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It is found on Amazon and it is inexpensive@Mike Dowling this is what I could find in the youtube video comments:
Or you can also google for: Red double sided PET tape.
Hope this helps.
I bought 2 cases from Acrylic Job. I’m pleased with them
Www.acrylicjob.com
Www.acrylicjob.com
I have built about 20 ship cases for my models -- each for about $125. And we're not talking small cases -- some of these are three feet long (see pics). And the only tool I use need is a small hand miter saw. Here's how I do it:
Go to Home Depot, Lowes or a lumber yard and buy a 3/4" or 1" thick pine board at the appropriate width (i.e. 6" - 10"). I like pine because it's cheap and takes stain really well, but you can spend more money and buy other wood if you want. Have it cut to your desired length (most places will cut it for you for free). Cost: About $17.00.
At the same time, buy strips of decorative or plain molding. Make sure the molding is taller than your board. For example, if you board in 3/4" thick, get a 1" tall strip of molding. Most of them come in 6' sizes. These you can cut at home. Cost: About $20.
For the inside "track" for the acrylic and the display case frame, buy 1/4" strips of wood. These come in various lengths, usually 4'. Cost: $15.
Cut the molding strip to fit your wood base. For a professional look, use a 45" diagonal cut.
Glue the molding to your base; it should rise 1/4" above the base. Sink penny nails into the sides for stability and fill the nail holes with wood filler.
Make a "track" for your acrylic sides by cutting and gluing 1/4" strips of wood 1/4" away from the outside molding. Now you'll have a 1/4" wide and deep track all around the base -- no mitering or sawing necessary.
Stain the assembled base and the wood strips you'll be using for the frame. Be sure to use pre-stain because otherwise it will be splotchy. Also, many of the decorative strips have epoxy in them, which doesn't take stain well. If you use a water-based stain, no problem but oil-based stains might be problematic. You can also paint the wood and/or molding if you wish.
Polyurethane the assembled base and the wood strips to your taste: flat, satin or glossy. Do the usual routine -- multiple coats followed by light sanding.
Now for the acrylic. I use 1/4" acrylic sheets for my cases. I find it is not too thick and not too thin, especially for large cases. I have found that Professional Plastics, Inc., which has offices around the country, does an excellent job of cutting acrylic to my exact dimensions. They charge by the cut, so typically it costs $125 for five pieces: front, back, sides and top. Your acrylic should precisely match the measurements of your "track". Don't forget to measure the top properly. And choose whatever height you want.
I use resin to glue the acrylic. Nothing else seems to work. "JB Weld" works great and comes in those nifty double-barrel "guns" for mixing. Make sure you do it in a well-ventilated place.
I assemble the acrylic this way: I glue the edge of one side and insert it and the back of the top into the "track" on the base. Take care not to glue the bottom 1/4" of the pieces lest they stick to the base. Also, do not move the side piece once it's in place because the resin gets messy. Clamp for 30 minutes. Next, glue the other side to the back and clamp for 30 minutes. Finally, glue the front on, and clamp. Leave overnight. To add the top, I wedge a piece of wood between the front and back of the case, precisely matching the correct width. This prevents the front and back from "bowing" while you put on the top. Once that's done, apply your resin to the top of the walls and carefully lower the top onto it. Once it's in place, put some books or other heavy objects on it and let sit for a day.
In most cases, I've found these acrylic tops are strong enough on their own. However, for esthetic reasons and extra strength, I put a frame around both the outside and inside of the cases. This makes them super strong and very attractive. To do so, I use 1/2" corner moldings, which I get at the aforementioned stores. I stain and finish them to match the base and cut to size using my trusty saw and miter. Staring with the top, I use resin to affix the molding to the top and sides where the two acrylic pieces meet (this also hides the glue and any mistakes made in applying it). I clamp the sides and put books on top of it for a tight fit. For the legs, I cut the same corner moldings to size -- fitting them so they precisely touch the base. I use the resin and clamp. I let the whole thing sit overnight to set.
The next day, I remove the case from the base and turn it over. I then take my 1/4" strips of wood and using resin again, glue them to the acrylic seams on the top and sides. This further reinforces the case and adds to the professional look.
Finally, I use an acrylic cleaner (not glass cleaners), to polish to acrylic and it's done!
Total cost: Under $200
Total time: Three days
No professional tools necessary
The plastic material is expensive, compared to glass, and it seems everybody I know has had the same experience trying to neatly glue corners with it. I've totally given up trying. Some things are best left to the pros.
I've found the best source in my neighborhood for model case glass is the local Michael's craft store's picture framing department. Any craft store framing shop would serve as well, I'm sure. Hardware stores carry window glass, but framing shops carry picture framing glass which may cost a small bit more, but is of a higher quality without any inclusion, distortion, or blemish (as a practical matter perhaps an irrelevant consideration in this age of quality mass-produced window glass) and treated with anti-glare and ultraviolet filtering agents which protects the model from UV degradation. I still wouldn't display a model in direct sunlight, but even reflected UV isn't the best.
