Eurorack rails with two mounting holes per end?

[spitznagl]

I'm looking for rails with two mounting holes at each end for a custom rack. The only ones I could find are from Elby Designs

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The price is alright, but the shipping for 8 rails from Australia to Canada would be $A63.35. Add the taxes to that and the price has nearly doubled.

Anybody knows if the same or similar rails are sold somewhere in North-America?

[John Noble]

This is probably what you're looking for:

http://erthenvar.com/store/eurodiy/casehardware

[spitznagl]

Hey, thanks.

I saw those before, but I didn't realise that they were designed to be fixed by the ends. Looks like some great quality hardware, but they're quite expensive .

I need 4 rows of 95hp, and the T-Strut would cost more than the aluminum ones from Elby, even with the crazy Australian shipping cost.

Anybody knows of another option?

[ersatzplanet]

Standard Vector rails can be attached by using two of the channels like this:

[spitznagl]

Thank you for the picture. Do you remberer where you got those from?

[ersatzplanet]

Thank you for the picture. Do you remberer where you got those from?

I got those in a trade - I got 24 of them, but the standard Vector TA-169 rail are $10 each at Mouser - http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Vec ... 252bDlWGzR

The ones in that picture are Vector TSW169, the W is for wide and they are deeper. They are also quite a bit more expensive at around $32

Digi-key and Allied Electronics also sell them.

[spitznagl]

Thanks a lot Sir. Digikey sell 20.85 inches long T-STRUT rails (TS209) for $10.65 and they are in Canada

They have square nuts (NT4-7PA) at $8.29 for 25, but I would prefer tapered strip. I'll keep looking if I can find any that fit, but the rails themself are quite cheap and seem like the perfect solution too if I decide to try selling cases at some point.

I'll get a PC5V next time I visit Moog Audio with the money you made me save. Thank you.

[daverj]

Since you want longer than 84HP, look up 574-TS300 and 574-TS600 on Mouser.

Also be aware that the t-struts don't come with the brass inserts. You need to buy packs of sliding square nuts.

I seem to remember reading that the Elby rails have the nut strips deeper than Doepfer rails, so I think the standard length Doepfer screws are too short for them.

[ersatzplanet]

Erthanvar sells hardware at a very good price. His Webstore: http://erthenvar.com/store/eurodiy

He has M2.5 sliding nuts $5.00 for 100. Sell the screws too.

Elby sell the threaded rails in M2.5 and M3 I believe.

[ersatzplanet]

I seem to remember reading that the Elby rails have the nut strips deeper than Doepfer rails, so I think the standard length Doepfer screws are too short for them.

This bit me when I got a bunch of Vector rails. All my hardware had come from Schroff and half of the screws, the ones designed for their front panels, are all too long and bottom out before securing the panel. Luckily there was some other shorter bolts that are short enough.
The Scroff rails I have in the 12U rack are 85HP rails instead of the common 84HP too. The extra HP is a pain in the ass. I have two older P600 Doepfer cases that were the 85HP before they changed to 84HP but at least they came with 1HP blanks. Make sure the width works or live to see a lot of 3HP and lower holes.

[spitznagl]

Since you want longer than 84HP, look up 574-TS300 and 574-TS600 on Mouser.

The TS600 from mouser aren't worth it considering the shipping surcharge, but I'll keep that in mind in case I need more.

Erthanvar sells hardware at a very good price. His Webstore: http://erthenvar.com/store/eurodiy

He has M2.5 sliding nuts $5.00 for 100. Sell the screws too.

Elby sell the threaded rails in M2.5 and M3 I believe.

Well, I'm not going to order the tapered strips from Elby since the shipping price was the problem to start with.

I've decided to order the TS209 rails and the NT4-7PA square nuts from Digikey. I'll buy the mounting screws locally once I receive the rails. The case is closed.

Thank y'all

[exeterdown]

Using that clear acrylic as a case I'm sure it was easy but I found those rails an absolute dog to put into a wooden case. Couldn't see where to drill properly.

If you don't get them just right the rails aren't parallel and your modules won't fit right. Then again, I'm a complete amateur woodworker.

[spitznagl]

The next time you need to do something similar, use a square to mark the location of your holes and use a press drill to make sure that your holes are at 90°. Pre-punch if you drill in metal or another high density material. It's nothing complex, you just need to make sure to measure and mark carefully. Then again, I'm a cabinetmaker and wood finisher.

[ersatzplanet]

I've decided to order the TS209 rails and the NT4-7PA square nuts from Digikey. I'll buy the mounting screws locally once I receive the rails. The case is closed.

Thank y'all

Be aware that the NT4-7PA nuts are for 4-40 screws NOT for theM3 screws that come with most modules. The 4-40 size is ~2.75mm in diameter which is in-between M2.5 and M3. You will have to buy some 4-40 screws. At least they will fit in the panel holes and are easier to get in the USA

[ersatzplanet]

Using that clear acrylic as a case I'm sure it was easy but I found those rails an absolute dog to put into a wooden case. Couldn't see where to drill properly.

If you don't get them just right the rails aren't parallel and your modules won't fit right. Then again, I'm a complete amateur woodworker.

The offset is really small between the holes on the Vector rails. I plotted the file and taped it to the plexi and drilled from there. I am gonna sell some of that skiff design so am having them locally made using one of my panels as a jig. I may have a pair of 6mm thick aluminum ones made at FPE but they are like more than twice as expensive. I drilled the holes a little large to make sure they had room to play with.

