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Folded aluminium transmitter cases

Posted: 27 Nov 2019, 20:45
by AndyS
I have made some 2.4 GHz conversions of my old Micron and Sanwa transmitters. I have also converted an old Simprop transmitter with the mega 256 open tx. I now would like to make a classic 60/70s style reed transmitter and maybe also a proportional from the same era.

However original early reed and propo transmitters are now either very rare or when available have high prices.

Does anyone know of good source of the early type of folded aluminium cases that can be used to emulate these early systems?

Re: Folded aluminium transmitter cases

Posted: 27 Nov 2019, 21:21
by drigotti
Try this......2nd post in the thread!
viewtopic.php?f=26&t=501&start=20

Re: Folded aluminium transmitter cases

Posted: 27 Nov 2019, 22:04
by AndyS
Many thanks for your fast response. I now have one on order from Farnell. Tricky finding the exact one, two I looked at were despatched from USA with high postage rates!

Re: Folded aluminium transmitter cases

Posted: 28 Nov 2019, 05:33
by Tobe
https://www.budind.com/view/Small+Metal ... /Miniboxes

There are several out there but some times they need some mods as they normally are too deep. Look online eg. eBay or Amazon for BUD Industries, Aluminum Electronics Enclosure Project Box Case unfortunately they are on the expensive side. They come in bare aluminium so they will need to be covered in Vinyl or given a paint job on top of a zinc chromate primer

Re: Folded aluminium transmitter cases

Posted: 03 Jan 2020, 12:19
by Bo Edstrom
Hi,
Any more links to more aluminium cases?
Maybe some company can custom made to desired W x H x D for a reasonable cost?
Anyone tried to make own aluminium case in a (hobby) bending machine?

I can think of a couple of old transmitters that was made in my country in 1967-68 and 1970s that would be fun to recreate from scratch with same seize transmitter aluminium case they had. I know the dimension color on the cases (found it in some old reviews of these radio controls). In one it was used Bonner sticks and in another EK logictrol Pro sticks (white stick ends and white trims and I now EK had that in about 1970). Cutting narrow holes for the trims in an aluminium case is probably not so ease. Painting or anodize a TX case and have proper logo made is also a challenge I suppose. But it would be really cool to recreate an old TX from scratch this way (with modern encoder, 2.4 GHz module etc inside).

/Bo

Re: Folded aluminium transmitter cases

Posted: 02 Feb 2020, 20:53
by Stew
Very hard to make in a bending machine. I have a choice of two such machines at work and it is very difficult. Most cases you see on vintage transmitters would have been pressed and stamped, including the cutouts, rather than bent to shape. Not impossible to use a bending machine, but not an easy job at all. Needs special tooling really, which is for big production runs and extremely expensive. I think if it was straightforward then a lot of the (very clever) people on this forum would already be doing it believe me!

If you make any progress keep us posted, always interesting to see how people work around problems.

Re: Folded aluminium transmitter cases

Posted: 02 Feb 2020, 21:33
by Phil_G
Erm.... my 1970s home brews were folded up from sheet using my Dad's carpentry vice, angle-iron offcuts and tinsnips. No sheet metal tools, no folding machine, no guillotine. Covered in sheet vinyl with Evo-Snot (note the overruns!)

Re: Folded aluminium transmitter cases

Posted: 03 Feb 2020, 01:52
by _AL_
I've made a few with a cheap pan break in a vice...
https://www.ebay.com.au/i/254367817580? ... id=7364522

The results are pretty good & you can cover with ebay vinyl for a retro look.

Al

Re: Folded aluminium transmitter cases

Posted: 03 Feb 2020, 17:30
by Stew
I stand corrected! Where there's a will, there's obviously a way! Nice one. I'm going to have to have another go now.. :oops:

Re: Folded aluminium transmitter cases

Posted: 04 Feb 2020, 00:13
by _AL_
The lessons I've learned are as follows.
  • Make one out of cardboard first to make sure it all fits
  • Drill a 2mm hole at the corners to get a nice neat corner
  • Bench shears twist the aluminium too much, use tin snips
  • Sand all of the edges with 240 grit or you'll cut yourself
Al