This is the first part of my KosmoNought modular synthesizer. It doesn’t make a sound and it doesn’t modify sounds. It’s the case. I have built it first because that is where everything else will reside and I don’t want a rat’s nest of wires all over my workbench while I build this thing.

I had already built the case before I decided to blog about it, so I don’t have any construction photos or videos to show its construction. This is what it looks like. It’s built out of wood which has been glued and screwed together. Then it was primed and painted. I opted for a slate grey colour because everyone else seems to use black and I just want to be a bit different.

This image is a 3D render using Blender. I used Blender to design the case before constructing it, but you don’t really have to do that because it’s just a simple box.

The main case is made from some old shelves that I replaced in my son’s bedroom, so cost me nothing. The case is 200mm deep which is way more than enough. I set the rails back about 45mm from the front so that the knobs will not protrude out of the front. When you cut your pieces of wood, it’s important to work from the internal dimensions of the case, and then add on twice the thickness of the wood. The image shows that the top and bottom pieces are the internal width plus twice the wood thickness. I think I added a few more millimetres to allow for inaccuracies when making my front panels. The side pieces are twice the module height (Kosmo modules are 200mm high, so 400mm), plus an extra 10mm leeway.

The rails are made from stock strip wood. I might replace them with metal rails eventually, but I’m keeping costs down for the time being.

The back panel is 4.5mm plywood. It is screwed on so that it can be removed later for access if necessary.

The hole in the side will house a recessed panel on which the power inlet and mains switch will be mounted. I shall be adding metal corner protectors to the case. They’re probably unnecessary as I’m unlikely to be lugging this thing around, but you never know.