Display cases

I've built several cases for individual ship models, but never a floor-standing one with shelves. 

Some years back my wife and I decided that there ought to be a case full of models in the dining room. So we went to a furniture store and bought a curio cabinet. As I remember, it cost about a hundred bucks. (That was about twenty years ago; beware.) We've still got it; it works and looks fine.

Another good source, which several Forum members have used, is Ikea. I've had mixed experiences with that firm. Most of its furniture is designed down to a price; a sofa I bought for my stepdaughter cost less than a hundred dollars, but fell apart after a couple of years. And the fastenings of Ikea furniture tend to be a bit sloppy. But for the money it can't be beat. And it offers quite a few display cases: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/departments/living_room/10384/ .

Building such a case should be well within the capacity of any competent carpenter. There are several sets of plans on the market, if you feel like you need one. Here's an example: http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=45328&cat=1,46158,46161 .

I've never seen those plans, but I've done a lot of business with Lee Valley. It's a fine company.

One word of warning: wood - especially good looking hardwood - isn't cheap. If you make your case out of cherry (my favorite), walnut, mahogany, or oak, you're liable to find yourself spending more on lumber than a ready-made curio cabinet would cost.

Bottom line: good models need to be kept in cases. Good luck.

rocker286

 

 

As you can see, they're close to max capacity! When my next kit is finished, I may have to bump some of my other planes out of these things and put them back where they're well within range of the cat. So my question is: have any of you folks made your own dispay cases? Would someone with a very basic knowledge of carpentry be able to make them? I've been toying with the idea of making another one from scratch. Any tips or ideas would be greatly appreciated!

 

Looks like ya still have plenty of room to add a few more shelves still.

As far as tips go, having proper and decent tools helps a lot, along with some knowledge. It's like anything, really...your first efforts may be "good enough for now", but you'll learn quickly..."awe, I shoulda......". I wouldn't call myself a carpenter, but I can build some stuff! I'm finally to the point where I can build something and be proud of myself! I just build a new batch of shelves for the war room, last Spring. Being that these are part of the 4th incarnation of the war room, I think I finally am happy with what I've done. (Mind you, these are just shelves, basically...not closed in. I do have to fight the dust, but I aint havin no cats!)

This was my first display cabinet. It is "built in", and I don't have the desire to tear it out, to make the changes I'd like. I built it when I finished off the basement (it was just a cement floor and block walls)

My new shelf units...

Amazingly, I had so much more display space...it's already all filled up!

There is a whole 'nother section of finished basement, that's about double the size of the area shown. Just a little bit is displayed in there...it's got all my band gear/rehearsal space right now....but plenty of room to grow display space!

Beautiful, Fermis. Have you thought about adding glass or plexiglas fronts?

I really envy you guys who have basements. I grew up in a house in Columbus, Ohio, that had a basement divided into four rooms. Plenty of room for the furnace, the air conditioner, the washer and dryer, a tool cabinet, and my workbench. (The house had been built in about 1912; it also had a coal bin. When I was in grade school my dad and my older brother would go down there every morning and shovel coal into the furnace. Eventually Dad gave up and bought an electric furnace, and, still later, an air conditioner.)

Where I now live, in eastern North Carolina, basements are a no-no. The water table is too high - to say nothing of what happens when a hurricane comes through.

jtilley

Beautiful, Fermis. Have you thought about adding glass or plexiglas fronts? 

Thank you, and I have given it some thought, but....I aint got the gumption! Plus, I get to play with my models from time to time when I dust em off!

Basements are GREAT! It's kinda like "free" space, that doesn't count against your regular space, if that makes any sense. Though, they do tend to collect a lot of junk.

Another way to go is to check out shops that are going out of business. The antique shop that my wife shopped at closed its doors and was selling off all the display cases at a fraction of the original cost. This lighted case is about 6 ft. tall and almost 5 ft. wide and it cost me $200. I was planning in making one or two but the glass and hardware alone costs over $300 plus the wood and time I have to put into it. I should have grabbed another one but it's too late now.

Since getting this case, I added another glass shelf giving me a total of 6 display shelves including a mirror over the wood bottom piece to better reflect light. (not pictured) I could probably squeeze in another shelf but I rather have some adequate space in between for easier access and better viewing.

