Gaussmeter Kit Group-Buy

[John_H]

I also bought a Serpac enclosure, but it's a bit smaller than that one (I think).

3.62" X 2.25" X 1.5"

I hope not, but yours may be too small. The one I've got is 5.5 x 3 x 1.5".

[David Schwab]

I hope not, but yours may be too small. The one I've got is 5.5 x 3 x 1.5".

Not too small at all. It has plenty of room. I figured it out on paper before I ordered it.

[mkat]

Not too small at all. It has plenty of room. I figured it out on paper before I ordered it.

The fit look good in that enclosure. Which Serpac model did you buy?

[David Schwab]

The fit look good in that enclosure. Which Serpac model did you buy?

This one:

563-PBS-11327-B

The illustration is wrong. It's not angled.

I posted the wrong dimensions, it's 5.63 X 3.25 X 1.5

I'm not sure where I got the other dimensions.

[mkat]

Thanks David. Got my kit today and will order the box later. Someone opened the package here so hope nothing is missing.

[RedHouse]

... Someone opened the package here so hope nothing is missing....

Here is the packing list:



let us know if you are missing parts.

[spy]

My gauss meter all boxed-up, this is a SerPac "S series" 321-I box:
(like this: SerPac at Allied Elec)

I found a similar plastic box... any great hint to cut the rectangular hole for the display?

[John_H]

I posted the wrong dimensions, it's 5.63 X 3.25 X 1.5

That's more like it.

I found a similar plastic box... any great hint to cut the rectangular hole for the display?

I used a coping saw, and cleaned it up with a file.

[David Schwab]

That's more like it.

Yeah, the other one would have been tight!

[Bruce Johnson]

To cut a neat opening in a plastic box:

First draw out the opening carefully with ruler and a fine pencil. If the plastic surface is hard to draw on, lay down some masking tape and draw on it. You can also just use the inside edge of the masking tape to define the opening. Also lay out the four screw holes and center punch them.

Next, scribe the opening with a ruler and an Xacto knife, being very careful not to go too far at the corners.

Then, drill a whole bunch of 1/4" to 3/8" holes all around the perimeter, just inside of the scribed lines. The holes don't have to overlap, just make them close to each other. Don't get too close to the scribed line! This is quickest on a drill press, but a hand drill will work too.

Use a small coarse round "rat tail" file to file out the little bits between the holes, until the scrap in the middle falls out.

Use a small square file to work the four corners out to the scribed lines.

Use a wide flat file to straighten out the sides, bringing them out to match the corners.

Finally, use a small fine flat file to smooth out the edges and put a slight chamfer on the inside and outside.

[mkat]

Thanks Brad, I think it's all there, but I'll double check tonight as I'm planning to start work on it then.

[RedHouse]

I found a similar plastic box... any great hint to cut the rectangular hole for the display?

Spy, I used a method very similar to what Bruce described above but before I did that I made a template then used the template as a guide for drilling and filing. I drilled the 4 mounting holes in the enclosure first to locate the template with.

For my template I drilled four 1/8" corner holes for the LCD screen opening, then drilled a bunch of (1/8") holes along the edges of the template, then used an Xacto knife (Razor knife) instead of a rat-tail file to cut through the holes one-to-another until the unwanted piece fell away.

When the unwanted piece was away, I used the template again as a file guide to file the opening true and straight. Then I beveled (by hand) the top and bottom so one could view the opening from off-center much more easily. Some folks have better eye-hand co-ordination than others so don't worry too much about it.

I like to use templates in much of my work. When making templates it seems like you do the work twice BUT when there is a fucup it doesn't ruin the piece, only the tempate. Later when you get a template exactly right, then you use it to work the target piece (box) and everything goes well. I use templates on my amplifier chassis, effects boxes, and guitar work, not just on this project.

In the pic below you can see how I beveled the top and bottom edge of the opening, then you scrape it with a blade and maybe steel-wool it to make it blend:

[RedHouse]

To cut a neat opening in a plastic box:

First draw out the opening carefully with ruler and a fine pencil. If the plastic surface is hard to draw on, lay down some masking tape and draw on it. You can also just use the inside edge of the masking tape to define the opening. Also lay out the four screw holes and center punch them.

Next, scribe the opening with a ruler and an Xacto knife, being very careful not to go too far at the corners.

Then, drill a whole bunch of 1/4" to 3/8" holes all around the perimeter, just inside of the scribed lines. The holes don't have to overlap, just make them close to each other. Don't get too close to the scribed line! This is quickest on a drill press, but a hand drill will work too.

Use a small coarse round "rat tail" file to file out the little bits between the holes, until the scrap in the middle falls out.

Use a small square file to work the four corners out to the scribed lines.

Use a wide flat file to straighten out the sides, bringing them out to match the corners.

Finally, use a small fine flat file to smooth out the edges and put a slight chamfer on the inside and outside.

This is very good advise.

One might practice a bit on some scrap first before working the piece.

[David Schwab]

I like to use templates in much of my work. When making templates it seems like you do the work twice BUT when there is a fucup it doesn't ruin the piece, only the tempate. Later when you get a template exactly right, then you use it to work the target piece (box) and everything goes well. I use templates on my amplifier chassis, effects boxes, and guitar work, not just on this project.

I also love templates for the reasons you listed above. I'm planning on making a plywood template for the openings, and then maybe using my Dremel with the router base to cut the LCD opening.

Otherwise I was thinking of using an Xacto.

I'm working on a drilling/cutting guide based on the diagram of the LCD and the locations of the switches.

When I'm done with it, I'll post it here as a PDF. You can then print it and use it as a guide to locate all the openings.

[spy]

Thanks for your advices! I was thinking something similar with the holes along the edges but I didn't expect a so pro job like the pics that Bruce and Brad posted. I'll follow your advices and I'll post pics when I done it... hope this week.

David, I don't think Dremel is a good idea. Or don't use it in high speeds... the box is plastic and when heat will go up it'll melt. I'm not sure though...