Why not a wooden enclosure

Is there a good reason why i couldn't just make an enclosure for my Elec brewery out of a nice wood and stain and clear coat it? it would be super simple to make and drill out holes and etc. and CHEAP!

Most of the parts are designed to fit on thin gauge metal not dimensional lumber. Hardly impossible to overcome. You could even use sheet metal for the front of the box.

Listen to Beavis...

It is more difficult to ground but not impossible.
As itsme6582 said, most components (switches, lights...ect) are designed for thin metal.
It will need more care than metal.

Other then that I don't see a problem.

kellzey said:

Listen to Beavis...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XchwE9zVdnw

Click to expand...

i don't see it being any more dangerous than plastic or fiberglass. wood doesn't require a ground. i'm also not leaving the enclosure plugged in when not in use.

Thin plywood should work great but anything else will twist & warp over time.

bagpiperjosh said:

i don't see it being any more dangerous than plastic or fiberglass. wood doesn't require a ground. i'm also not leaving the enclosure plugged in when not in use.

Click to expand...

wood isnt extremely dangerous, but it can be mildly conductive, its flamable, and it can absorb water very easily and become extremely conductive. however you also cant ground a wood box because its not uniformly conductive like a metal box is.

if you needed to adhere to electrical codes, wood is not an option. if you understand these extra risks, wood is not especially dangerous and should be fine to use for a personal project.