How to make nice electronic enclosures

Collin Cunninghan of Make: Online is partial to "sweet retro sci-fi styling" for his electronics project enclosure, which is why I like this video so much.

Circuit Skills: Electronics Enclosures

Mark Frauenfelder is the founder of Boing Boing and the editor-in-chief of MAKE and Cool Tools. Twitter: @frauenfelder. Come and hear Mark speak at the ALA conference in Chicago on July 1.

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drLiz

Good instructional video. One comment: the background music/sound was distracting; consider turning down the volume, especially while you speak.
jfrancis

That’s ‘sweet retro styling?’ It looks like everything I ever made from Radio Shack.

When I was a kid.

Oh, man. I must be getting old.

(are todays enclosures, switches and dials really that different?)
jfrancis

I built an AM radio jammer (er, ‘transmitter’) with schematics from one of those old 300-in-1 kits, and used an empty Mennen Speed Stick container for the enclosure (the dial on the bottom could tune in the station on which to transmit)

Drove my AM-radio-listening parents insane.

:D
zikman

I love this guy’s videos, but every time I watch them, I feel like I’m having an awkward conversation with somebody.
chroma

Makers of audio equipment, DJ mixing boards, and electronic musical instruments seem to understand this very well. See, e.g. these links:
http://djtechtools.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12457
http://midibox.org/forums/index.php?app=gallery&module=images&section=viewimage&img=223
echolocate chocolate

This video was charming. Made me want to make something! Except I do not need anything and it would clutter the place up. I will enjoy this video of boxes instead.
cmpalmer

I always have more problems with labels on enclosures. I don’t do silkscreening and Dymo plastic or even the newer paper labels look shabby.
- lasttide
  
  Try using clear waterslide decals. Really easy to do and make very accurate since it’s straight from the printer. I even print drill marks onto it since I like to use PCB-soldered pots (less wiring and it holds the board in place).
  
  Looks pretty good too: http://www.blackcandyfx.com
- chroma
  
  I would suggest laser engraving your panel, either from an anodized aluminum sheet, or possibly an acrylic sheet designed for reverse engraving.
- Anonymous
  
  With all respect, have you tried a paintbrush/marker? Frankly, I think hand painted labels look cool.
Anonymous

Cool and fun–but one helpful tip:

Unless you think “cool retro styling” means crooked knobs and LEDs, better use a center punch to accurately mark where you drill. The center punched pips help keep a hand-held drill bit from spinning off target.

Jameco #160282