DIY

WORKSHOP

CASE REOPENED

Repurposed packaging for electronics experimenters. By Thomas J. Arey

Great electronics projects can be found in so many places. Magazines new and old, textbooks, and websites provide the electronics hobbyist and experimenter with literally hundreds of exciting possibilities. However, while you may find a great schematic for a power amplifier, audio oscillator, or other project, finding a suitable case for your electronics experiment is another story.

Photograph by Sam Murphy

Commercial project boxes are expensive and usually must be ordered from suppliers. Gone are the days when everyone had a neighborhood electronics parts outlet with a broad supply of experimenters’ resources. But, the maker perspective provides many possibilities. You need look no further than your recycling bin to resolve almost any project case dilemma. Why recycle when you can repurpose?

Audio and radio experimenters have learned to love the common mint tin. Several projects have

appeared in MAKE making excellent use of this ubiquitous case. The Altoids tin has become such a standard form factor for small electronics projects that some designers actually lay out their printed circuit boards to fit its 33"×2¼"×¾" interior. Folks have managed to cram quite a lot of electronics onto this very small piece of real estate.

Many other small metal containers found “in the wild” can easily be turned into project cases. One of the most famous of these was the Tuna Tin 2 designed by the late Doug DeMaw W1FB in the 1970s and still built by hobbyists today (see MAKE, Volume 12, page 167 ). However, it’s by no means the earliest example. In the golden age of vacuum tube design, it was common for hobbyists to turn pie and bread pans into chassis for their projects.

Once you open your eyes (and your mind) to the possibilities, you’ll spot small metal containers of

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