Believe it or not, Maxim dedicated a whole app note to describing the benefits of using disposable metal boxes as EMI shielded enclosures for your projects. Small steel tins some candy manufacturers use provide both electrical and magnetic shielding:
One way to break this wasteful cycle is use the small steel tins in which candies are sold. These boxes, usually about 4″ wide, 2.5″ deep and 0.5″ tall, can easily contain many of the test fixtures. The lids are hinged, allowing easy access to the internal circuits while protecting the same circuits during storage. The steel construction provides both electrical and magnetic shielding.
Nice post which triggered me to picture some of my own Altoid projects.
“Besides, the mints may improve an engineer’s social life.”
Easily the best app note I’ve read.
I do not think I have ever seen one of those in the candy aisle around here, is it a US thing?
Definitely a US thing. They are from Altoids mints. I dont have anything equivalent here also.
Gel Banana – you are located in Singapore right? I’ve found these http://s15.postimage.org/mx63jvey3/Tin_Boxes.jpg candy tin boxes in various places in Kuala Lumpur like Guardian/Watsons, Tesco, Marks&Spencer so have a look at those places in .sg and see if you can find any.
Sucrets also makes a nice box. http://www.sucrets.com/
Matseng – I have plenty of those small tin that can fit 5cmx5cm boards no problems. But im having hard time finding the larger ones that are able to fit a 18650 cell. Will try looking around in Guardian/Watsons. Thanks for the heads up.
The “Curiously strong mints” tin from Marks&Spencers is 94 by 64mm and 22mm (outer sizes) height it should accommodate a 18650 that is only 18.6 mm in diameter
Marks & Spencer sells own brand sweets in a very similar tin. But pipe tobacco tins are considerably more robust — and go nicely with the tweed jacket and elbow patches.
A nice feature is that you can also get such boxes wholesale (aimed at the “boutique” candy/cosmetic/craft/jewelery businesses. Cheap, and in relatively small quantities. For example: http://www.papermart.com/Product%20Pages/Product.aspx?GroupID=19037
Did not think of that. I should check the local fancy coffee/tea/chocolate place, they probably have something useful. Thanks for the tip!
i have some plants to used an half open sardine can, and a spam can :o)
Hope those “plants” are legal… Or should I bring the beer… ;)
I just picked up a couple of real Altoids tins at a pharmacy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. USD 2.45 each – I think that’s more or less the same price you’d pay in USA.
“Fisherman’s Friend” tins are also amenable to hacking. http://www.flickr.com/photos/dkrunic2k/413894620/
LOL! I wrote that note many years ago when I worked for Maxim. I just now stumbled across Dangerous Prototypes, this is an awesome site. Anyway, glad to see that y’all are resurrecting older appnotes which still have merit. i recently Googled for “high Q notch filter” and got an app note from 1969, and it worked wonderfully for me. Keep up the good work.