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Hey Guys,

I'm trying to find a cheap way to build my own carrying case similar to the ones that GW sells, with the foam inserts that have slots for each model. I would really like to consolidate my army into one easy to carry small box, instead of lugging around a huge tacklebox and 2 other cases. Also, the foam sheets with small slots for each unit should make it easier to organize my army as opposed to sorting through shelves and piles of boyz in compartments (additionally it's nice because I'll know my whole army is there when I leave, instead of just hoping I had 20x Boyz in that piles I put back into my case).

At any rate, I'm wondering if anyone as attempted to make their own case? The cheapest foam I found that looks like the same type of foam in the GW cases was at Joann Fabrics. I could get a whole roll 1/2" foam $10 or 1" $15. I believe 1 roll would be enough, but I may get two and use the thinner roll as a backlayer and cut the holes out of the thicker foam.

I also got a cheap plastic file organizer bin from WalMart that would probably work as a box for now. Though I may want something sturdier and with a handle. Any Suggestions on where to get a good solid case and some inexpensive foam?

Hopefully, I'll have some good ideas by this weekend, and if anyone is interested, I'll post some pics and "How to" instructions, once I figure it out.

I used an old briefcase filled with foam for years.

I've also just used a large plastic container in the past, with layers of towel separating the miniatures. Foam inserts would have been better, but it was what I had on hand


A lot of it really just comes down to how big you need it. Toolboxes or storage boxes work well and come in all sorts of sizes. As a potentially slightly more expensive (but more secure and sturdy) option, I'm assuming that the US would have similar military disposal stores to those we have (in a sadly dwindling quantity) here is Oz, where you would be able to pick up old ammo boxes or metal storage boxes. I have an old M60 ammo box that I use for my dice and templates that I picked up a while back for about AU$15.

Check this post out http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/241220.page#731508

I built my own trays. Do yourself a favor and get a hot knife. It makes cutting the foam straighter and cleaner. I tried doing it with just a regular utility knife. It worked okay but unprofessional looking.

The Foam sizes you have available work great.

For my infantry trays I took a ruler and marked out a grid on the foam for the cuts. Each is 1"x 2" with a 1/2" gap between each one. Use some spray adhesive on each side to be stuck together, wait until tacky then press them together.

For a case I picked up a cheap rifle case from a friend. You could robably get reasonably priced one from a outdoor/sporting goods store. Although I do get funny looks when carrying it around.

Oh! (light bulb ding) Maybe a used/cheap guitar case could work. I think a new one runs like $70 for an acoustic size. I think the acoustic versions would work better since it would be thicker. It would make a Goofy foot print for foam but would make a sick custom case. Atleast people won't think you're a gun crazed lunatic.

I use multi compartment tool boxes, all of different designs, layered with various types of foam.

I think thats the easiest and cheapest technique. Different types of box work best with different types of army, so luckily there is normally a wide selection at your local hardware store. (B&Q is pretty good).

My ork carry case is a tool box with some underlay carpet-taped down in it.

Does the trick nicely

The very thing!

As long as your models don't break, and you don't pay £58.70 on a 'special christmas offer'!

I bought a decent sized rolling luggage bag at a bargain store and filled it with GW and Battlefoam Foams. That is my transport for all 6.5k of my Templars.

A similar question. I found a foam mattress that someone threw out, and was going to turn it into a case or five (given the quantity of foam) but I have no idea how to do it or what to put it in. Tool boxes seem a decent choice but also thin, making the amount they can hold per block of foam limited. I will say if you can pick up a cheep foam mattress it is perfect foam and will cradle your models like nothing else

Your bound to be able to get supersized kids lunch boxes in America lol, one of those with layers of foam would be cheap and ideal, specially if you lined the inside-sides so that nothing would rattle around.

The foam with the raised bits and dimples in sort of checkered pattern is definitely the best to stop things rolling round.

I find a separate case for vehicles is a good Idea. I use the larger bottom part of one tool case, filled with packing foam 'wotsit looking things (puffed rice snack)' for my custom Dark Eldar ship, as its too big and spikey for any other method of transport.

From Tekks post I really dislike that guys case, not to be rude to him but he is showing off a lathe and a whole bunch of stuff that seems to just go way beyond the norm. As for what I have an idea is that when I find a proper table saw, I want to make a wooden box with foam inserts. I say if you have any skills working with wood, or know someone with some power tools, then about 5 bucks of wood, or even scraps from certain places for free. Just work with it to fit it to your needs, add a lid, handle and your set for hardly any cost except for just the foam and little to no wood cost.

