Model display case

I'd like to find a home for my stationary engine (18" high" and have been looking round at ready made offerings but they are either to tacky or very, very expensive.

So, I have decided to make one myself from oak (or lookalike) and toughened glass. Trouble is I have not a clue where to start. I have spent a lot of time online looking but without a lot of luck.

Can anyone push me in the right direction for info / suppliers etc.

Thanks

Stuart

The woodworking forums would be the place for more construction info e.g.

**LINK**

Have you read the clock case article that has recently been in ME.

Also watch the oak, the tannins can encourage corrosion and lead rot.

Toughened is sometimes costly in thin sheets and the weight will soon go up if you use say 6mm, 3mm or picture glass will likely be OK for big cases I have used sheet polycarbonate.

This one is 12" high and uses 2mm picture glass

And this about 5ft square and polycarb

J

Edited By JasonB on 22/11/2012 18:46:20

Stuart, I'd stear clear of glass, its expensive, and heavy, go with the Polycarbinate. Ian S C

My stepson cut a new windscreen for his canal cruiser out of 3mm polycarbonate using my black and decker jigsaw. I know he was quoted over £90 for 5mm, so even with the 3mm it must have been quite nerve-wracking!

Avoid acrylic, it scratches too easily and shatters if you look at it the wrong way.

Neil

Edited By Stub Mandrel on 23/11/2012 16:52:39

Thanks for all the advice chaps - unfortunately this website choses to superimpose an advertising strip over the replies and I cannot read everything you are saying. If any of the administrators read this, please take note!

Stuart

Same for me - adverts are on top of text making the posts unreadable. Curious how some posts are OK, and others with adverts on top.

Perennial issue with Internet Explorer it seems. Click the compatability mode icon or switch to firefox.

Neil

Neil

Considering how much has been said on the subject I think your suggestion is mildly provocative! as the 'adverts over text problem' is not just confined to IE.

ian

Hi Ian,

My perception is that it is reported in most browsers if an over-length link is inserted, but only IE when there is not such a link, as in this thread. I may be mistaken as I never seem to get the problem myself (with firefox).

Neil

Thanks for aqll the advice chaps - I intend going for polycarbonate as advised. ATB Stuart

Building a case for my Steam Engine is half done, that is I've completed the base, using Mahogany cut to my profile design, I had the woodshop run me off about 6 metres from memory. Purpose being that I'll have a standard base for all my models going forward.

What I haven't done is build the "glass top", so the polycarbonate recommendation is really useful. What I was planning to do was put a sheet of mirror glass as the back panel, I have a small model cased like that and it looks pretty good. (I didn't make that one!).

What's the best adhesive to get the polycarb secured to the wooden mouldigs that form the edges of the "box"?

Steve

I don't glue the sheet in but I would think a clear silicon is your best bet.

J

If the case has a frame, I'd let the polycarb float in grooves, I think it will have a different expansion rate to whatever you use for the frame, be it wood, or metal. I see it in many thicknesses at the builders hardware shops. Ian S C

Good idea to use a mirror for the back. BUT! what a weight, if its glass mirror. I suggest you obtain a plastic based one or if excessively expensive in size required, how about a very thin sheet of highly polished aluminium.

John

You can get mirror glass down to 3mm thick, still a bit more than picture glass but not that weighty.

J

I use FF and I don't have the problem except when overlong URLs are added to a post, usually by new users who simply enter the link into the space on the URL dialog box. The best method of adding a link is to attach it to a suitable word in the message text by highlighting the word before adding the URL.

Regards

Terry