You've no doubt seen a version of the popular Boomcase online. They're the all-in-one, speakers-in-a-suitcase product with a retro modern look. If you don't have the dough to spare on a pre-made solution, or if you just want to add your own personal style, then you need to try this DIY project for a Boomcase made to your own specs...
As is often the case, clever functional style comes at a hefty price. The author of this Instructable, like myself, loved the Boomcase speaker style but not so much the $500 price tag. So he took it upon himself to DIY one.With $50 and some personal labor he made this beautiful case from a suitcase, amplifier, and some used speakers - all things you could scrounge up on Craigslist. If you're feeling motivated, try it out yourself using his instructable here.
What's involved is basically cutting out holes in the suitcase to mount the speakers — he does things with a combination of a knife and a dremel tool for a smooth finish. The speakers are then wired up inside the box and mounted with hot glue. There's a video of the sound quality (below), as well as ideas on how to improve the sound quality and find specific parts on the Instructables page too. So check it out if you've been thinking of making a boomcase. It's definitely got me on the lookout for the right vintage suitcase to try myself.
How cool would this be with an Auxiliary input?
Related
• Loud Luggage: A Selection of Suitcase Speakers
• Carley's DIY Audio Equipped Picnic Table
• Boomcases: Discarded Luggage into Audio Speakers
(Images: Instructable user jm31181)
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I think it's pretty uncool of Apartment Therapy to post this, since it could potentially take away business from Boomcase. The guy who started making these and his current team at Boomcase probably work really hard, and are very good at what they do. $500 isn't that much to pay for something hand-made, original in design, and of very good craftsmanship. Obviously, creative DIYers are going to make these on their own anyway, but you don't have to advertise that, or make it so easy.
My cousin makes these at http://www.domecandylab.com/
& although they do run between $350 & $1000, I'd want to support him instead of make my own.
For every person willing to attempt making their own there are going to be another 10+ that say "I dont want to mess with all that" and just buy it. Notice apartment therapy is also mentioning Boomcase which is advertising their product for those who aren't as crafty.
If the originality, craftsmanship and hard work of a Boomcase is worth $500 then people will pay it rather than make their own. If it's so easy to make then it's very cool of Apartment Therapy to show us how to make one so we're not overpaying $500 for something we could easily make. You're proposing Apartment Therapy make it more difficult for DIYers so that a company can make more money? What about saving those people money? Clearly your interests lie with Boomcase.
I have nothing to do with Boomcase. In fact, my husband contacted them a year ago, asking them if they had a problem with him making his own Boomcase, provided he not advertise the fact that he was doing so. He contacted them because he's an artist too, and understands how much it sucks to have people making cheap knock-offs of your work and then blogging about it. Boomcase was cool with it, since he was upfront with his intentions. His case looks great, but he respects the original artist enough to not want to take business away from him by putting tutorials on the Internet about how he did it
You need a glass for that whine love?
I used that very same "Tiara" suitcase for many years. Very sturdy, and easy to pick out of the airport carousel once everyone else stopped using that kind of suitcase.
I don't know which is weirder: that people need a tutorial on how to drill holes in an old suitcase and hook up a few wires; or that anyone would feel territorial about posting instructions on how to accomplish that.
This just isn't what we'd call a "trade secret", any more than turning a Mason Jar into a lamp by putting a hole in the top and adding a light bulb socket to turn it into a lamp would be. Sorry.
Thanks cousin!
We actually are huge supporters of the maker movement. The truth is, a boombox is fairly simple to build and I think anyone willing can do it with or without a tutorial. I fell in love with making these and would like to see more people build their own.
We believe information like this should be shared, not kept secret. Besides not everyone can afford a $500 boombox. So if its between building your own or buying a 100$ throw away boombox... I highly recommend you get to tinkering. The amount of satisfaction you will experience from completing your project is insurmountable.
Feel free to drop us a line if you have any questions.
Thanks cousin!
We actually are huge supporters of the maker movement. The truth is, a boombox is fairly simple to build and I think anyone willing can do it with or without a tutorial. I fell in love with making these and would like to see more people build their own.
We believe information like this should be shared, not kept secret. Besides not everyone can afford a $500 boombox. So if its between building your own or buying a 100$ throw away boombox... I highly recommend you get to tinkering. The amount of satisfaction you will experience from completing your project is insurmountable.
Feel free to drop us a line if you have any questions.
It's not a flying saucer. It's a suitcase with speakers. There's no mistery on how to assemble it.
I don't think you can carry one of these on your high horse.
Trust me, my friends and I were making speaker boxes wayyyyyy back in the day. There's nothing proprietary about any of this, except that Mr. Simo does keep the electronics and battery suppliers under wraps. However, given that his works are highly stylized, that is what you are really paying for as the prices have risen to over 1000 for his more complex pieces. That being said, I am a long time DIYer and built my own suitcase stereo using an old Samsonite suitcase and largely parts and electronics that I had in the garage from former car stereo projects. It turned out very well and was highly satisfying to build. I did include RCA jacks, a 3.5mm stereo mini-jack, Bluetooth connectivity, a USB charging port and a 12v system that can run off of an old laptop power adaptor or a rechargeable 12v 8ah SLA AGM battery that is commonly used to power home alarm systems. Both plug in and battery charging use the same 2.1mm DC coax input. Speakers are 5.25" Infinity coax for the stereo channels and an 8" dual voice coil subwoofer for the bass. It is powered by a 2.1 channel MOSFET car amplifier. The latest addition is the battery meter from an RV. The next big mod is a 25w solar panel and a 10a charge controller to power and recharge the battery. Total costs of materials if bought new would be around 200 bucks so far.