Anybody here a LEGO fan/builder? Have you ever bought/used display cases built specifically for LEGO sets? What are your thoughts about them? Pros and Cons? Several links are listed further below.
I’ve been thinking about and on the hunt for a large display case for my 1/350 scale TAMIYA Enterprise CVN-65 aircraft carrier model. BUT…I’m not willing to spend more than $500 for a display case. I really can’t build my own display case as I live in an apartment and don’t have the resources to buy my own wood base, acrylic sheets, etc., etc., etc.
After taking a look at some of the cases on the different websites below, the cases do appear to be slightly cheaper which is what I like. But the materials and construction of them have me concerned.
Is 3-4 mm thick enough for the side panel acrylic sheets?
And the black (or white) base looks thin too. How thick is that? Would it flex/bow if a lot of weight were on the base?
Not sure I like all the screw assembly attachment points either.
The LEGO display cases look like they’d be lighter weight than a traditional standard wood display case.
Don’t get me wrong. The cases do look good and are cheaper than the standard wood display cases that people get for their large models. But I’m on a tight budget.
I wasn’t aware of these cases but they look to be of good quality and the prices are reasonable. I’d be interested in them for a future build of my own.
Yeah, I had no idea these cases existed until another modeler on Facebook mentioned them to me as an alternative to the more expensive wood display cases.
Anyway, they come in all different sizes and the price varies from size to size. I think I’ll be buying a case soon next week Monday for my TAMIYA carrier.
The Good News: My LEGO display case arrived today! No missing parts and no damage either.
The Bad News: The display case “base” is only 1/8" inch (About 3 mm) thick. I was hoping it’d be thicker.
The Ugly News: I can’t build this case until I get a thicker wood base for the LEGO case to sit on. Diagram picture will explain further below.
Note: All dimensions are approximate. I did not measure to the exact 1/16" inch or whatever.
What I got was the Concorde LEGO display case which is the only size capable of covering my 1/350 scale TAMIYA converted/kitbashed Enterprise CVN-65 carrier model.
From the time I ordered the case to the time it was delivered today took about 1 to 1 1/2 weeks. Not too bad.
And to say the display cases pieces were packed really well would be an understatement. Lots and lots of bubble wrap.
So after seeing how thin the base for this display case is, I would probably only recommend LEGO display cases for small to medium sized models. If you’re going to use a bigger display case for a bigger and/or heavier model, you’ll have to put the display case base on top of another thicker wood (or other material) base as shown in the diagram further below.
WOW! That’s a huge box/base. Thanks for the tip to add a wooden base if you have a large/heavy model. You’re lucky that there wasn’t any damage during shipping.
I’m anxious to see your carrier in the case.
So I said screw it and decided to build the display case because I was curious to see how it’d look.
It’s big and it holds my 1/350 scale carrier model perfectly. Nothing inside the case is permanently attached to the base. Everything inside is just for test fitting only. I was able to build this case by myself without too much trouble. But the larger and/or heavier case a person gets, then they may need a second person to help them build it and/or move/transport it.
Before assembling, make sure to CAREFULLY remove the protective wrapping on both sides of all acrylic pieces. It’s best if you lay the acrylic pieces flat on the floor on a soft towel when removing the protective wrapping.
I’m sorry about the blurriness of some pics. I tried to take a pic of the plastic clips that get attached to the acrylic panels and also the screws, but my photography skills are not as good as my modeling skills. I did get enough plastic clips and screws as I had 2 extra of each leftover in case I lost any. Thanks to Kingdom Brick Supply for providing extra. The screws do take an allen key to turn. KBS supplied two of those that they sent me.
Something else I forgot to add. The instructions for these display cases are really simple. This is all I got shown below. Not very much, is it? So if anybody buys one of these types of cases, study the parts and look at them carefully. Do test fits before you make final adjustments and fastenings. And if you run into trouble, contact the manufacturer for advice.
I found a spot online that does custom build-it-yourself display cases called Shop POP Displays. I needed a 32 inch long by 10 inch tall by 6 inch wide display for my Tamiya 1/350 WWII era USS Missouri. All in, $172 shipped to my door. About a half hour to build. Beautiful build quality…I couldn’t be happier. Way better than the price for the Tamiya or Trumpeter display cases. Check them out at https://www.shoppopdisplays.com/
I went out today and bought a thicker wood board to set the display case black base on.
It’s Aspen wood. It measures 48" inches long x 20" inches wide x 3/4" inch thick.
The display case black base measures approximately 43 3/4" inches long x 19 3/4" inches wide and is 1/8" inch thick.
So the black base will fit perfectly on top of the wood board…and with 2" inches on either side of spare space.
So the main question is: Best way to attach the black acrylic base to the wood board?
Glue it down? Or screw it down by drilling and placing screws at corners and/or a few other points?
The black acrylic base is smooth and shiny. So I’m not sure how well gluing it down on top of the wood board will work.
I would say screws. Most importantly mark holes and check 3+ times to make sure they are where you want them. You should be able to find some screws with either a brass finish or nickel (possibly a unique driver shape for interest) to make them pop.
But then you would probably need a $150 screw driver to put them in.
I would counter sink them into the plastic base to leave them flush after mounting, but with only 1/8” of thickness to work with, it will take some finesse. If you haven’t done this before, or even very often, make some test holes in something of similar thickness before working on the final product.
If you decide to leave the screws proud and not countersink, find some nice screws and use washers / collars as well to give it a bit more of an industrial feel.
I like the look of those brass/gold colored screws in that pic. They look nice. They shouldn’t be too hard to find as I have a Menards and Home Depot near me. I wonder if they come in a black color?
I think I still have an old bottle of Blacken-It somewhere. I used it long, long ago to blacken some chain for a battleship kit.
But I like @Frozin 's comments about the brass screws as it may compliment the base/display.
Other than screwing the black acrylic base to a wood board, I’m wondering if I should glue the black base to the wood also?
Use both options together: Screws and glue.
But since the black acrylic base is smooth and glossy like glass, I’m assuming I’ll have to “rough up” the side that would get glued down on the wood with some sandpaper or something else.
What would be the best type of glue to use for gluing the black acrylic base to a wood board?
Another option is double sided woodworking tape. Grips wood and smooth surfaces really well.
I picked up a roll of heavy duty Hippie Crafter woodworking double sided tape. Available via Amazon.
I use it to hold sacrificial pieces to the table of my drill press which is almost glass smooth. Only way I can separate the pieces is by jamming in a drywall knife and prying it off.
The tape sounds like a good idea, I never tried it -hummm.
But, if your thinking of glue, then a rough up of the bottom of the plastic ( 80-100 grit sandpaper) and the target area on the board, then 5 minute epoxy add an evenly distributed weight and let that set until cured (read the epoxie lable). Finish on the board could be as simple as a paste floor wax or a stain and gloss coat, what ever you prefer. Keep posting your results this is looking like a winner.
With tape or glue, just make sure it’s thin enough to not cause ripples in the plastic, especially if you also plan to use screws. The screws will cause some distortion if the surfaces are not completely true between them. Not saying don’t do it, just plan ahead to anticipate and avoid issues.
No missing parts and no damage either.
Diagram picture will explain further below.
