Faux Ten-Tec

 Ten-Tec is a vendor of ham radio gear but they also used to make/sell metal "clamshell" enclosures.  Here is a TW-24 version with the wood grain top and the similarly sized TP-18 (plain aluminum).  

But most builders seem to have preferred the "all-business" gray and black of the TG series.  However the TW-24 had the fake wood and cream color scheme of the Argonaut 509 I used to own.  Unfortunately Ten-Tec appears to have exited the enclosure business.

But fear not !  As long as Rubbermaid (and probably many others) sell shelf liner ("Con - Tact": thin, self adhesive plastic sheet on a roll in various colors) I'll be able to make my own faux Ten-Tec enclosures along with copper clad circuit board and a little solder.

Here are pictures of my prototype Island (Morse code) keyboard using the faux Ten-Tec idea.  Thin copper clad was used, it's easy to cut with a metal shears (or a scissors you don't care about ;)

The thin panels are then soldered together at the seam.  For the cover I leave a small gap in the solder at the front panel and at the back panel to allow a good fit.  The fake wood shelf paper can then be applied to the top cover and the cream shelf paper to the front and back panels.

Note that the cover (fake wood grain) is held in place with two 4-40 sized bolts.    The two bolt holes are drilled with the cover in place so that good alignment is assured.  Then the two corresponding nuts on the inner panel are soldered in place with the cover off and the bolt and nut threaded together.

I think that a builder either appreciates the Ten-Tec experience or hates it.  W8KC ("Collector of Ten-Tecs and other fine plastics") seemed to have loved Ten-Tec :)

 https://tentecwiki.eqth.net/w8kc/tentec.html

Best Regards,

Chuck, WB9KZY
https://wb9kzy.com/ham.htm