Ideas for a display cabinet please

[RodN]

I only just joined this forum (its like reading a great encyclopaedia!), and I haven't built a cabinet in my life. I am looking for ideas and your thoughts on a wall mounted display cabinet for a specific purpose. A collection of small musical instruments.

Ukuleles to be precise. Each one is about 21" tall, 6" to 7" wide and about 3" deep. The cabinet needs to be wall mounted, have glass doors and importantly, with a minimum of "frame" to the front. The instruments will be hung on the back panel and are very light, so there is no need for a particularly strong and bulky construction. The heaviest thing will be the door(s) and the glass. I envisage the cabinet to be about 24" high, and only 5" or so deep, and wide enough to take several 7" wide instruments. (Not decided how many yet, but the door weight and width will be the main consideration.)

These are three of the ukuleles that I have recently made. Apart from a little lightweight router to cut the edge binding ledges, everything has been done with hand tools.

I don't want to just hang them on a wall to gather dust! (They get played anyway). I also have a collection of 20 or so vintage ukuleles too, and it would be nice to get those safely displayed. So I want to end up building several matching cabinets.

So, how would you experts go about designing and making such cabinets? Bearing in mind that I would be using hand tools.

Thanks
Rod

PS. I don't understand why the images don't show??? They do show OK in preview, and I am used to posting pictures on forums with the img tags.

OK... perhaps it is because I am brand new registered on here, and it won't let me use img or url tags until a moderator presses a button.

 

[Woodmagnet]

You guessed correct Rod, someone will sort it out soon, and welcome aboard marra i'm looking forward to seeing the pics.

 

[PowerTool]

Hello,and welcome to the forum

These are three of the ukuleles that I have recently made. Apart from a little lightweight router to cut the edge binding ledges, everything has been done with hand tools.

PS. I don't understand why the images don't show??? They do show OK in preview, and I am used to posting pictures on forums with the img tags.

OK... perhaps it is because I am brand new registered on here, and it won't let me use img or url tags until a moderator presses a button.

Yes,the spam trap gets you until you have at least three posts to your name - so it'll soon wear off!

Andrew

P.S. - what excellent pieces

 

[RodN]

Thanks!
That's why I want a cabinet for them.

A piece of thread and a nail in the wall just doen't seem fitting.

Rod

 

[woodbloke]

Rod - if you have a look at a project I've just done (Elm Cabinet II) there are some pics of it earlier on this forum. Something like the cabinet part of it might be suitable but I guess you'd need double doors instead of a single door - Rob

 

[Woodmagnet]

Very,very nice Rod.

 

[RodN]

Rod - if you have a look at a project I've just done (Elm Cabinet II) there are some pics of it earlier on this forum. Something like the cabinet part of it might be suitable but I guess you'd need double doors instead of a single door - Rob

Yes indeed... I was admiring that earlier. Neat idea for a stand too.

On a matter of design, is there any rule (or construction problem) that says I can't have the door frame "edge on", and also face mounted onto the frame of the cabinet? I am thinking here about maximum visibility to the inside of the cabinet.

Rod

 

[jasonB]

There is nothing to stop you having frameless doors, it really comes down to how much dust you want to keep out.

I also paint miniature figures and keep them in display cabinets that have a rubber seal all round to keep the dust out. Each side of this one is 2ft x3ft and the frames are only 58mm wide so you don't loose too much visible area given that the carcase take sup 18mm of that.

The alternative is to just have glass doors set into the carcase and use a consealed hinge (like a kitchen hinge) thats made for glass and fits into a drilled hole in the glass, you need about 1.5 -2.0mm gap around the door though which can allow a little dust in. This one has two door sover the central six spaces. You can also get clamp on hinges but I would not be happy using them on the size doors you are likely to need.

Jason

 

[TheTiddles]

Rod - if you have a look at a project I've just done (Elm Cabinet II) there are some pics of it earlier on this forum. Something like the cabinet part of it might be suitable but I guess you'd need double doors instead of a single door - Rob

Rob, I think the fact that he hasn't made a cabinet before might disuade him from attempting something at quite that level just yet!

Maybe Ikea would be an idea, they make some nice glass cabinets with halogen spot lamps in you could modify as required, not the same as making it yourself, but you're less likely to spend months making something complicated to scuff the veneer and write it off at the last minute like I've just done...

Aidan

 

[MikeG.]

I'm not so sure about suggesting Ikea for a chap so skilled that he make incredible instruments like these! I reckon he'll have all the skills necessary to make a pretty damned good box on the wall.

Mike

 

[RodN]

:lol: I can understand Aidan's logic. I have indeed already looked at Ikea cabinets on their web site. And after all it makes much more sense to just go buy some, and its probably cheaper in the long run too.

But... ermmmm... I think that's a similar sort of thing that someone said to me about making instruments too. Why do you guys make cabinets and tables, etc? Where is the logic? :wink:

The answer of course is "illogical".... you do it, just as I did with those instruments, because you can USE them knowing that you crafted them, despite that they cost more in time and money than going shopping for the same item. They are not made just to be functional or just to look pretty. They are made to use, and they are proudly used because you made them.

OK... with that out of the way, I'll also mention that I am a happy eccentric.... and I want to make those cabinets.

Onward!

Rod

 

[TheTiddles]

oh, I didn't know you made the instruments...

Might needs to get some decent sized tools, instead of those kids ones instument makers use, other than that, off you go!

Aidan