[hpsdr] Pandora Enclosure Project Proposal.

[Ben Hall]

Hi Eric!

Absolutely I'd welcome your assistance as an alpha tester.  I know at 
some point I'll get so wrapped up in a design that I'll need someone 
fresh who isn't so wrapped up to notice what I'll miss.

I absolutely *love* the idea for more than six slots.  There are so many 
PC accessories that could be adapted to the extra slots.  The only 
problem would be adapting the PC accessories to mount to the End Panel, 
as it will probably lack the hole at the bottom where the tab of the PC 
accessory goes as well as the angle bracket at the top to accept the 
screw that will hold down the PC accessory.

I'm going to peruse the local compu-outlets and see how we can modify 
these type things to work without the tab and the angle bracket.  Maybe 
we'll have to design a Close Out strip that accepts a PC card-type 
accessory with the angle bracket cut off or bent up?

Also, the extra slots could also be the openings needed to get signals 
out from an Alex-type board out to another enclosure.  Let's see how 
many slots will fit.  Why not?  We can always blank off what we don't use!

thanks and 73,
ben, KD5BYB

Eric Ellison wrote:
> Ben
> 
> I also really liked your proposal sort of 'organizes thoughts', without
> specifying EVERYTHING! I'd like to be an 'alpha' tester. I'll work with the
> Ten Tec enclosure and my Aria Enclosure as an example.
> 
> Additional comment for your/all consideration! 
> 
> "I don't think we have enough slot openings for the evil spirits to get
> out." (Although Hope is in there so we are OK! (smile))
> 
> I've had second thoughts on my earlier suggestion for *ONLY*  6 slot
> openings in Pandora/front/rear panel Benzel. It occurs to me that we should
> just slot the whole plate.
> 
> While pondering Pandora cooling requirements, I got to thinking about my
> Aria enclosure, and it comes with a cute little slot mounted fan for
> additional cooling in the computer enclosure. When I checked there are a
> BUNCH of slot mounted fans. Well, there goes one of my six Atlas slots! Then
> thought about variable speed control and LO here is a nice variable speed
> mounted in an L-Bracket! There goes another ATLAS slot. Searching PCI slot
> covers and brackets, yielded a bunch of COTS types to cover these valuable
> pre-made openings. These little brackets are jewels perfect for mounting
> almost anything we would want to mount in the way of connectors, switches,
> LED's, that were slightly smaller than the size of a slot cover. Some come
> with firewire, usb, RJ-45, DB-(X), water cooling hose grommets, wire feed
> throughs, holes already cut. 
> 
> (sorry in advance for the wrap)
> 
> http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/Category/category_slc.asp?CatId=804
>  
> http://www.highspeedpc.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=PC
> Icover&Category_Code=Tubing
> 
> http://www.xoxide.com/slotcooler2.html
> 
> (Note the Sunbeam Wherever neat concept but looks like it needs the 'shelf')
> 
> http://www.worldofcables.com/oscatalog/CablesProduct/FLT-3750.htm
> 
> 
> Nice thing is you can drill or machine a blank BEAUTIFUL chrome plated
> covering bracket outside of an existing enclosure mount components, and then
> screw them onto the front or back of a slot and make inside world
> connections on boards to 'outside world'. 
> 
> If you don't want to make provisions for things in the slots just screw a
> metal or plastic plate behind he slots or use snap in or screw on covers to
> seal the slots. 
> 
> If you only want 2 slots for Atlas-Lite, cut off the excess slots. 
> 
> If you prefer the look of a little larger panel, within a 'slot window
> frame', saw out the inter-slot "lands" and back it/ or front it with an
> appropriate panel made of aluminum, plastic, PCB material etc. In fact this
> would be a really nice method of making a Front panel! Cut out the 'lands'
> to the size you desire, and front it with 1 or 2 sided PCB for mounting
> Lyle's Color LCD display numeric keypad, knobs and switches.
> 
> Benzel Slot top and bottom should have screw holes above and below for easy
> mounting of non-snap in style brackets in front or behind. Make the holes
> (everywhere in your design) the size of the screws which come with
> enclosures for bracket mounting. Ya can gettem ANYWHERE, even out of old PC
> carcases in the town dump. 
> 
> Removing slots already made is a LOT easier than forming them if you want
> more.
> 
> Much more flexibility for mounting this way with as many slots as we can
> get.
> 
> Slot covers abound and some of them are quite 'pretty' for the modders!
> 
> Sketches on request! (smile)
> 
> Thanks
> Eric
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks much for the nice comments and the feedback.
> 
> Dimensions are in flux right now - the BK-959 case from Ten-Tec that 
> seems like it would work is 9" wide, 5.5" tall, and 9" deep.  Or, in SI 
> units, 228.6 mm wide, 139.7 mm tall, 228.6 mm deep.  Sorry that I forgot 
> to add the SI equivalents in the posting.  In the future I'll use both. 
>   (Interestingly, in my heat transfer spreadsheet, I used SI units for 
> the calculations and then transformed the temps back to deg F!)
> 
> Material is also in flux - the BK-959 has aluminum end panels, an 
> aluminum internal chassis and internal side plates, while the clam-shell 
> tops and bottoms are steel.
> 
> I'm in the process of getting some more information from Buckeye 
> Shapeform on some cases there that might be more suited to what we're doing.
> 
> 
> 


-- 
Thanks and 73,
Ben, KD5BYB


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