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Dakka,

I have a silly amount of models. Somewhere in the ballpark of 20k$. It takes up 4x bookshelves packed. They have no glass on the front of them so dust is getting on my collection.

Where can I find large, cheap display cases with closing glass doors?

Depends on your budget and what you consider cheap.

You could go hunt down on craigslist a commercial display cabinet for like $500 or less. though they are kinda beat up and janky most of the time.

Or if the book shelf is from IKEA as i would assume you could possible get doors for them.



adam savage does that and then puts LED ropes on the insides of the doors.

edit: Checking ikea site they may not carry clear glass anymore.. odd :/

 Desubot wrote:
Depends on your budget and what you consider cheap.

You could go hunt down on craigslist a commercial display cabinet for like $500 or less. though they are kinda beat up and janky most of the time.

Or if the book shelf is from IKEA as i would assume you could possible get doors for them.



adam savage does that and then puts LED ropes on the insides of the doors.

edit: Checking ikea site they may not carry clear glass anymore.. odd :/

I really like the way that looks. I might go this route.

IKEA has one for something like $69.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80269122/

Yeah i got me one of those my self

But Any of these and most of them in general are still gona let dust in.

you can fix it a little with weathering strips. i think i saw a thing on massive voodoo about dust resisting your cabinet.

 Breotan wrote:
IKEA has one for something like $69.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80269122/

Just be aware that if you go with this, it's going to need quite a bit of work to make sure it doesn't let dust in. And since it's all glass you need to be extra careful so you don't end up with some ugly seals. Less of an issue with something like the other image above, since there's no glass where you'd need to seal it.

vundere wrote:

 Breotan wrote:
IKEA has one for something like $69.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80269122/

Just be aware that if you go with this, it's going to need quite a bit of work to make sure it doesn't let dust in. And since it's all glass you need to be extra careful so you don't end up with some ugly seals. Less of an issue with something like the other image above, since there's no glass where you'd need to seal it.

Do you really think so? It seems like it would keep most of the dust out if its closing doors.

Nope i have that one and it is Dusty as hell

its because the sides are not actually solid

there are gaps everywhere including the door.

also the shelf heights are set so you cant really put that much in.

Damn! Wonder if theres something better

 xSoulgrinderx wrote:
Damn! Wonder if theres something better

Unfortunately something better is usually pretty expensive, something home-built, or both.
Happen to have any craftsman in the family that owe you a favor?

One option i was contemplating was getting one of these


and removing the shelf in the middle and adding glass shelf inside.

Would be kinda cheap and usually pretty cheap on craiglist and the likes. (about 200 or less)

Occasionally you can get REALLY cheap dining room china cabinets from moving sales or what not. you just gota keep looking

I am a craftsman. Just need to find beveled glass for cheap and i will make my own shelves. -.- I was really trying to avoid dropping 1200 on materials for a case that will take me months to build.

Why would you need to drop 1200 on mats.

I figure you could do it under 100 with some nice birch plywood.

i guess the glass might be an issue though.

I would craft the cabinets out of a nice wood, glass siding and shelves with a two piece french glass door on the front. Ill just mill out the corner wood pieces to look like Aquillas at the top notch.

The glass will be about 400$. I need to make 3x (24x16x76") sets

I have this one. Its holds more and is less gappy than Detolf. It also comes with a lock attachment.

http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/60128562/

 keezus wrote:
I have this one. Its holds more and is less gappy than Detolf. It also comes with a lock attachment.

http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/60128562/

Not a bad suggestion. looks classy too. Problem is.... I have 25x Rhinos/ Rbacks.... and 6 radiers. that is a whole two cases just for those!

 xSoulgrinderx wrote:
I would craft the cabinets out of a nice wood, glass siding and shelves with a two piece french glass door on the front. Ill just mill out the corner wood pieces to look like Aquillas at the top notch.

The glass will be about 400$. I need to make 3x (24x16x76") sets

Ah going full ham on it

Then yeah i guess it would be one heck of a project but at least at that point its a keep sake.

 Desubot wrote:

 xSoulgrinderx wrote:
I would craft the cabinets out of a nice wood, glass siding and shelves with a two piece french glass door on the front. Ill just mill out the corner wood pieces to look like Aquillas at the top notch.

The glass will be about 400$. I need to make 3x (24x16x76") sets

Ah going full ham on it

Then yeah i guess it would be one heck of a project but at least at that point its a keep sake.

