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Tools used:
� Table saw w/ fine multi-purpose blade (alternately, you can use scoring knife for acrylic and another saw for the wood)
� Dremel tool w/router bit; shaper/router table (Sears/Craftsman also make an equivalent item);
� Drill press with 9/16� twist drill bit and �� flat boring bit (or hand drill and steady eye)
Materials used:
� Clear acrylic (.093� cheap stuff from Lowes/Home Depot)
� Wet/dry sandpaper (220 & 320 grit or so)
� Plastic solvent (Pro-weld or equivalent). Domestic-grade MEK from your local big-box home store works like a charm, too.
� Capillary applicator (Touch-N-Flow or equivalent)
� Soft towels for cleaning the plastic (Home Depot sells soft rags for cleaning plexi; or you can use clean paper towels)
� Wood base: (4� pre-cut board)
� Securing bolts (�� x 1�)
� Wood stain and varnish
� Self-adhesive felt, cork or plastic pads
Dimensions:
In my example, the dimensions were 3.5� (W, external) x 13.5� (L, external) X 4.5� (H, internal). Materials cost (for wood, acrylic, stain/varnish) was in the order of $10 per case (amortized, among three similar cases I�ve build so far).
Instructions:
Wood base:
1. Cut wood base (Lowes/Home Depot, etc. sell pre-cut boards; I used 4� (3.5� actual) poplar and oak boards for mine. Cut to length on table saw.
2. Use Dremel tool on the router table to cut a �� deep groove, about 1/8� in from the edge (to accommodate the .093� thickness of the plastic). Alternately, you can use the table saw and a ripping fence to cut the groove, but this is tricky with the small dimensions involved with the groove.
3. Drill mounting holes. Use flat bit to drill the countersink hole for the bolt head; then drill through with the twist drill
4. Stain & finish the base as desired.
5. Apply self-adhesive pads to the bottom as desired.
Plastic case:
1. Cut the top piece to the exact dimensions of the wood base (13.5" x 3.5"). Note that you must have a fine-toothed, plastic-capable blade and that you must be slow and deliberate with the saw lest you tear chunks off the cut edges. The edges will still need cleaning up by sanding (more below)
2. Cut the side pieces as follows: exact length of the wood base (13.5�) x desired internal height plus �� to accommodate the depth of the notch in the wood base (4.5� + �� = 4.75� in this case)
3. Cut the end pieces as follows: same height as the sides (4.75�) x width of the base minus two thicknesses of the plastic [3.5� - (2 x .093�) = 3.3� or 3 5/16�]
4. Sanding: Place a sheet of wet/dry paper on a flat surface, like a laminate kitchen counter. Splash some water beneath the paper so that it will cling to the surface. Wet sand the plastic edges to a clean flat edge, careful not to distort the shape. You can easily put a small bevel in the edge if desired.
5. Remove the protective film from the acrylic, and wash and dry the panels.
Assembly:
1. Pre-assemble the case sides and top on the wood base (for stability and to check the dimensions), and hold them together with masking or clear adhesive tape.
2. If the fit is good, run a generous stream of the solvent along each seam. The capillary applicator is essential for this, as the old-fashioned method (using a brush) will result in uneven application and any drops will mar the acrylic. I found that a single, steady pass with the applicator was sufficient to ensure a tight, even bond that looks professional.
3. The case was sufficiently rigid nearly instantly, but I chose to wait a few minutes before removing the tape.
About cutting the plastic: although I have cut the acrylic by scoring, you really need a table saw for obtaining the precise dimensions much more easily. I�ve used the one at the base hobby shop before, although the Three Kings brought me a light duty table saw ($87 at Lowe�s at the time) that I used for my latest case. If you don�t have one, you may have a willing neighbor.
Note that getting the dimensions right isn�t the only challenge. You also need to ensure that the panels are exactly square, or you will run into trouble with the assembly. This is another area where a table saw is greatly helpful.
Cutting the wood and plastics took about 1 hour; dressing the edges and assembling the plastic case about another 90 min. Finishing the wood base will depend on how fancy you choose to get.
For the illustrated build, I intend to stain and varnish the wood, drill a couple of countersunk mounting holes, and cut, stain and install keel blocks from 1/8� basswood strips, and stick on some self-adhesive felt pads as feet. Should be another couple of hours for a total project time of 4-5 hours.
Andrew P.
Chesapeake, VA
January 2007
Your work is outstandingly clean. Copied to my computer.
