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DIY portable modularcase (Eurorack sized Buchla clone)
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Ray_Ketamu



Joined: Nov 03, 2014
Posts: 48
Location: Germany

PostPosted: Fri Jan 08, 2016 9:04 am    Post subject:  DIY portable modularcase (Eurorack sized Buchla clone)
Subject description: ongoing build and design report
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hello all!

after viewing many high prieced cases i chose the hard and cheap way of DIY.
i had tons of thoughts and designs but i ended up with an sturdy allrounder. based on the ever genius buchla portable case design. i improved it by adding a stand/handle solution and outputs for triggers and the mainmixer on the back.

in this thread i will post my steps towards completion and will explain my design. many thanks to felix from the tuesday nigth machines and his post on which i based my work on https://www.muffwiggler.com/forum/post-1626201.html

allthough my design is for eurorack everything except electronics can be converted to other formats. later on i will post the sideparts as a pdf so you can scale them as you wish. the rest is "unimportant"

first of all i will start with the specs of my desired end product.

-must be easy cause i´m a noob to electronics
-It must be portable therefor heavy-duty build
-I dont want to disconnect the cables on the module for transport
-also for studio use
-Microbrute, MFB Nanozwerg, Beatstep PRo and Jomox T-resonator must fit in
-2x3U Frames of 126 HP
-it needs XLR Stereo out for my Mainmixer
-Trigger outs for my Vermona DRM1 Mk3
-Switches that mute the trigger outs and can select a second channel of triggers from the modular
-buffered multis for VCO Pitch
-one row of spread out passive multis make-noise-style
-some attenuators
-make it cheeaaaaaaaap!!!! i`m so '*"§= poor Smile

For the passive attenuators and multis there is not much to say:

http://www.doepfer.de/DIY/a100_diy.htm

For the buffered multi i had do go on a little bit deeper dig and found this scematic by daverj which was recommended:

https://www.muffwiggler.com/forum/post-1445492.html#1445492

luckily the stereo mixer was a easy find and i took dintrees D-102. converting the output to xlr with a little help of a tekkie i know.

http://www.dintree.com/#D102

i come from germany so i can´t order stuff from australia, america without disobeying law "make it cheap". so i decisded to order PSU and busboard stuff from befaco

http://www.befaco.org/en/fuente-alimentacion/

and first just one frame (cause i only can equip one for the start) from click clocks:

http://clicksclocks.de/category/modular-synth/parts-for-eurorack-cases

with the frame i can later on cut my wood to the precise length and dont have to fiddle around with .03 mm stuff.

next will be a papermodel to check all my thougths for faults and gather the parts.

first Edit:

i forgot to mention that the microbrut, BSP, T-Resonator and the Nanozwerg will be attached with velcro to the case floor.

i am also thinking about adding a protectiv skin to the wood. but i cant make out which one it should be... perhaps i just drop the idea.

also added the dintree stereomixer layout from me. all panels i have to add will be wooden so coloring will be added.

overall i will use intelijel-style knobs because they are rather cheap but still look nice... and i can see them in a dark club.

rubber feets will be added to the "bottoms" of the case (in the end it will have two. one standing and one while transport)



hope this finds your interest and you perhaps find some other thougths for this case idea.

greets ansgar

first design is in zip file attachment


rack front with modules.jpg
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diy_case.zip
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 Filename:  diy_case.zip
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Ray_Ketamu



Joined: Nov 03, 2014
Posts: 48
Location: Germany

PostPosted: Fri Jan 08, 2016 10:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

well i am too stupid to use forum picture tools (perhaps i dont post enough...) so i do a second post with in my own thread :/
heres the dintree d-102 stereomixer layout for my case.
XLR outs will be on the rearside


stereomixer.jpg
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stereomixer.jpg



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blue hell
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 08, 2016 11:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Ray_Ketamu wrote:
too stupid


Nah, there is a limit of five attachments per post, that's all.

