Small metal boxes

Feb 03, 2012 9 Replies

Anyone know where I can get some small metal boxes, about the size of a matchbox? For fitting limit switches etc to machines.


They will have a few wires going in and coming out. Be good if they had a removable lid or summat.


Also, small conduit glands?



Thx,


-- Peter Fairbrother


Possibly too small, but my Grandaughter cons me out of a £1 often to get small decorative metal boxes out of a vending machine in the local parks cafe. They have a lid and usualy contain a small plastic gift like a ring, necklace, or the like !!!! Bob

Farnell. RS or Vero may have something, though yu may need to find out who makes them to get the right price in quantity.

Other than that, square tube extrusion of the type that is designed for end caps to screw on, or any number of small sheet metal shops that would also cut all the required holes and paint. They probably need the work right now as well...

Regards,

Chris

I use waterproof metal or plastic outdoor outlet boxes and plastic flexible conduit on my hobby machine tools. The smallest water (and swarf) tight boxes available in retail hardware stores are the conduit corners as in the top photo here:

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jsw

In article , Peter Fairbrother writes

Peter,

Is 58 x 38 x 27 mm too big?

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Sorry, cant help. You might find grommets and silicone sealant would work:

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Depends what the environment will be - from some of the stuff you do it might be quite extreme!

David

Yes, I'm looking for something like 40 x 30 x 20 or even 30 x 20 x 15 mm. Need a couple of dozen. Haven't been able to find any diecast boxes that small.

Not too extreme, just machine tools in the workshop. I found these, which I will probably end up using though they are a bit too chunky:

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Fortunately I have some 7mm stainless flexible conduit.

-- Peter Fairbrother

Do they have to be diecast? I use small Evatron ABS boxes on the stepper motor terminations, 39.5 x 27.5 x 17.5 AH! Rapid also do a 29x21x14 from CamdenBoss

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but it's on a longer lead time :(
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note change to using inside dimensions ;)

Anything thinner tends not to use screws to secure and if you NEED the screening, a squirt of conductive paint on the inside normally does the job ;)

Get some 20x15 stock, mill a recess in it for you parts, slice off at 40mm long lid came be simple plate and screws - job done!

AWEM

If that's too much milling, saw the boxes from rectangular tubing and make lids for both sides, joined and aligned by screws in the corners. One lid could be extended as the mounting bracket. They will be quick and easy to make, but fussy to assemble and adjust. AWEM's idea will look better if that matters.

jsw

These may work:

They have a cast zinc or aluminium bodyand an aluminium cover and can be had with two or three conduit entrances. The sizing varies with the conduit size...1/2 or 3/4 or 1 inch and up....

mike

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