The enclosures were designed to be tall rather than having the usual low chassis, and to be built on 3 layers - the valve plate (holding most of the signal path wiring), the middle level (holding the output B+ supply), and the bottom level (holding all the rest of the power supply).

The photos below show my original plans for the enclosures and indicate the location of the main components.


The enclosures were made from 19mm MDF and 19x35mm timber. They are 45cm long, 20cm wide and 27cm tall (about 18 x 8 x 10 inches) not including the valves which are mounted on the top. Eventually I will add a partial cage to enclose the valves which will bring the overall height up to about 45cm including four 25mm black rubber feet.


The enclosures were sanded and sprayed several times with spray putty to produce a smooth shiny surface, then given two coats of primer and finally 4 coats of flat black, lightly sanded between each coat.

This somewhat laborious process produces a matt black finish with just a hint of sheen which hides small imperfections in construction very successfully. I've found that for an amateur it is much easier to get good results in a garage workshop by going for a satin or flat finish rather than gloss. Gloss looks great, but only if you have access to a professional workshop or possess the patience of Job. I have neither.