Nice case :-)

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also .. could someone please turn down the thermostat a bit.
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Ray_Ketamu



Joined: Nov 03, 2014
Posts: 48
Location: Germany

PostPosted: Fri Jan 08, 2016 12:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

aha! thanks! i tried to attach the stereomixer pic about 5 times before accepting the fact that i am stupid Smile

hope i will post more updates soon.

infact i found kind of the same design called the spacecase somewhere and it had an extra stand in the back... not integrated to the side holders. i skipped that idea beacuase it sves me money is more reliable and the case looks like a toolbox now.

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PHOBoS



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PostPosted: Fri Jan 08, 2016 2:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Good luck! looks like a nice project.

One question, since I am not really that familar with these cases (although I've seen pics of a bunch of them),
How does the upright part stay in place, just by tightning the wing nuts ?

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Ray_Ketamu



Joined: Nov 03, 2014
Posts: 48
Location: Germany

PostPosted: Sat Jan 09, 2016 3:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

thats a pretty good question phobos. one can make some carvings inside the sidepieces (professional) and have a bolt slide within it. like a rail so it will stop at a certain point.
or like i did. using the weigth of the top part and have it´s side pieces rest against the middle parts handle. I will upload a picture to clarify this later on. my english is rather bad.
i just cant remember the rigth words :/

no rubber feets. won´t work. i think a 45 degrees hinge could do the trick.

papermodel will tell me more.

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Ray_Ketamu



Joined: Nov 03, 2014
Posts: 48
Location: Germany

PostPosted: Sat Jan 09, 2016 5:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Update:
After some checking i am convinced that the cheapest solution is to use gravity and wingnuts (for the beginning)
as long i dont us super cheap and thin wood it will do.

Here is a picture of the forces at work. i think a few degrees of the top part tiping to the back will stabilize it even more.
also i thougth about adding a ligth to the otherwise useless top lid... and some cable holders to the upper sidepieces Smile every inch must have a purpous!

also i had another look at my older cheap 19" rack i had build for my vermona drm1, the current modular setup and my mb33. i had no rails or anything to hold my gear in place. just screws washers and wood. so i just pre drilled smaller holes and entered a screw one number bigger.

i still carry it around for live and it holds like a tank. only thing is... i cant replace stuff :/ which is pretty bad for modular but i wound come to the point off replacing until next year june sooo... i just skip the rails and rack ears (my modules are mostly secondhand and all have rackrash... cause people sell modules cheaper when they have rackrash. so i just dont need to bother about that...) thus saving money... 100 euros Smile yes!!!

So it will be just the wood i need to buy... ofcourse i will construct it so i still can insert the frames later on. i will just scrwe some thicker wood to the inner side of the upper column and use it as a rail Smile as long as i keep the backside of the modules in mind... lets do some testind on the wood...

UPDATE:

I attached the solution i came up with.
As long as the screw with the wingnuts is on the corner over which the whole thing turnes everything is fine. there are other solutions but they all mean some extra parts or bolds i can fix through holes to hold it in place but one migth lose them and thats not what i want.

so onwards to the paper model!


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LFLab



Joined: Dec 17, 2009
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 11, 2016 3:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Posted Image, might have been reduced in size. Click Image to view fullscreen.
This is what I was planning to do. As you can see the fully opened position is determined by the shape of the cheeks.
It will need something of a support, to prevent it from rolling backward, and I am working on a carrying handle.
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Ray_Ketamu



Joined: Nov 03, 2014
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Location: Germany

PostPosted: Mon Jan 11, 2016 3:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

yes in the end it is just implementing what has been done by humanity the last 1000 years. guess some dozen more of same principaly the same solution out there Smile

as you can see in the first post i used the handle as the resting support. perhaps that will do the trick for you too?
it would just mean your middle side part have to be redesigned a bit.
looks nice!