One of my long-time friends owns a cabinet shop.  He started out as sort of a hobbyist and it grew into a successful business with lot's of employees.  Charles built my first display cabinet in 1992, just after we moved into our current home.  For the first time, I had a whole room dedicated to my interests.  I had acquired several large glass shelves, abandoned on a job site.  PJ is sure correct; glass costs are a big part of display expenses, that saved me quite a bit.  Over the years, my cabinet filled up and I  wanted another one built just like it.  Once again, Charles McAtee of McAtee Cabinets came through.  He came over one evening and took a few measurements and pics.  Before too long, I had my cabinet, and some work to do!

As with the first cabinet, I did the final finish work.  Here's a shot of the finish underway:

The original display cabinet.  You can see how crowded it had become:

And the new one:

Now, both are getting full.  I haven't finished a model in exactly a year, but I have a couple underway and hopefuly others to come later.  I will need another cabinet someday I guess, but where will I put it?   Oh well, we'll cross that bridge when we get there! 

Gary

Guys, thank you for the advice and for sharing photos of your cases. You guys have some awesome collections! There's actually a reason I haven't put more shelves in that one case, Fermis. I've got a kit of a Vostok rocket that will need plenty of headroom once I get it built! 

Aside from the advice I've got from you folks, I've been talking with one of the building mechanics at my job. He's been giving me some ideas about lighting, and he'll be stopping out next week to check my cabinets out. I'll be sure to throw some photos up of any modifications I make!

Rocker,

That is a killer deal for $30 a piece. They look great!

Try the "Goodwill" stores. Sometimes you can get great deals there. 

Jim  

fox

Try the "Goodwill" stores. Sometimes you can get great deals there. 

Jim  

 

That is another place to look along with the Habitat for Humanity stores. Lots of goodies there.

Gary

I love your cabinets. Hey get yourself a mirror and have it cut to size for the bottom wood shelf. It wil do wonders rflecting light.

I have a very long and narrow work and display area. I was able to buy glass shelving from a shop going under.  The big shelves are 16" by almost 8' and the smaller ones are 10" by 2'.  Only paid $70 for it all

Here's my main collection.  I found the glass shelves at a liquidation place and the brackets came from the Re-Store.

plasticjunkie

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gary

I love your cabinets. Hey get yourself a mirror and have it cut to size for the bottom wood shelf. It wil do wonders rflecting light.

 

Thanks brother, and thanks for that tip too!   I'm going to look into that mirror idea.

rocker286

That all changed a few weeks ago. I got home from work and was met with a phone call from my girlfriend who was at the thrift store around the corner. She had found two awesome (and lighted) display cabinets for 30 bucks a piece.

As you can see, they're close to max capacity! ......

Dude! Get some plain white particle board from Lowes and pick up some simple shelf dowels and put in more shelves! You've got a ton of wasted space in there that could be maximized to more-than-double your display capacity!

I use "Billy" bookcases with the optional doors from IKEA and add shelves to max-out the capacity. They actually offer extra shelves for like, $10 a piece, or you could just make them out of the long pieces of white particle board you can get in Lowes. Each bookcase costs about $165 now, and with the doors and extra shelves, they come in at around $220 or so. Worth every penny and the dust stays off your model

Here's the case in its basic form WITH the added doors:

You can see that you get six shelves--but here's mine:

I've got 10 shelves per....at this point, I've gotten beyond the vanity of having "head space" to show them off to visitors and use them for storage space. I also built one out of the aforementioned wood from Lowes, and I cover the front of each shelf space with clear vinyl to keep out the dust when I don't use a model case to protect certain models that shouldn't be handled (fingerprints, etc)---I'm actually  mortified that people don't protect their builds from dust! Nothing can kill a finish quicker!

And then I have a small "overflow" case which contains some models which occasionally get swapped-out from the main cases....again, covered in clear vinyl, which is transparent as glass, held on by thumbtacks.

tempestjohnny

I have a very long and narrow work and display area. I was able to buy glass shelving from a shop going under.  The big shelves are 16" by almost 8' and the smaller ones are 10" by 2'.  Only paid $70 for it all