The inexpensive right angle picture framing "corner clamps" are still available. https://www.amazon.com/PONY-Clamping-Aluminum-Adjustable-Multiple/dp/B08ZHRC1QY/ref=sr_1_22_sspa?adgrpid=1331510316656305&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.3TXsyVmqJNBtfdcGuPuUXCY62WnhKWUWIiHXAy1LoDdGPI4cInbKnUJSpdcxvXue1Ga_zhMTZ_5zvcSc0UX4ZUhX5It5kX_4V7DCiPYL-gPFgueX6InEwbo8G8t-aepIw9IMLM77DSjAFr7LquVBo3Vj6dUg_ysCfvLZf7IwJzSn-bWstsNt0B1tqlEsG-WmubEC166GjoqdgBpbE3nZDa5w3szRrGP00o3RiNNQ5fyXnzDCj5-dmKPkUvxNnNg3Th8J5fEMpn4CYJckgti2SwQbSTTmZ8fL0ZvJnehndU0.MORAdYc3SqaXokRiolf07FuoPpfjHTr-1MOfmLPpvEY&dib_tag=se&hvadid=83219687559759&hvbmt=bp&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=88716&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=p&hvtargid=kwd-83220459082662:loc-190&hydadcr=29068_14559140&keywords=corner+clamps+for+picture+framing&msclkid=a9f92448c9a217ca021f432f832eee42&qid=1734822548&sr=8-22-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9tdGY&psc=1 Amazon lists a wide selection of right-angle clamps. It seems they've become somewhat of "better mousetrap" tool category of late. If one wishes, it's certainly easy enough to throw together a shop-made clamping jig or frame construction.
Now that you mention it, though, a couple of months ago, I bought a nice old cast iron Marsh 100 (later "Stanley-Marsh 100," after Stanley Tool Works bought Marsh) picture frame vise and miter box and a 26"x 4" Disston brass backed miter saw in great condition for $25.00 from a guy on a local online "garage sale." I'd actually gone to buy a "like new" set of Russell Jennings brace bits in the triple-section wood box, a $250 item that he wanted $50 for and while I was there I spotted this hunk of cast iron. Being a sucker for cast iron and old Disston saws, I asked if he was selling the miter vise and he said I could have it for $25. I knew the saw alone was worth that, so I snagged it. I checked it out online when I got home and discovered the Disston saw alone is worth about $250! Apparently, the Marsh 100 frame vise and miter box, as well as the Marsh 400 picture framing vise alone without the miter guide, were state-of-the-art fixtures in framing shops everywhere from the late 1800's through maybe the 1950's. A complete vise and miter frame sells on eBay for between $100 and $300, depending on condition and the more commonly seen plain framing vise goes for between $75 and $150. It seems there are quite a few of these clamping miter boxes out there and they're still in demand by picture framers. It's definitely an item worth grabbing for your "old 'arn" collection. Funny thing, though, I was looking through another local online "garage sale" site about three weeks later and saw another vise and miter saw frame, this one with a Stanley brass-backed saw, for $50. Of course, I grabbed it, too. Even though I really didn't need a second one, I couldn't pass it up at that price and now I will only have to wait half as long for the glue to dry the next time I build a case or picture frame! ("She Who Must Be Obeyed" knows nothing of such things, so I'll probably get away with buying the two. He who dies with the most tools wins!
)Unlike the smaller "picture frame corner clamps" sold today, these clamps and miter frames will hold stock as large as 4"x4" which would be a seriously large picture frame. They also are articulated so that the clamped miter joint can be rotated from horizontal to vertical to facilitate vertically drilling, dowelling, and/or nailing the joint while held in the jaws.
Generic photo of Stanley-Marsh 100 miter clamp and miter saw guide:
Stanley-Marsh 400 picture frame miter clamp without miter saw guide:
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2024
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The model that I am working on now will require a large case and will be displayed in the “Marine Room” of Duluth’s historic Kitchi Gammi Club or at The Lake Superior Maritime Museum, also in Duluth. I am concerned about the safety of single strength glass in a public setting. So, I am thinking of Plexiglass in my usual wooden frame.
This assumes that I live long enough to complete the model!
Roger
This assumes that I live long enough to complete the model!
Roger
Have you ever tried using this method with glass instead of plastic?
- Joined
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I buy all of the glass for my cases cut to my specified dimensions. I do not have the edges polished as they are completely covered by the wood frame. In the past, I bought from a local commercial glass company. For my last case I bought it from a local Ace Hardware. Prices were no where near what’s posted above. $50.00 tops.
Roger
Roger
Picture frame glass costs more than window glass. Window glass is much better today than years ago, and picture frame glass is specially manufactured to exclude any defect in the glass that would interfere with the art it is to cover. For even a bit more, and worth it in my opinion, picture frame glass with anti-glare and UV filtering properties is widely available in picture framing shops, which can cut it to any dimension requested. I've repeatedly priced plastic and glass and the glass is always significantly less expensive than the glass.
That said, for public display, the plastic is going to be less likely to be broken when compared with window or picture framing glass. There is glass made for public display cases that is much less likely to be broken. Some of it is even bulletproof!
There is now also available plastic material that has anti-glare and UV filtering features. These materials are all more expensive, of course. Google "museum display cases" and you'll get a wide selection of case styles and materials. You'll also be amazed at what they charge for building a relatively simple case. It wouldn't be hard to spend $2,500 for a case for a four-foot-long model! Building our own is the only way to go.
