Can you all post a photo of the cases you have your models in?
I want to find something used to put mine in and am wondering what to look for.
Thanks
My house has built in bookselves in the den that I use for model storage. The only down fall is that a lot of dust settles on them.
Here’s a small one where I keep my nicer models - it was a university final exam in cabinetmaking from RMIT in Melbourne.
I finished it in a dark maple stain and had a local leadlighter do the stained glass panel in the door. Came up pretty well, I think - makes a nice looking piece of furniture - PLUS…it holds my models.
Now if I could only shoehorn a bar fridge in there…
I had this custom built when I was single, and didn’t have anything else to spend my money on.
I have a few of these:
They are cheap, stackable, and they do a great job of protecting your model.
I actually keep a couple airplane models inside one of these at my office.
By now, they would have been knocked over, or crushed, but because they
are inside the display box, I can stack papers & books on top of them, etc.
They are $14 here:
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXYE30&P=ML
I’d love to own a cabinent like the ones above though!
i have a whole wall shelf in my hobby room"Mantown"
i make my own display cases out of lexon which you can pick up at home depot. learned how to make them out of an old FSM . if i can find the issue i will let you know .
I use exactly the same thing- They are really good and work for my needs. If I had the room, I would probably look for a store display cabinet or similar.
Well, I have this case for my best models. It was bought at Menards. Its actually a bookcase. the glass doors lift up and slide in. The lights were installed later.
The rest of my models are in cases and on shelves in my workroom.:
I have a big glass case that is full of 1/72 scale stuff. Don’t really like it because it’s a retail type case with the doors in the back. Hard to get into unless it’s moved away from the wall.
I build these with items from the hardware store. Cost me about $22 a piece and will hold three 1/48 P-47 sized ac comfortably or four of a mixed batch.
Did you just cut and glue clear plastic? I like what you’ve done becuase they’re “seamless” and can be viewed from most angles…Please share more on how you built them.
The base is a premade shelf designed to be used with brackets you can buy individually. This one is 9.75X23.75 inches. The personel in the store will cut plexiglass to any size requested so I talked to the manager and told him what I wanted. Basically “cut it to fit this board.” The acrylic is 1/8" thick so he adds .250 to all dimentions. I have him make it six inches high which results in a 5.250 high interior. He can cut it much more square with his cutter than I can with anything I’ve tried. I don’t have access to the right tools for the job.
After this I use small pieces of blue tape and using the shelf as a jig I assemble the sides around the outside of the shelf, taping the pieces together on the outside and resting the acrylic on the table. I use a glue made by Duco in a green tube. Some kind of general purpose glue it claims to be. The stuff bonds the acrylic well and drys crystal clear. I run a bead along all seams inside the box being careful not to let the product run down and glue the panels to the shelf and let dry for about a half hour. If the cuts are not perfectly square the error will be on the top of the box you have built. This will be the bottom of the box when completed.
After this drys some I remove the box from the shelf/jig set it on the top panel, align the edges so the top is square and run another bead of glue around the inside seam. In an hour the box will be solid.
Once dry I flip the box over and slip it over the shelf to check fit and remove the tape. While in place I use a 1/16" drill and drill four holes through the front and back panels into the shelf about a half inch. Next I use a slightly larger drill and relieve the holes in the acrylic by redrilling just those holes. I use what they are calling furniture nails to hold the top on the base by placing in the holes. To me they are just thumb tacks painted white.
The last thing I do is remove the top, flip the shelf over and apply feet, be it felt or rubber nubs or whatever. So far I’ve had enough spare laying around I havent had to buy anything. The feet are optional, ofcourse.
The acrylic costs me $16.20 and tax and the board is $4.99. I had the feet and glue but tonight I had to buy a new tube. It’s $2.29.
This yields a case that’s 10X24. The wonderful thing about it is with the many sizes of shelf board available and the flexibility to have the acrylic cut to any size, there are many possible configurations and sizes possible. I’m going to make one just for one model, a 1/48 SR-71. Paint the base to look like a tarmac and TADA! Instant dio.
Hope this helps.
Thanks, HK. It is very helpful. I’m in the middle of contemplating how to procrastinate rearranging the basement (which is one of the two rooms that are “mine” in the house; garage is the other) and I want to go all out airplanes. The degree of customization you’ve provided will be very helpful once I’ve got a general layout settled.
Thanks again
Hey HK…just thought that I’d let you know that you shared some VERY valuable info… and it is immensely appreciated.Thank you very much! [bow]
I found this for sale in my area for $50.
I am going to call about it tomorrow.
Description:
Solid Pine Locking Lighted Display Cabinet (bulb not included). Measures approx. 46"W x 15"D x 72"H. Has 2 adjustable glass shelves.
I do have to remove the roses painted on the bottom though. [(-D]
Well Mike… if it looks as nice in person as it does in the pic…$50 bucks is a freakin’ STEAL! I would have called and offered $65 If I could come get it immediately,that’s how bad I want one.I asked for one (a lighted cabinet) for Christmas…I’m hoping Santa thought I was good this year.
Good luck on getting a hold of the cabinet,I’m definately on your side…
Thanks Zone.
I hope you get one too my friend.
Why remove the roses? Fill the cabinet with World War II German rail guns and other military guns on wheels, and your cabinet would have Guns n’ Roses![(-D]
Sure, why not? Welcome to the Jungle Mr. Brownstone. [(-D]
I just wish I had room for one! [V]