. I have been really liking the idea of using an arcade machine button as a firing switch. The only problem I think I would encounter is how wide and long they are (giggity) and fitting them into a Hammond box. I think the 1590B would be wide enough, but I'm not sure if it would be tall enough, to handle one of these HBFS-24 - Akishop.jp I mean, it looks no longer than a "normal" switch one would use for this application, so it shouldn't be much of a problem, right? It's just a bit wide and girthy(giggity).

No, its not going to fit easily and will require some box modifactions and sanding. You might also find that you need to secure it with epoxy.