MechanicalRebuild shelfHand tools, works as-is

Enclosure

Also called project box, PC case, speaker box, router shell.

A box that already has cable holes is a project enclosure. PC cases are the large end, router shells the small end, speaker cabinets the acoustic end. Metal ones are also a ground and a heatsink, if you use them that way on purpose.

If you are new to this category

Rods, gears, belts, magnets, screws, and boxes. Printers are the best source of straight steel rod and toothed belts. Screws from a laptop are tiny and specific; a random screw in a laptop hole strips the plastic. Bag them by the machine they came from.

If two parts were meshing or riding together, keep them as a pair. A gear from one toy rarely fits a gear from another.

Inside a hard drive

The two curved blocks on the steel plates are the magnets, and they are the prize. Slide them apart. Do not pry straight up. The flat coil on the arm is a short-travel motor. The platters are not a useful material, and on some drives they are glass.

Sheet metal and glass. Case steel, shattered platters, lamp glass, and magnet chips cut deeper than they look.
Mains voltage. Line voltage, and the DC bus just after the rectifier, both kill. A disconnected cord is not a discharged supply.

Specification. The right-hand column is what is typical. The label on the part in your hand wins if they disagree.
What to look for	Usual figure
PC case	IEC inlet if you leave the supply, 5.25 and 3.5 bays, a fan grid
Wall wart shell	Usually ultrasonically welded. Not worth opening for the plastic.
Mains	A plastic box does not make a mains project safe. Strain relief and a fuse still have to exist.

Volts are electrical pressure, amps are how much current is flowing, and ohms are how hard the part resists that flow. A higher voltage than the part was built for is how salvage parts die on the bench. If a cell in the table says “read the stamp”, that stamp is the whole specification.

What people actually use it for

Housing the thing you just built
A speaker that already sounded acceptable

Leave this one when

It is brittle yellow plastic that cracks as you look at it. ABS does this with age and sun.

Buying a new one is the better idea when

A box with a gasket, if the project goes outside.

How to tell if this one still works

The lid still closes and the screw holes still hold.

Tools you will want: Screwdriver.

Words on this page

Short meanings, so the rest of the entry is readable if you are not already doing this every weekend.

mains: Ordinary household wall power. It can kill. Unplug before you open anything that used it, and do not experiment on live wiring.

Where people actually find it

19 notes, most useful first. “Leave it” means the part is in that machine and you should not take it: it is dangerous, worn out, or only useful if you already know that exact repair.

Harvest at a glance
From	Call	How many	How often	Where it sits
Desktop PC	Prize	1	always	The case itself.
Router or modem	Worth it	1	always	The shell.
Set-top box or streamer	Worth it	1	always	The shell.
DVD or Blu-ray player	Worth it	1	always	The chassis.
Clock radio or stereo	Worth it	1	always	The cabinet.
Powered or Bluetooth speaker	Worth it	1	always	The cabinet.
Fluorescent fixture	Worth it	1	always	The reflector.
Inkjet printer	Bonus	1	always	The shell.
Keyboard	Bonus	1	sometimes	Aluminum cases on better boards.
Webcam	Bonus	1	always	The shell and the clip.
LCD monitor	Bonus	1	always	Rear cover and stand.
Ultrasonic humidifier	Bonus	1	always	The tank.
Infrared remote	Bonus	1	always	The shell.
Power strip	Bonus	1	always	The shell.
Flashlight	Bonus	1	always	The tube.
Solar garden light	Bonus	1	always	The stake.
Photoelectric smoke alarm	Bonus	1	always	The cover.
Refrigerator	Leave it	1	always	The cabinet.
LED lamp	Leave it	1	always	The shell.

Prize — take this firstDesktop PC1 · always
In this particular machine
A steel project box with bays, a fan grid, and usually an IEC hole.
Where to look
The case itself.
How to get it out
Leave the supply in if you want a powered box.
The condition to expect
Dents do not matter. Rusted interiors do.
Worth pullingRouter or modem1 · always
In this particular machine
A vented plastic box with an antenna hole.
Where to look
The shell.
How to get it out
Good project size.
The condition to expect
Clips break.
Worth pullingSet-top box or streamer1 · always
In this particular machine
A stackable plastic box with vents.
Where to look
The shell.
How to get it out
Clips break if you pry the lid.
The condition to expect
Usable.
Worth pullingDVD or Blu-ray player1 · always
In this particular machine
A shallow metal box.
Where to look
The chassis.
How to get it out
Good size for a small supply.
The condition to expect
Fine.
Worth pullingClock radio or stereo1 · always
In this particular machine
Wood boxes are the ones worth keeping.
Where to look
The cabinet.
How to get it out
Plastic ones yellow and crack.
The condition to expect
Wood is good.
Worth pullingPowered or Bluetooth speaker1 · always
In this particular machine
Already the right volume for the driver.
Where to look
The cabinet.
How to get it out
The best enclosure you will salvage.
The condition to expect
Grills tear.
Worth pullingFluorescent fixture1 · always
In this particular machine
A ready shop-light body if you are converting it to LED tubes on purpose.
Where to look
The reflector.
How to get it out
That conversion has a standard method. Do not invent a floating ballast.
The condition to expect
Good.
Bonus, if you are already in thereInkjet printer1 · always
In this particular machine
Awkward plastic, sometimes useful as a bin.
Where to look
The shell.
How to get it out
Not a pretty enclosure.
The condition to expect
Brittle clips.
Bonus, if you are already in thereKeyboard1 · sometimes
In this particular machine
A flat tray.
Where to look
Aluminum cases on better boards.
How to get it out
Only if it is rigid.
The condition to expect
Dented.
Bonus, if you are already in thereWebcam1 · always
In this particular machine
A ball joint.
Where to look
The shell and the clip.
How to get it out
The clip is often the broken part.
The condition to expect
Mixed.
Bonus, if you are already in thereLCD monitor1 · always
In this particular machine
VESA mount is the useful hardware.
Where to look
Rear cover and stand.
How to get it out
The plastic is brittle.
The condition to expect
Mixed.
Bonus, if you are already in thereUltrasonic humidifier1 · always
In this particular machine
A water tank with a fitting.
Where to look
The tank.
How to get it out
Clean it before you store it.
The condition to expect
Scratched.
Bonus, if you are already in thereInfrared remote1 · always
In this particular machine
A shape that fits a hand.
Where to look
The shell.
How to get it out
The clips break.
The condition to expect
Fine.
Bonus, if you are already in therePower strip1 · always
In this particular machine
Outlets molded in.
Where to look
The shell.
How to get it out
Not pretty.
The condition to expect
Fine.
Bonus, if you are already in thereFlashlight1 · always
In this particular machine
An aluminum tube.
Where to look
The tube.
How to get it out
A ready enclosure for a small project of the same shape.
The condition to expect
Dented threads are the end.
Bonus, if you are already in thereSolar garden light1 · always
In this particular machine
A diffuser and a spike.
Where to look
The stake.
How to get it out
The plastic is UV-brittle.
The condition to expect
Cracked.
Bonus, if you are already in therePhotoelectric smoke alarm1 · always
In this particular machine
A disc.
Where to look
The cover.
How to get it out
The least important part.
The condition to expect
Fine.
Leave it — present, not yours to reuseRefrigerator1 · always
In this particular machine
Insulation and a refrigerant loop.
Where to look
The cabinet.
How to get it out
Recycle properly.
The condition to expect
Not an enclosure.
Leave it — present, not yours to reuseLED lamp1 · always
In this particular machine
A base and a diffuser.
Where to look
The shell.
How to get it out
Not an enclosure you wanted.
The condition to expect
Fine.