Chassis source feedback?

[Raoul Duke]

Hi All,
Longtime lurker; I’m usually hanging out in the TW boards - but over the past few months I’ve been spending more time over here researching and reading and trying to learn enough to attempt a 4th gen ODS build. Really a wealth of experience and technical info over here in Dumble-land for sure!

I’ve started gathering parts and was hoping to get some advice regarding chassis vendors. The two I’ve located are Sol&Fa and Tube Town. I’d like to stick with aluminum and have the tools to punch/drill whatever I need to. Curious to know if anybody has dealt with either the above and can give some feedback?

I’m also open to leads for purchasing closer as well (CONUS). Thank you all in advance!

[Stephen1966]

Hi, and welcome!

The TT chassis used to come in two flavours: the 'basic' and the 'standard' but they are only shipping the standard these days. The 'standard' is well constructed (2mm aluminium) with riveted corners but has two IEC ports precut in the back. This is somewhat annoying because the 'basic' version, didn't have them. However, the 'basic' didn't have riveted corners and so when you punched the centres for the holes back and front, the front and back "plates" developed a kink that was hard to remove. I used a 'basic' in my most recent build and it was a bugger to fix the corners and flatten out the front and back plates after punching and drilling. The standard's precut IEC ports also don't conform to a "standard" Dumble back panel and so if you used this, you would probably need to look for some way of reinforcing those areas; a backing plate inside the chassis, or a weld. You might get away without that if you add front and back face plates and you aren't doing a ton of extra mods as well.

Check over in the for trade and sale section - there are some very nice and well constructed powder coated and silk-screened ODS chassis on offer there.

Not really a fan of manufacturers who use Dumble's name on their goods - so, a no-no to SOLandFA!

[Raoul Duke]

Thank you! Very detailed and practical feedback. Exactly what I was looking for.
Very much appreciated!

[ChopSauce]

Sounds like the easiest fix would be to rivet the sides of a basic chassis...

By the way, I think I could read that the TT chassis is not just true to the dimensions of an original Dumble (maybe due to conversion of dimensions to metric ? )

[erwin_ve]

Sounds like the easiest fix would be to rivet the sides of a basic chassis...

By the way, I think I could read that the TT chassis is not just true to the dimensions of an original Dumble (maybe due to conversion of dimensions to metric ? )

No not the metric conversion. It has to do with the anomalies of the cad program.
You can do a inside bend or outside bend.
Inside will remain true to the basic square parameters. Outside will make the total parameters larger.

[Stephen1966]

Sounds like the easiest fix would be to rivet the sides of a basic chassis...

By the way, I think I could read that the TT chassis is not just true to the dimensions of an original Dumble (maybe due to conversion of dimensions to metric ? )

It's moot now because they don't appear to be producing them anymore but there might be a few still knocking around out there that were purchased before they went OOP.

I had to use small sections of angle bracket and self tapping screws (from the inside!) Never again! If I get another like this, I would weld them using a low melting point weld stick.