Thats a pretty good idea actually.

It would be all swave and prestige! Also really durable and hold more sentimental value.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Dicky it up a bit with diamond inlays!

Crap if I can get a hold of the tools I will need to make a how to thread on when I finish my case using just wood and foam inserts, going for the bare bones minimum of cost. Of course at the moment I got a gun case that came with the foam that can remove pegs, and it can already hold all my chaos infantry and then some for future amounts all for just 17$ bucks from Dunhams, Probably would be around 11 in GBP or less.

Try Again Bragg wrote:A similar question. I found a foam mattress that someone threw out, and was going to turn it into a case or five

Dude, speaking as someone who has thrown out a foam mattress before, I'm sure they had a very good reason for throwing it out.

get layers of foam (what ever thickness you need) and either a piece of thin plastic or foam of the same size to go on the bottom...
cut the shape of figures into the main piece and glue it to the bottom piece...
find a box or big tupperware box (whatever those big plastic tubs are called) that fit the foam, and there you go.

I have been thinking the same thing (as the OP). No need to go over the top. Buy some foam, buy some kind of sturdy bag/box/case and as long as you can wield a cutting tool it should be pretty simple...and a lot more cost effective than using all the sites online (though I do find them tempting).

I use socks box with towels... 100% better than any foam related cases.

Hey, guys. I've been wanting a custom carry case as well, got an old suitcase that I can use but have no idea where I can get foam from.
Any suggestions (I'm in the UK for shops)

Oh also is it cheap, don't get that much money.

LunaHound wrote:I use socks box with towels... 100% better than any foam related cases.

Really? How do you manage to make individual slots for each model? The main reason I want to do this is to keep my stuff organized so I know I have everything and I don't have to sort through piles of Boyz and freak out if I don't have certain models. I'm always afraid somethings going to get left behind someday.

krusty wrote:get layers of foam (what ever thickness you need) and either a piece of thin plastic or foam of the same size to go on the bottom...
cut the shape of figures into the main piece and glue it to the bottom piece...
find a box or big tupperware box (whatever those big plastic tubs are called) that fit the foam, and there you go.

That's exactly have I'm planning on doing! So far I got a cheap plastic File Organizer (27 qts.)

TheTrueProtoman wrote:Crap if I can get a hold of the tools I will need to make a how to thread on when I finish my case using just wood and foam inserts, going for the bare bones minimum of cost. Of course at the moment I got a gun case that came with the foam that can remove pegs, and it can already hold all my chaos infantry and then some for future amounts all for just 17$ bucks from Dunhams, Probably would be around 11 in GBP or less.

Sounds like a great idea. So the Gun case came with Foam inserts for $17 from Dunhams? Nice, I might have to look for that.

Watsabi wrote:I built my own trays. Do yourself a favor and get a hot knife. It makes cutting the foam straighter and cleaner. I tried doing it with just a regular utility knife. It worked okay but unprofessional looking.

The Foam sizes you have available work great.

For my infantry trays I took a ruler and marked out a grid on the foam for the cuts. Each is 1"x 2" with a 1/2" gap between each one. Use some spray adhesive on each side to be stuck together, wait until tacky then press them together.

For a case I picked up a cheap rifle case from a friend. You could robably get reasonably priced one from a outdoor/sporting goods store. Although I do get funny looks when carrying it around.

Oh! (light bulb ding) Maybe a used/cheap guitar case could work. I think a new one runs like $70 for an acoustic size. I think the acoustic versions would work better since it would be thicker. It would make a Goofy foot print for foam but would make a sick custom case. Atleast people won't think you're a gun crazed lunatic.

Thanks a lot for this advice. How much did the Hot knife cost? Any other things that might work equally Well to cut foam? $70 is a Bit too much for a case atm. I would rather spend $10-$15 or Less.

tekk_45 wrote:Check this post out http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/241220.page#731508

Awesome Post!! Don't have the time or money to get that much into it. But I like the foam links. I don't think it'll beat the prices I can get at Joann's though. I found $10-$15 sheets of foam, and my Mom has a coupon that will give me $50 one item and 20% the rest of my order.