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LFLab



Joined: Dec 17, 2009
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 11, 2016 11:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Was thinking of making a carrying handle as you would carry a toolbox, so carrying it the other way around, haven't wrapped my head round it yet. Something with folded tubing and stitched leather.
I wanted to make a slender foldable support at the back, maybe that's overcomplicating things as well.
Also haven't decided on how to make the boats, I can do some metalwork at work, so maybe just a folded "U" shape, and extruded rack rails.

So you are going to do a paper model? You could also do some 3mm MDF and have it lasercut at formulor.de, it's really not that expensive, but very precise.
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Ray_Ketamu



Joined: Nov 03, 2014
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Location: Germany

PostPosted: Mon Jan 11, 2016 12:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

yes thats what i ment with in my upper post... here again the toolbox solution... you could just extend the sideparts of your middle boat to make the side of the handle Smile
i just post my image again so you see what i mean Smile
thanks for the link! lucky i live in germany. one can call us neighbors cause i am near the dutch border.
i am a handcraft man. i can think better while building it with paper and allways attach some stuff or take it away... then just draw the technical details on pc... but i just thougth i could make the whole case mdf or acrylglas... the prices are unbeatable for my location! i even can engrave my logo!

here the toolbox handle


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LFLab



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PostPosted: Tue Jan 12, 2016 2:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Yes, I did see your picture, but I wanted the handle on the opening side, rather than the bottom.
Posted Image, might have been reduced in size. Click Image to view fullscreen.
So you can put patchcables inside and not have them falling out.

Regarding Formulor, the material is not expensive, but you also pay for cutting/engraving time. Just some cutting contours isn't going to cost much, but if you add a lot of engraving, it adds up!
Last time around, I payed about 120euros for 4 pieces of acrylic (their P1 size), which is about 10 eurorack frontpanels, so a lot of holes and lettering, but no other ornamental engraving.
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Ray_Ketamu



Joined: Nov 03, 2014
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Location: Germany

PostPosted: Tue Jan 12, 2016 12:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

okay... putting the handle on the frontside makes it way more complicated.
then you will need an extra stand for the back too.
shall your case be closed complety?
i will add a box underneath the powerbar for misc. stuff so it wont matter that much for me. but i think my solution will be much ruffer than yours.
i guess you are into diy a little bit longer then me Smile

i think i will load up my files to their website and ask for the estimate price. i will see what they want for it.

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LFLab



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PostPosted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 4:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Ray_Ketamu wrote:
i will add a box underneath the powerbar for misc. stuff


That's a great idea, in my case, that box could also be the stand keeping it upright thanks
And, I am a mechanical engineer, that's why I can make such technical drawings Very Happy
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Ray_Ketamu



Joined: Nov 03, 2014
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 4:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

ah! and im an illustrator that still refuses 3d programs because he needs the time to practise oilpainting... seeing your case scetch though, i sometimes wish i had a 48 hour day to do both Smile i finally made all parts as an illustrator file and will post them as soon as i have got rid off all the flaws.
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LFLab



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PostPosted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 7:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Yeah, there's only so much time available each day Very Happy
The program I use at work is Pro/ENGINEER (nowadays called Creo), and it is an enormously steep learning curve (oil painting probably has the same or even steeper learning curve Very Happy )

It's probably obvious, but you will need to make sure all corners are connected properly. And you'll need to use formulor's templates (available for download on their site). Add rounded corners if you can, that'll make them less susceptible to damage.
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Ray_Ketamu



Joined: Nov 03, 2014
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 15, 2016 8:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

yeah! after three runs i found out that screws are no option so i used the "puzzle" option of the ginko synthesis diy case.
thanks for the tip with the corners. well i will sand them i guess.

https://www.ginkosynthese.com/product/wooden-case-diy-kit/

at least i read the instructions on the formulors website so all is in propper size Smile

and yeah... oilpainting took me some years until i was good... 15 to be precicse Wink

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