andy404ns
Member
So as graduation day neared I started to plan out a project that would display all my scanners in a neat and orderly fashion. Not that I don't love wires all over the place, but I needed something to do before work started anyway. So I decided to make a box (basically a console) that would hold the scanners, all the wires, speakers, and whatever else I needed. Here it is from start to finish:
After the pine met the table saw along with some of the equipment:
<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view¤t=Beginning.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/Beginning.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
I had to use a reciprocating saw to cut the slots due to a lack of proper hardware and funds (but I thought it came out halfway decent):
<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view¤t=FrontCutOuts.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/FrontCutOuts.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Next I installed some "holders" for the scanners with some flimsy wood and a few shelving brackets:
<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view¤t=Supports.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/Supports.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
An idea of where I was heading (I took a lot of these pics in case I screwed everything up and had to go back to fix something):
<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view¤t=APrelude.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/APrelude.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
The assistant (he "assisted" by sitting around and sleeping in the sun all day):
<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view¤t=Assistant.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/Assistant.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
The front (with felt), sides, and bottom attached. The holes on the side are there to accomodate the speakers which are coming at a later step:
<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view¤t=SidesConnected.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/SidesConnected.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
The completed outer shell wrapped in black felt:
<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view¤t=FinishedBox.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/FinishedBox.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
A shot from the back after the speakers were installed. You can see the speaker wires coming through in addition to the hardware used to mouth the speakers:
<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view¤t=SpeakersInstalled.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/SpeakersInstalled.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
A shot from the back with all the scanners installed and power/speaker wires attached. The two coax wires going out the top right of the box feed the two handheld scanners that are fixed to the front:
<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view¤t=Back-MostWires.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/Back-MostWires.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
The antennas that I put up. I have the RS 20-176 (I've had it for a while), the new Scantenna, and a Comtelco 800MHz:
<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view¤t=AntennasCloseUp.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/AntennasCloseUp.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Another shot from the back with the cables feeding the antennas installed:
<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view¤t=Back-AllWires.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/Back-AllWires.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
And now for the completed front shot. I was actually very impressed with how it came out. I figured I would have messed it up somehow. The only thing that's missing in this pic is the power cord for the PRO-82. It's in the mail now. Also, There is normally two PC cables to connect the 246 and 996 to my computer but they have to go in front so I left them out for the pic:
<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view¤t=TotallyDoneFront.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/TotallyDoneFront.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
And finally a shot from the side. You can see the piece of wood I cut down and installed in the window. The hole in the left side of it allows the antenna cables to pass through. I will soon be painting the wood to match the window and putting weather stripping on it:
<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view¤t=TotallyDoneSide.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/TotallyDoneSide.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Hope you liked my project. I had a lot of fun with it! There's more pictures of the setup on my photobucket page:
http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/
After the pine met the table saw along with some of the equipment:
<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view¤t=Beginning.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/Beginning.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
I had to use a reciprocating saw to cut the slots due to a lack of proper hardware and funds (but I thought it came out halfway decent):
<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view¤t=FrontCutOuts.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/FrontCutOuts.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Next I installed some "holders" for the scanners with some flimsy wood and a few shelving brackets:
<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view¤t=Supports.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/Supports.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
An idea of where I was heading (I took a lot of these pics in case I screwed everything up and had to go back to fix something):
<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view¤t=APrelude.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/APrelude.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
The assistant (he "assisted" by sitting around and sleeping in the sun all day):
<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view¤t=Assistant.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/Assistant.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
The front (with felt), sides, and bottom attached. The holes on the side are there to accomodate the speakers which are coming at a later step:
<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view¤t=SidesConnected.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/SidesConnected.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
The completed outer shell wrapped in black felt:
<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view¤t=FinishedBox.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/FinishedBox.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
A shot from the back after the speakers were installed. You can see the speaker wires coming through in addition to the hardware used to mouth the speakers:
<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view¤t=SpeakersInstalled.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/SpeakersInstalled.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
A shot from the back with all the scanners installed and power/speaker wires attached. The two coax wires going out the top right of the box feed the two handheld scanners that are fixed to the front:
<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view¤t=Back-MostWires.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/Back-MostWires.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
The antennas that I put up. I have the RS 20-176 (I've had it for a while), the new Scantenna, and a Comtelco 800MHz:
<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view¤t=AntennasCloseUp.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/AntennasCloseUp.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Another shot from the back with the cables feeding the antennas installed:
<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view¤t=Back-AllWires.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/Back-AllWires.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
And now for the completed front shot. I was actually very impressed with how it came out. I figured I would have messed it up somehow. The only thing that's missing in this pic is the power cord for the PRO-82. It's in the mail now. Also, There is normally two PC cables to connect the 246 and 996 to my computer but they have to go in front so I left them out for the pic:
<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view¤t=TotallyDoneFront.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/TotallyDoneFront.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
And finally a shot from the side. You can see the piece of wood I cut down and installed in the window. The hole in the left side of it allows the antenna cables to pass through. I will soon be painting the wood to match the window and putting weather stripping on it:
<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view¤t=TotallyDoneSide.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/TotallyDoneSide.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Hope you liked my project. I had a lot of fun with it! There's more pictures of the setup on my photobucket page:
http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/