Newt-Of-Death wrote:I use multi compartment tool boxes, all of different designs, layered with various types of foam.

I think thats the easiest and cheapest technique. Different types of box work best with different types of army, so luckily there is normally a wide selection at your local hardware store. (B&Q is pretty good).

I'll have to look into that too. Right now I got a $5 Tupperware/Organizer plastic thing. It's not the sturdiest, but I hope it will work for now.

Lastly, I want to cut my foam inserts to a decent size that will hopefully fit into another case if I decide to upgrade.

LunaHound wrote:I use socks box with towels... 100% better than any foam related cases.

I use pistol cases. They are very sturdy come with a handle and come with foam already in them. I have 50 ork boys 2 warbosses 10 nobs 10 burnas a weird boy and 10 stormboys all safely in one case and the cases run anywhere from 15 to 25 dollars. I also have a rifle case for my nid army ranging close to 3500 pts. The rifle case is a bit cumbersome though

Darkzephyr wrote:

LunaHound wrote:I use socks box with towels... 100% better than any foam related cases.

Really? How do you manage to make individual slots for each model? The main reason I want to do this is to keep my stuff organized so I know I have everything and I don't have to sort through piles of Boyz and freak out if I don't have certain models. I'm always afraid somethings going to get left behind someday.

LunaHound wrote:I use socks box with towels... 100% better than any foam related cases.

Basically for the really fragile ones , a thin yet fluffy fibered towel allows you to "fill in" the spaces between and around the fragile area , thus creating a full cushion no foam is able to.
The rest i just line them up and roll them up like a sushi roll.
And just for reference , i have 3 miniature carrying cases , 2 of them are GW . And yet i still prefer my towel method.

TheTrueProtoman wrote:Crap if I can get a hold of the tools I will need to make a how to thread on when I finish my case using just wood and foam inserts, going for the bare bones minimum of cost. Of course at the moment I got a gun case that came with the foam that can remove pegs, and it can already hold all my chaos infantry and then some for future amounts all for just 17$ bucks from Dunhams, Probably would be around 11 in GBP or less.

Sounds like a great idea. So the Gun case came with Foam inserts for $17 from Dunhams? Nice, I might have to look for that.

Yeah its very good, many of the guys at my games shop with their GW cases just give me that look of hot damn I should of went with that long ago, the great thing about gun cases is that they can come any way you can think of, and at different cost, one case had my eye just for the fact it hard 2 slots on one side of it that could perfectly fit dice, and a tape measure. I will hold to my word though once I get everything together I will build a cheap wooden case that should help everyone out who wants something nice and affordable.

Thought you were joking about the towel method! Actually sounds good tho.

I used to do similar things.

I think the most popular one is an old shoe box and loads of tissue paper!

Some times sandwich bags filled with tissue is good too, but I use my tool box techniques now, and still have loads of postage foam stuff than came in a big sheet and I got it free from my garage!

Here is my Kroot Tower Kase of doom!





Each shelf slides all the way out and can hold 20 infantry, 9x 40m bases and 4x 60m base. The 60m bases are magnetised so they dont fall over since the cardboard sides dont really work that well for models of that size.







The only real issue with the case at the moment is that ive got too many models on 60 mil bases than that case is designed for. When I first made it the forgeworld models had not even come out yet

The cool thing about the case is that it doubles as a stool when your playing games, the draw back is that its DAMN heavy to carry But to take it to tournaments it wedges behind the driver seat or passenger seat of my car

For my odd sized models I use the pick and pull foam from sabol ( if you make your own foam trays to this size, this idea will still work.)

Then I use a standard small comic book box ( not a mag box) they are very sturdy, stack well, and a blank canvas to customize if you wish. They are dirt cheap when compaired to most any other case for what they offer.

I have hot glued ribbon to the bottom of the trey to make pulling them out of the box easier. Works like dream.

That kroot case is brilliant!

Not as well protected as a decent foam case maybe, but its really cool. You've got quite a lot of Kroot going on there!

Never even seen those forge world kroot things before.

I recently attended a gun show and bought two military surplus ammo cases cheap, one for 7.62 ammunition and the other for 50cal. I plan to line them with maybe a half inch of foam on all sides and keep my Orks in there. All plastic models, so if they bump up against each other a bit, it's not a problem.

I think I'll feel pretty awesome pulling handfuls of Boyz out of an actual ammo box.