Valve boxes

[RogerWalker]

I happened to re-read an article on fabricating vintage valve boxes in the Autumn 2002 BVWS Bulletin by Peter Kyne recently - as you do - and by pure coincidence had to dispose of a large collection of VCR tapes that HID deemed obsolete [as we no longer possess a VCR!]. I salvaged the cardboard sleeves that housed each tape and bingo! sufficient bits of stiff card to make up 50 large valve boxes. Memorex tapes had the thickest card and were the easiest to open and fold flat. Other makes were skimpier and or better glued. I hope this might be useful to other BVWS members with attics full of old videos and valve collections wrapped in crumpled newspaper!
Regards
Roger

[Herald1360]

Nice bit of recycling!

Don't forget that universal template/gasket/small box material, the cornflakes (or cereal generally) packet either

[Pamphonica]

I did post a DIY pattern a while back for making your own boxes if you have some flat card to hand. Two small boxes per A4 sheet. It's Post #4. Good for cornflakes packets!
https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...ad.php?t=49523
and a revised version with one large box per sheet here (Post #12):
https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...ad.php?t=53691
regards
Jeremy

[davidgem1406]

Here is my templates for printing and making valve boxes.
3 sizes included.

Dave

[Herald1360]

I doubt your boxes (small) and Boxes (medium) would fit any B7 or B9 valves

B7G and B9A, now that's a different matter......

http://www.r-type.org/exhib/aai0015.htm typical B7

http://www.r-type.org/exhib/aaa0571.htm typical B9

[davidgem1406]

Hmm, yea point taken, bit picky

Here is another copy with corrections..

Dave

[Herald1360]

Originally Posted by davidgem1406

Hmm, yea point taken, bit picky

Guilty as charged.

Its a challenge to consider when reading my posts

Thanks for the effort in producing those templates, by the way.....

[ColinTheAmpMan1]

Originally Posted by davidgem1406

Hmm, yea point taken, bit picky

Here is another copy with corrections..

Dave

Hi,

Am I missing something here? How do you print these onto card? All the printers/copiers and suchlike that I am aware of roll the printing medium around, which I don't think would work with even thin card. Glueing a paper print onto the card also opens up the possibility of imperfect glueing and voids, plus problems in folding. Any solutions?

Regards, Colin.

[Pamphonica]

Many inkjet and laser printers have a "through-mode" for printing stiffer material. My inkjet (12+ years old, given to me FOC) can print 175-200g/m2 material. My laserjet can print up to 250g/m2. You don't need to use card quite as stiff as real valve boxes if you are just producing boxes for storage.
If stumped, print one copy at home then get it printed onto card at a copy shop.
But at that point the cost is probably more than buying real boxes! (which are only 13p each after all)
- Jeremy

- Jeremy

[davidgem1406]

I'm using 300gsm card at the moment. My Brother laser printer has a door at the rear that when opened gives a straight through path. Not sure about the inkjet but im prety sure even with a straight path it could not take anything more than 150gsm at best.

Next time I will get a lighter card, 200gsm to 275gsm just to give the laser printer an easier time.

Dave

[ColinTheAmpMan1]

Originally Posted by davidgem1406

Hmm, yea point taken, bit picky

Here is another copy with corrections..

Dave

Hi,

I have produced something over a dozen of these so far. For the smallest boxes I was able to print them on my HP Laserjet 2300n using the "straight-through" mode successfully with 200 gsm card. I used Copydex glue. This works out fine for storage. The one little nit that I might pick is that for the the "label" on the flap to be on the outside of the box (I assume that it is a label and not that it should be cut out), you get all the dotted fold-lines on the outside, too. This could be got around by removing the dotted lines from the drawings, but leaving "starter" points with lines of a millimeter or so to indicate where the folds begin and end. I decided to fold them inside-out and not bother about the "label".

For the large octal boxes, I printed one onto normal weight paper and then cut it out completely. I used this template to transfer the corners, etc to thicker card simply by holding it down firmly to the card and pricking through all the junction points with a pin (I used one of those plastic-bodied pins used for notice-boards). Joining up the pin-pricks then gave me all I needed to cut the box out of the card. A bit laborious, but it worked.

Thanks for the drawings, Dave. It might be useful to have some even bigger ones for octal valves with the "coke-bottle" glass envelope. My 5Z4G is a tight fit in the biggest box and my 5U4G would be, too. Dimensions of 145mm x 54mm x 54mm should be about right. (The box I have is actually 145mm x 54mm x 53mm).

Regards, Colin.

[davidgem1406]

Ah, yes the labels. As you say it means having the dotted lines on the outside of the finished box. Must admit I did not realise that until after my first print and cut run.
I didnt worry about it as when folded the line is down the fold so does not show to any great extent.

Other times I just fold so that the label and lines are to the inside of the box.

I did consider drawing the labels on another page so that they could be printed on the reverse side of the card. Getting the registration correct within the printer would be a nightmare though. It remained just a thought.

As for larger boxes I tried drawing a 50mm x 50mm box but that will not fit onto an A4 sheet. It would however fit onto 2 x A4 sheets (half a box per sheet) but that is just a waste of card.
Better to use the cornflakes box and mark it out manualy, done that several times.

Dave

[FrankB]

I printed off a box and then made a template for using any old cardboard I happen to snag FOC.

It is sometimes hard for me to fold the cardboard in a straight line, and so I cane up with a novel idea. I use what we call here a "dressmakers pattern wheel". Sort of like a round pizza cutting wheel, bit smaller and the edges are spurs or points.

I run the wheel down the lines for the fold and they are slightly perforated, depanding on the thickness of the cardboard and how much pressure I use.

The big drawback to this is when the XYL finds out what you borrowed it for.

[ColinTheAmpMan1]

Originally Posted by FrankB

It is sometimes hard for me to fold the cardboard in a straight line, and so I cane up with a novel idea. I use what we call here a "dressmakers pattern wheel". Sort of like a round pizza cutting wheel, bit smaller and the edges are spurs or points.

I run the wheel down the lines for the fold and they are slightly perforated, depanding on the thickness of the cardboard and how much pressure I use.

I use the technique that I remember from school of "scoring" the card. I put a ruler along the fold-line at a suitable distance from the line and then run the back of the scissors along the line, applying some pressure. This "scores" the card along the line and makes it easier to bend. The "score" is best done on the inside of the fold. At least this doesn't aggravate SWMBO.

Before anyone asks, no, I wasn't taught at school in Latin or Ancient Greek, though it does seem a long time ago.

Colin.

[davidgem1406]

I always score the fold line of the card using the edge of a small screwdriver blade held almost horizontal.
Just about any edge can be used as long as it does not cut into the card but only marks it, if it is cuts in then the card tends to split.

Dave