So as a newbie to the hardware side of free-wheeling (as opposed to PC-based) electronics projects, I've been searching the Web for finalized electronics projects. I'm trying to get a glimpse of the final project. As Covey says, "Begin with the end in mind." So.........
1. Thank goodness there are other electronics dummies in the world, other than me, to enable this wonderful web page and web site:
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/conte...-step-5-enclose-your-circui.navId-810952.html
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/consumer-electronics/electronics/Electronics-Projects.html
2. I went to "How to Build an Enclosure" at:
http://mods-n-hacks.wonderhowto.com/how-to/build-enclosure-box-for-your-electronics-projects-364095/ It's a good video...Reminds me of the days when I built my own speaker boxes.
3. Then to
http://www.instructables.com/answers/Can-anyone-give-some-simple-tips-on-how-to-build-s/ Terribly simple advice on enclosure possibilities, hardly worth the effort. Even I knew many of these things.
4. Here is a Web page entitled DIY Enclosures
http://www.electronics-lab.com/blog/?p=447. I like the idea of a hole already pre-opened in the case for power supply. But apparently that can be inconvenient without some careful planning. Be aware that this site uses a lot of lingo, abbreviations, and terminology that will mean very little to newbies.
5. There are a lot of enclosures out there. Here are a few:
http://www.polycase.com/ But this organization is about selling these enclosures to big time electronics commercialized projects.
6. Believe it or not ;-) eBay has a few as well:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/sis.html?_n...Case Electronic DIY New &_itemId=220956293929
7. Here is an interesting enclosure:
http://www.popsci.com/diy/article/2010-03/build-clock-uses-atomic-timekeeping
8. And about this "DIN" stuff. which apparently is an abbreviation for Deutsches Institut für Normung eV [In English that would be German Institute for Standardization (not GIS, that is something else)], that organization is similar to the US ANSI. Here is a nice DIN mini-box:
http://resources.mini-box.com/online/M350/index.html Are there ANSI enclosures? Maybe that's NEMA, not sure?
9. These DIN mounting rails have me confused, I can't even explain why?!?!? What are they? Can they be enclosed?
10. Apparently Grainger has enclosures, brackets, and kits. But, I must confess, some of these brackets look confusing. How does it all fit together? (Apparently Grainer sell everything, and I thought they just sold blowers.)
11. If you have not had a look at JonW's work posted here in HBT, then it is time....!!!! Check it out:
http://cdn.homebrewtalk.com/attachm...p-bcs-462-automated-rig-brew_stand_wiring.jpg Now that is some serious layout there! Makes me smile :-D
So, I'm starting to get the idea, but I still cannot envision the size or the "guts" of my box. So many choices.
I think I'll have a brew.