once you have something up and running and you want to make it permanent or semi permanent what type of box or enclosure can be used?
I have a couple of projects where I will have an Arduino micro or nano, a relay, a PIR sensor and I would like to fit it all in a box rather than having a dongle with wires everywhere.
I can mount the components inside with a glue gun, but what boxes are available that are easy to cut for apertures for sensors?
A lot depends on where you want to mount it. Do you want something that looks good in your living area or something that will protect your project from dust and moisture in the outdoors?
Search for "electronic project box" for a starting point- there's lots of plastic and aluminum varieties. You might also checkout the electrical or plumbing department of your local hardware store or even the section where they sell resealable plastic containers in your local supermarket.
I'm using a 12x12x6 "utility box" I got from home depot for $30, but it's not the easiest to cut. I also experimented with a simple 2 gallon bucket with lid and thought that for the price, seal-ability and simplicity that it'd be great for most other projects. Also, I'd like to point out that the buckets are easy to cut with a regular utility knife (razor).