here comes part two of the “custom modelkit/figure display” series (or whatever you’d call it). A custom display for figures, modelkits, whatever – you name it! It’s a crossover between a glass-case/cabinet and a shelf. It combines the idea of hanging it on the wall with a glass-case so the figures/GKs don’t collect too much dust. This time – unfortuneatly – i don’t have pictures of the quality and detail of the other tutorials, but i will try to describe the working parts as good as possible.
It first started with the build of that one Tenshi GK – which was paticularly fragile, thus the problem to clean it when/if it collected too much dust. So, as the glass-cabinet was in another room a new shelf had to be built. It would need to be good visible, but protect from dust – so most of it had to be glass. We decided to do the bottom as wood to keep it more simple. So, here’s the Pix/Howto:
Materials you need for the basic stuff. Here it's a glass-cutter, three 40x30 picture frames and the wood (already beveled with a router)Details of the beveling. If you own a router and a few millers you should recognize the pattern :P. If not, try asking a cabinetmaker near you. If you're nice they might help you with this for little money in the thank-you box(?)Details of the bevel...
And this one was the trickiest part of the whole process: Cutting glass. I use a regular steel-wheel cutter, place the glass on a surface that won't scratch it, mark the line where it has to be cut, use a ruler to guide the cutter and cut. The cutting speed/strenght is the key to success - you don't want to press so hard you can hear "sand-ish" sound, but hard enough to cut the glass slightly. you'll recognize the right sound if you hear it. then quickly (as glass can flow just a tiny little bit and will close the cut at microscopic level) put it at the edge of a table and break it with in one heavy yank.... use some sanding paper to trim the edges....Next the glass needs to be glued together - i used pattex glass-glue (which is a kind of superglue), it needs to be applied very very thin, so the edges need to be good. If you cut the glass right no two selfcut edges will need to be glued together. I supported the glass with two rectangular (90* angles, yay!) stones and books....Detail of the glued glass, note the supports with tape and stones 😛Also i've already router'ed the notches (4mm, as opposed to 1.5mm for the glass) so while glueing i have a bit of a guide for the glass...
Next, after putting the notch down to 1.5mm (just the width of the glass, i applied oil to the glass, put it in the notches, applied and smoothed the putty and took the glass out again) we need to sand the wood. To do this i used a eccentric grinder, but if such a machine is inavailable, you can just hand-sand it....Then, after sanding i applied acrylic primer using my paint-gun....... which needs to be hand-sanded again. I used K220 paper here.
Then the first layer of simple acrylic white. I diluted it with water so i'd be able to spray wet, which gets a better "gloss" effect
Okay, the edges aren't perfect...Now, to avoid too much dust/dirt sticking to the wet paint i quick-dried it using a infra-red lamp, which is normally used when you catched a cold ... at least here in germany...Finished! Yay! (yes, it's not straigt, but the poster also isn't!)
So, this is our new figure display case for two medium-size or one large figure. The glossy paint-job turned out quite okay, only a few faults/not-so-nice parts. Mounted on the wall it really looks nice!
I hope this inspired you to try DIY’ing your next display, and not just run to the closest IKEA to buy a ready made one. Selfmade furniture is the best, has a that nice feel of something you yourself made with your own hands to it …
Good construct