The easiest way to put them in a wooden case is to use the Pulplogic end brackets Erthanvar sells: http://erthenvar.com/store/eurodiy/casehardware

The end bracket metal hold the rails and easily screws into the wood.

[Arturo00]

I ended up getting the Vector TS600 rails with these Elma tapped inserts. The inserts definitely fit, but I haven't used either of them yet to really be able to comment further. I will say that they came highly recommended by a few people in the know.

As for tapped inserts, one word of advice, get M2.5. They're much cheaper than M3s, even with having to buy a whole new set of screws.

The entire package ended up costing me less than $200 shipped to Canada, and I can comfortably get 18U of 104HP with a little left over for a skiff or two.

Here's a picture of the tapped thread fitting into the vector rail.

[ersatzplanet]

I also recommend using the tapped screw vs. sliding nuts. Unless you have a bunch of AS modules there is no real advantage to the sliding nuts other than price. For me the price thing difference is meaningless the first time you want to add a module somewhere other than the end of a rail and have to remove all the modules to get a nut there. 1.5HP panels are really cheap if you don't want to drill holes in your AS modules. As for eliminating the tiny gaps from panel tolerances, all a sliding nut arrangement does is add them all together and gives you a bigger gap at the end of the rail.

[Arturo00]

I also recommend using the tapped screw vs. sliding nuts. Unless you have a bunch of AS modules there is no real advantage to the sliding nuts other than price. For me the price thing difference is meaningless the first time you want to add a module somewhere other than the end of a rail and have to remove all the modules to get a nut there. 1.5HP panels are really cheap if you don't want to drill holes in your AS modules. As for eliminating the tiny gaps from panel tolerances, all a sliding nut arrangement does is add them all together and gives you a bigger gap at the end of the rail.

While I agree with you 100% about the tapped inserts vs sliding nuts, to remedy the situation of adding new modules, I just inserted a bunch of nuts at the end that didn't have the notch so I didn't have to take all the modules out.

I will note that as much as I absolutely hate the sliding nut system, the benefit I saw was that if I needed to add modules (keeping what I said above in mind), all I had to do was loosen the screws of the modules I needed to move and just slide them over. Instead of taking them all out to create space.

[DedMousie]

While we're on cases ... I really like the Lamond Design stuff.

Where can one source the source the little cross pieces he's using to connect the rails to the case?

Like here:

[ersatzplanet]

If you want a skiff that is slightly different from all the wood ones out there, I will be selling a few custom aluminum ones like this. They will be made with standard vector rails, with or without inserts and have clear plexiglas side panels. I can offer metal ones at a price jump of course. I made a set in the past with the plexiglas sanded to give it a frosted look and I will be doing that again but not for the ones I sell, I will leave them clear. You might know somebody with a NC router and will want to have them etch something into them for you.

The aluminum used is all raw so will age a little unless you paint it or have it anodized. I happen to like the raw look myself.

Here is my prototype. The ones I will make will be like this one but with some slight changes. The Velcro on this one is for a "kickstand" I made for them and won't be on the production units. I have enough parts to make a half a dozen of them so that is probably all I'm gonna make unless there is lots of demand. You provide power supplies. The uZeus is a good one with flying buss boards. You can bolt them to the perforated rear panel if you want and it is very sturdy. There is a little over 1.6" clearance inside. I may be making a 2.5" internal depth one also. I can also make them in as long as you want.

[Arturo00]

Waow. Those look sharp.

[ersatzplanet]

While we're on cases ... I really like the Lamond Design stuff.

Where can one source the source the little cross pieces he's using to connect the rails to the case?

Like here:

Erthanvar sell them - http://erthenvar.com/store/eurodiy/casehardware They are made by Pulp Logic

[spitznagl]

I ended up getting the Vector TS600 rails with these Elma tapped inserts. The inserts definitely fit, but I haven't used either of them yet to really be able to comment further. I will say that they came highly recommended by a few people in the know.

As for tapped inserts, one word of advice, get M2.5. They're much cheaper than M3s, even with having to buy a whole new set of screws.

Thanks, but I already ordered the square nuts. The price is quite good and I would have preferred rails, but these are only 84hp and I'm way too stubborn to have two strips in one rail. Good to know about Elma though. Thanks for that.

If you want a skiff that is slightly different from all the wood ones out there, I will be selling a few custom aluminum ones like this.

Nice! I really like the look. I don't need a skiff myself, but I'm sure they'll sell well.

[DedMousie]

Erthanvar sell them - http://erthenvar.com/store/eurodiy/casehardware They are made by Pulp Logic

Of course, they're sold out ... heh ...

[DedMousie]

Erthanvar sell them - http://erthenvar.com/store/eurodiy/casehardware They are made by Pulp Logic

Anybody know of another source (preferably in the US to save on shipping), especially ones that would work with the TipTop rails? Maybe I should try and convince TipTop to offer them...

I swear I'm going to build some cases if I can find a reliable source for the exact parts I'm interested in.

EDIT: Better yet - does anybody have a technical drawing of the EXACT dimensions needed (for the TipTop rails)? I have a friend that does metal work. Maybe I could get a whole batch done at once and offer some up here!