DIY Sub boxes for Capacitors, Resistors, & Diodes

If you have recently been looking around, you will note the extremely high prices for new sub. boxes, and even used ones.

I have made some of my own for cheap by using the wafer switch out of an old wafer type TV tuner.
 It will generally give you 11 positions- or 12 depending on the tuner. You can also find multiple contact rotary switches from surplus dealers. Beware! Check the arc over voltage rating on the switch before buying.

I disassemble the switch and cut the shaft way down for 1 wafer. Reassemble and solder the parts on. Stuff into a box with a couple of 5 way binding posts on it and you have it. 
  I have also seen sub boxes that use DPDT slide switches to configure a sub box for more values by putting the resistors in series or parallel. The same with a cap. sub. box I once saw. Be sure to clean & lube the old switches also. They are often rusty or intermittent from being corroded. 

If buying a used sub box, try to look inside before buying it. I have bought some that the switch and parts are totally fried from massive overload. (Mostly resistor sub. boxes).

 Now the resistors typically used are carbon and likely way out of tolerance. I replace them with metal oxide or metal film 2 watt resistors.

 In a fixed capacitance sub box, I just replace the caps with new 630V caps. Most of the old boxes use the wax caps that are leaky by now at their rated voltage. 

They also made electrolytic capacitor sub. boxes. Typically the 'lytics are bad in them by now. Some contained multi section can caps, and I just replace them with single units rated at 450 v or more if I have them.

The diode boxes I just check the forward & back resistance on the device, or put it on my Huntron Tracker to verify it is still good. 

 Now they did make some Selenium Rectifier sub boxes and they could be marginal after 50-60 years.

 I have also found fuse and circuit breaker sub boxes also. those are few & far between. 

 There are also some fuseable resistor sub boxes that had a built in test meter. I have not found any of the wire wound fuseable resistors bad ohm wise, so far. Often the ceramic coating has fallen off or the leads are corroded though.

I did run across a transistor sub box that was nicely built, and it was a home brew project. Absolutely a work of art. Engraved front panel, and all quality parts (And no, the guy wouldn't part with it).    Seeing that inspired me to make my own sub box. VERY cheap and "dirty'. It consisted of one signal transistor socket mounted to an old GC Electronics plastic screw box, with feed through test points on the side for EBC. I could plug in any signal transistor or diode into the socket and it was ready to go. I found it nice for experimenting until the  "multi-hole bread boards" came out.

All this being said, just make a custom box to fit your needs. There is no law that says that you can't make a combined R/C/Semi sub box. Get innovative! Be inventive!