And an heirloom!

I'm no one to give advice on proper investments of time or money (just ask my very patient, very loving, long-suffering wife) - but as i get much older and little wiser i feel that the bigger investment in quality is actually less expensive and waaay more gratifying the long run. Just build one every couple of months instead of all at once.

The OCD compells me to have them all match. Honestly, its the fact that its the most valueable thing I own (very sad). At about 20k$ is just in solid plastic, its breaks my renters insurance and I have to have a rider account for its own insurance. Btw, did you know you can insure your models? If they are destroyed in a flood or fire you can get the $ value.

 xSoulgrinderx wrote:

 keezus wrote:
I have this one. Its holds more and is less gappy than Detolf. It also comes with a lock attachment.

http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/60128562/

Not a bad suggestion. looks classy too. Problem is.... I have 25x Rhinos/ Rbacks.... and 6 radiers. that is a whole two cases just for those!

Haha. There is this one in that line too: http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/20128564/

I've toyed with buying it just to display tanks in a diorama setting.

That would be most ideal. But again, small children and animals will beg to fek with it

 xSoulgrinderx wrote:

vundere wrote:

 Breotan wrote:
IKEA has one for something like $69.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80269122/

Just be aware that if you go with this, it's going to need quite a bit of work to make sure it doesn't let dust in. And since it's all glass you need to be extra careful so you don't end up with some ugly seals. Less of an issue with something like the other image above, since there's no glass where you'd need to seal it.

Do you really think so? It seems like it would keep most of the dust out if its closing doors.

Yeah, we have one for various bits and bobs, and dust gets in there no problem. It's got significant gaps in it.

I'm kind of surprised no one has linked you to my article. This question comes up all the time and usually someone will point the person to the aforementioned article in the first few posts.

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/0/349068.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/349539.page

 keezus wrote:
I have this one. Its holds more and is less gappy than Detolf. It also comes with a lock attachment.

http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/60128562/

I personally prefer Detolf or Billy with glass doors, because you can line them up one after the other. Plus, Detolf is so cheap and has good dimensions in depth and height. There's really nothing comparable in price to it, IMO. Plus, there is a cheap lighting option, and a lighting assembly that comes in a 3-pack (for 3 shelves one after the other) sharing one transformer.

The one failing of most of the Ikea stuff is that you can't put really large models in them - a Skyshield with doors up is about the maximum footprint, and a 4-level GW structure the maximum height. At the same time, the levels are way too tall if you want to just store infantry or tanks. It would have been really nice if detolf had adjustable shelves

The price for one shelf doesn't really kill you. It's when you add to the collection and start buying more of them...

Talys, see the article. It address your concerns about the dimensions.

 AesSedai wrote:
I'm kind of surprised no one has linked you to my article. This question comes up all the time and usually someone will point the person to the aforementioned article in the first few posts.

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/0/349068.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/349539.page

This is the go-to tutorial on Dakka for display cases. AesSedai has thought of everything so you don't have to

I'd have a look at local house clearance places, and thrift stores as well as new. I have a 6ft corner cabinet with mirrors and lamps, and it cost me £12 including a drop off from the store.

One thing to also consider on the cabinets is if you put in lights on more than one level or not. I have some terrain pieces in my setup, so the bottom shelves are dark.

IKEA would be my suggestion, they aren't expensive and they have several different types.
I however bought two from Lidl but their stock constantly changes so you never know when they'll have them in

 AesSedai wrote:
I'm kind of surprised no one has linked you to my article. This question comes up all the time and usually someone will point the person to the aforementioned article in the first few posts.

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/0/349068.page

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/349539.page

again, the sheer volume of models I have would require at least 10x of these. 3x shelves of one case would just be taken up by the nurglings I own. maybe get two heldrakes/ blight drones above them. But big things like soulgrinders, land raiders and super heavy tanks will take up case after case. Again I would need about 10x of these. A pair of reavers would be 1x case, th 25x Rhinos + rhino chassis tanks would be another, Planes get one.... yeah. This would be an endless project to DIY 10x shelve kits with lights. I think I need large army displays like you see at a nature museum.

 xSoulgrinderx wrote:
Dakka,

I have a silly amount of models. Somewhere in the ballpark of 20k$. It takes up 4x bookshelves packed. They have no glass on the front of them so dust is getting on my collection.

Where can I find large, cheap display cases with closing glass doors?

Ikea -

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10119206/