Accessories Flight Case Recommendation

[Filip]

View attachment 11988View attachment 11989View attachment 11990View attachment 11991

Wade, out of interest. When the foam hardens, does it stick to the surface it expanded on? I'm thinking both about making an insert for a suitcase allowing me to travel 'incognitio'. How do you stop the two halves from sticking together when inverting the case and foaming the second half?

Thanks in advance

 

[Ivan]

Meanwhile I am going down the route proposed by @Jazzaferri and carving holes in layers of Ethafoam to fit a Maxcase

Many hours of fun

I'll post results once finished

 

[Wade Cornell]

Wade, out of interest. When the foam hardens, does it stick to the surface it expanded on? I'm thinking both about making an insert for a suitcase allowing me to travel 'incognitio'. How do you stop the two halves from sticking together when inverting the case and foaming the second half?

Thanks in advance

Thanks for the question Filip. The foam can stick to the plastic wrap you're using, but that doesn't matter. It can be peeled off or lightly sanded if you prefer. Since the molding process gives you an exact fit, and you're still going to add felt/material, loosing a little bit of foam by sanding is OK or can even be necessary. The second half is kept from sticking to the first half by again using plastic wrap. Using two layers is best as it will always release. I've dedicated the cheap suitcase I've used for this purpose, so having the foam stick to the case was desirable. If you wish to have it removable, then you would need to build an "insert" that allows the foam to be removed. The insert should have sides that taper slightly. Any obstructions like handle fasteners on the inside, edge lips, etc. will need to be accommodated by building out the inner wall if the insert (with taper) so that those aren't an obstruction. Line your insert form (and the bottom of the case) with plastic wrap so that it doesn't stick and blow with foam as per original instructions. When using, you would need to put the insert into the suitcase each time and then the foam so that the foam doesn't rattle around.

 

[Filip]

Thank you for the depth of your reply! I think I know what I'll do when my trumpet light idea finally bears fruit!

 

[Halfers]

I was talking with a guy from Hanson music this week. We were discussing the problems with shipping Saxophones. He mentioned something about a product that they were either using, or looking into using, that expanded to fit around saxophones. I think it might have been the following Instapak product.

Expanding foam void fill packing | Packaging2Buy | 380x460mm

 

[Filip]

Since this was the only I found where some partisan DIY was shown off I'd like to present you all with a little lamp I made..

 

[Ivan]

View attachment 12534Since this was the only I found where some partisan DIY was shown off I'd like to present you all with a little lamp I made..

Blowing your own....?

That's a tidy job

 

[Filip]

Y

Blowing your own....?

That's a tidy job

Yes sir, shamelessly so. And thank you.

 

[Ivan]

I was talking with a guy from Hanson music this week. We were discussing the problems with shipping Saxophones. He mentioned something about a product that they were either using, or looking into using, that expanded to fit around saxophones. I think it might have been the following Instapak product.

Expanding foam void fill packing | Packaging2Buy | 380x460mm

That looks excellent for one off transport

Curiously similar to a product that secures posts in the ground

 

[saxflutist]

Wade, congratulations for your skills in making your custom cases, and thanks for sharing!
I'd be interested in knowing how to prepare the case shell and instrument before blowing the expandable foam. Any pointers to instruction would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Wade Cornell]

Wade, congratulations for your skills in making your custom cases, and thanks for sharing!
I'd be interested in knowing how to prepare the case shell and instrument before blowing the expandable foam. Any pointers to instruction would be greatly appreciated.

Go back to page 2 reply #26 for full instructions.

Best of luck.

 

[saxflutist]

I had missed that

Go back to page 2 reply #26 for full instructions.

Best of luck.

I had missed that, sorry. Thanks - great instructions, very clear and detailed.

 

[EdJ]

Here's the bamboo case for my sopranino.
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I remember being impressed by this some years ago. Would you make and sell more?

 

[Wade Cornell]

The advantage of making a custom case can also be a problem. The liquid foam is "blown" around a specific instrument, so unique to that design. This means that the horn can't move at all, which is extremely good, but any other horn, unless exactly the same brand and model, won't fit.

I grow giant bamboo (along with many timber species, as that's my work... forestry research) so have that resource. However it requires first cutting, then curing, which takes 3 to 6 months depending on whether it's winter or summer. The easy parts are the leather hinges, straps and lining.

Everything is possible, however not cheap, easy or quickly done. If you have sources for giant bamboo I suggest you commission someone to make one for you that is local to you. The instructions for construction are in this thread on page 2 # 26 and a supplemental on this page #43. It's also possible to make the case out of a solid block of wood that's cut to make hollow and glued back in pieces using a very large bandsaw. Cylindrical forms tend to be very strong. A rough way to do this using a block of wood is to cut in half and hollow out with rotary files. It will be heavier and a lot more difficult than just building a "box". A cheap and nasty version could be made from large diameter PVC pipe and would be very strong (but ugly).

Best of luck!

 

[EdJ]

The advantage of making a custom case can also be a problem. The liquid foam is "blown" around a specific instrument, so unique to that design. This means that the horn can't move at all, which is extremely good, but any other horn, unless exactly the same brand and model, won't fit.

I grow giant bamboo (along with many timber species, as that's my work... forestry research) so have that resource. However it requires first cutting, then curing, which takes 3 to 6 months depending on whether it's winter or summer. The easy parts are the leather hinges, straps and lining.

Everything is possible, however not cheap, easy or quickly done. If you have sources for giant bamboo I suggest you commission someone to make one for you that is local to you. The instructions for construction are in this thread on page 2 # 26 and a supplemental on this page #43. It's also possible to make the case out of a solid block of wood that's cut to make hollow and glued back in pieces using a very large bandsaw. Cylindrical forms tend to be very strong. A rough way to do this using a block of wood is to cut in half and hollow out with rotary files. It will be heavier and a lot more difficult than just building a "box". A cheap and nasty version could be made from large diameter PVC pipe and would be very strong (but ugly).

Best of luck!

I travelled around Borneo in the 1980s with a piece of carpet roll cardboard cut to length with foam stuffed in the ends and tin lids to seal off in a canvas bag stuffed in my rucksack which did work. I did pay for a nice Aluminium one but the manufacturer in part misunderstood my instructions and made it a little wider than hoped and in part were limited by some materials and made it marginally longer than hoped. Still small though. Your bamboo case was amazing and ever since I joined the forum I have always wanted one for my Nino for travel.
Next best would be a Wiseman but that would be quadruple the cost of the instrument itself which seems crazy.
A travel instrument for practice in my book tends to be a cheap one so if stolen or damaged it isn’t too painful financially or psychologically. Nonetheless I would try and protect it as best as possible ideally in a case that fits in hand luggage.
There is the bass bags case which is smaller and lighter than my aluminium one for Nino and I often take my slightly heavier / wider curved sop in it’s Berkeley of London case as with it’s form fitting it is actually less awkward to pack than the rigid longer but thinner Nino case.
Thanks for the instructions / links I remember looking at the method some years ago and deciding I am not practical enough myself. I think I missed the second one at the time. Great to be reminded you provided that much detail and to make it so easy to find again. Maybe I’ll have a go I had been hoarding various metal, plastic and cardboard tubes (the carpet roll was very thick and difficult to crush more like wood in density)