Sources for powder coated enclosures?

[HamishR]

If I lived in the US I would use Stomp Box Parts and Love My Switches a LOT! But in Australia Tayda is fantastic. I've never had a problem with coatings in threads. I used to get coated enclosures from Hammond at Mouser, but Tayda is so much cheaper and I really like the texture finishes.

We have a few suppliers in Australia that I use from time to time for some parts which I can't actually find anywhere else. But Tayda makes it very hard to compete. LMS has some knobs which I wish I could get elsewhere and right now they're just too expensive to import.

 

[Guardians of the analog]

@StompBoxParts is my first choice for nearly anything anymore. I just made an order this past weekend to finish up a few projects. They are simply...

 

[jcpst]

Look at SBP getting all the love up in here! For good reason- they’re great. That’s where most of my parts & enclosures come from these days.

 

[Guardians of the analog]

Look at SBP getting all the love up in here! For good reason- they’re great. That’s where most of my parts & enclosures come from these days.

It's also a local business for me, just on the other side of the state. Double win, plus it's generally here within two days of ordering

 

[StompBoxParts]

Can you go into detail on the cleaning process of the enclosures during the prep process? It's something I'd like to refine with my workflow.

Also, I've purchased some of your powdercoated enclosures during the winter when it's difficult for me to paint. I've wanted to apply labels and a clear coat over top to ensure durability. The powdercoat leaves a surface that is somewhat like wax on a car - it causes the water based paint pens I use to condense on the surface. One enclosure I tried sanding with 400, but it left the surface a bit too matte. Would you recommend anything in particular to remove some of the waxy quality of the coating?

I'm not sure what they're doing now. In the past they'd run everything through a dishwasher haha I always enjoyed seeing a load of enclosures come out of the dishwasher.

As far as getting your paint pens to stick. There is no extra wax or finish applied after powder coating. I'm guessing this is primarily an issue with really glossy finishes? I don't have experience with paint pens so I'm not going to be a big help here. You might need to find something not water-based. I think you are onto something by sanding, roughing up will help things stick but also understand that kind of ruins the nice shiny gloss finish. Or you could maybe try spraying a clear coat spray paint (maybe even 1 or 2 very light mist coats) just so the paint has something better to stick to than a hard, glossy powder coat.

 

[Erik S]

it causes the water based paint pens I use to condense on the surface.

I've had that experience with paint pens on some enclosures (I get mine mostly from Tayda).

I've always assumed it was some slight oil contamination from handling. I give everything some kind of solvent wipe down, then I make sure to only handle them with gloves on through the paint pen and clear coat process to avoid adding my own fingerprint oils.

The worst is when only part of the enclosure rejects the paint, and I find that area when the lettering is 80% finished.

 

[falco_femoralis]

I've had that experience with paint pens on some enclosures (I get mine mostly from Tayda).

I've always assumed it was some slight oil contamination from handling. I give everything some kind of solvent wipe down, then I make sure to only handle them with gloves on through the paint pen and clear coat process to avoid adding my own fingerprint oils.

The worst is when only part of the enclosure rejects the paint, and I find that area when the lettering is 80% finished.

When I paint I use a water based polyurethane clear coat, which is rough enough that the paint pen has something to sink into, but it's not nearly as absorbent as writing on paper. I never even thought that the surface of the powdercoat could have oil contamination.

I'm hesitant to sand the painted surface as it goes thru the corners so quickly. Maybe spot sanding with 800 or so in small areas on the top and then following thru with another clear coat would be the way to go.

 

[Cybercow]

BooBooBear has black white and red in stock at $9 ea

125-B Monochrome Colors

New England's source for guitar pedals, pedal parts and electronics.

smallbear-electronics.mybigcommerce.com

I recently procured a coupla of SmallBear's white 125B and 1590B enclosures and was disappointed by the way the paint chipped away so horribly around the drill holes. And the burring was an additional annoyance. (I was using brand new bits.)

I prefer the enclosures from StompBoxParts or LoveMySwitches. Never had issues with the boxes from those two. Tayda does some nice powder coating, but they don't take care to prevent paint from getting into the screw holes - making it a challenge to tighten the base.

 

[Locrian99]

Tayda does some nice powder coating, but they don't take care to prevent paint from getting into the screw holes - making it a challenge to tighten the base.

When I drill tayda enclosures I just go ahead and tap the screw holes now at the same time. Just saves me taking it back down to the garage when I’m putting the base on, though lately it seems to be less of an issue than it used to be. Ive broken a screw head off when it was almost there before that is no fun to get out.

 

[OD is Glorious]

I generally order as many enclosures as I can at one time from Tayda - the enclosures are perfect other than small issues like the powder coating in the holes. Sadly, they are taking thirty plus days to fill my orders. I have numerous enclosures in inventory like I am going to make pedals for years. I like Tayda for quality enclosures, some of the US based suppliers use enclosures with super thin walls and they are not robust and some get damaged in the drilling process.

I am a weekly SBP customer. I live in WI and they are so close, that whatever I order by noon, will usually be at my door overnight! They are great! I also use LMS and I have to wait a few extra days because they are in Oregon. Also. they also have rather imperfect enclosures at LMS - they call them a 7 out of 10 and I agree. My problem is the lack of variety from US based suppliers. And I prefer smooth surfaces for my film-free decals.

I may have a few extra Tayda enclosures ATM. Maybe I can send one along to someone.