Until recently, the only electronics associated with my layout was the MRC power pack. I’ve been keeping it inside a plastic Rubbermaid container. A few months ago I bought a new 12vdc regulated power supply, and temporarily stuck it under another plastic container – but I knew I’d have to find a better storage solution before we get our wet weather this winter. Now I have an Aristocraft “Revolution” control system on the way, and really needed to get serious… So I finally built a special cabinet to store these electronics! It’s made of (nominally) 3/4" plywood. I laminated the exterior with sheets of 1/8" thick plastic that I bought from the cutoff bin at a local plastics supplier. I used paintable silicone sealant and stainless steel screws to secure it to the cabinet and prevent any moisture from seeping in through the joints. The stuff I got cost me $60, which seemed a little steep, but it turns out I got a really good bargain. It’s something called Kydex and is made for exterior use – very tough, abrasion resistant, fire resistant, weatherproof, etc. I’ve never built anything like this before but I think it turned out nice. Here’s some pics… In this shot you can see my original haphazard arrangement:
Here’s the new cabinet with the doors closed:
And with the doors open:
The roof extends out over the retaining wall behind the cabinet, so runoff will drain into the gravel:
There is a vent in the rear, just below the overhang of the roof:
Cosmetically, it’s not perfect but it gets the job done. I used half inch ply for the doors, because I was concerned about making them too heavy. Probably should have stuck with the 3/4" though. The half inch is not as stiff as I would have liked. The cabinet sets on a pad of concrete blocks to keep it out of the water when it rains. I didn’t want legs on the cabinet because the space underneath would just be a haven for spiders, rodents, etc.
