Looking for ideas on a display case(s)...

[thekl0wn]

OK, so I'll come right out and say it... I'm a HUGE dork. I collect Star Wars collectibles, and I have two sets of the action figures from all six episodes (re-release on IV-VI)... One set to "play" with, and the other still in the box.

Here's the thing... All of these are asleep in the attic at my parents house, and it's killing me! I want them on display, but I want something befitting of them... Something that looks Star Wars-ish, and that I can move with me in the future.

So let's see some ideas that might help me on this "theme"... Anything would help... A pic of someone else's design, or even if it's just a detail either real world or from the movie, it might get the ol' creative noggin' goin'.

[Dagster]

Cut many circles out of MDF first in increasing diameter then decreasing to form a complete sphere of MDF rings. Then decide where you would like to cut in shelves... cut your semi circle out of the side in one area and paint to look similar to a Death Star. Could be made of lighter weight material as well... would be pretty darn cool. Could mount it on a lazy susan and might even be fun to power it so it slowly turns. LED's could be used for lights in certain areas :D

[thekl0wn]

The thing would be near the size of the actual Death Star if I were to get all of the action figures in it! :D

I do really like that idea though... I need an excuse to turn something into a Death Star now... :rolleyes:

[Dagster]

Ok, something else. A wall or semi-wall of shelves... just plain ole shelves except that they are behind a sheet of one-way lexan or glass. You will have rope or LED lighting behind the glass on a dimmer. The front of the glass would have Enterprise like display panel design. This can be accomplished with vinyl graphics that are translucent or translucent paint. When you turn out the lights and turn up the back-lighting you see the action figures through the glass.

Might need some extra thought but kinda cool concept.

[thekl0wn]

...Enterprise...

You do realize that's immediate means to fight! :mad: Star Trek is for sissies! :eek:

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f263/thekl0wn/smilies/lol.gif http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f263/thekl0wn/smilies/lol.gif

I really like the idea of glass, but I'm not sure I want one piece, or even two big pieces... If I went glass, I'm thinking a smoked piece for each shelf, and I absolutely LOVE the idea of the lighting on a dimmer... You can't get much more romantic than making love in the soft glow put off from the Star Wars display case!

I really should get out more...

[thekl0wn]

I'm also thinking about doing the fixed shelves, and painting scenes for the backgrounds on shelves that are displaying the non-boxed figures... I might have to revive the ol' artistic skills, but I think it's doable!

[Dagster]

He he, I would have suggested Star Wars type consoles but they aren't anything to look at :D. You can't be serious! I love Star Wars and have a place in my heart for Star Trek as well... ya can't be a hater.

Anyway, you could taylor the graphics to be Star Wars like but what I really was trying to get across is the translucent style of Star Trek :D

[thekl0wn]

He he, I would have suggested Star Wars type consoles but they aren't anything to look at :D. You can't be serious! I love Star Wars and have a place in my heart for Star Trek as well... ya can't be a hater.

Anyway, you could taylor the graphics to be Star Wars like but what I really was trying to get across is the translucent style of Star Trek :D

I gotcha now! :D

I need to buy a house soon! I have huge dreams of my HT being 100% Star Wars... In the end, this is were my collection will reside.

[Dagster]

That would be sweet. My HT is my family room for now although it is pretty dedicated to HT I managed to keep it family room friendly. I may end up building a dedicated theater in the future though.

[thekl0wn]

With the width of shelves I'm thinking, I don't think I'm going to want to have glass doors swinging out, but I don't know that I've ever seen hardware for glass doors to swing up... Any thoughts? (I'm thinking a glass door per section, and at least one divider per shelf)

[Dagster]

You could use those hinges for stereo cabinets that clamp onto glass, you could make them swing up but they wouldn't be supported in the opened position...you could also make sliding glass doors if the offset glass doesn't bother you... lemme think.

Ah, here are a few: http://www.rockler.com/search_results.cfm?filter=glass+hinge

I kinda like this idea except on either side at the top or bottom, you could then hinge it up or down. http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=1082

[thekl0wn]

Sounds like a great excuse to spend a Saturday watching all six episodes... Taking notes, making sketches, and keeping my eye out for how "they" manage their storage. :D

I'm still not 100% on the "flopping" style of hinged from the top... But then again, I'm not 100% on typical hinging them... Sounds like something that's going to require quite of few beers and staring. :D

[Dagster]

I'd say no less than 6 beers in 1.5 hours. If after the 6th beer you still haven't had some sort of inspiration repeat.

Disclaimer: Drinking is bad, really bad. Never drink. Never think about drinking... That reminds me. I need to make a beer run tonight on my way home.

[thekl0wn]

It's just not cold enough to start in on the homemade wine... That's when the real creativity comes out... Of course that's also when you find yourself asleep in a pile of sawdust under the tablesaw at 10 o'clock the next morning, and the only thing you can think is, "I hope I didn't use any power tools last night, but I'll check for fingers when the shop quits spinning..."




And no, that's never happened. Once bitten by homemade wine, you learn to watch your intake!

[Dagster]

Ah, I've got a few cases of home brew left. Haven't tried wine...sounds interesting.

[thekl0wn]

Must be a regional thing... Around here, no one brews beer, but everyone brews their own wine. You can find any flavor you want from grape, blackberry, cherry, strawberry, and even dandelion or corn cob. Fermented for a year yields around 70-80 proof typically, and it usually sits at about 100 proof after year two. Then you get into the crazy idea of cooking a bit off... That's what gets you in trouble! :eek:

[Dagster]

Yeah, brewing beer is very popular in the pacific NW. Wine is less popular but still fairly common. Beer is by far the more common practice though. I'd like to give wine a try, it is much more of a commitment though as beer only takes a few weeks.

[thekl0wn]

Eh, wine is no trouble after the initial stint. Once it's mixed, you let it sit. And then you let it sit. And then you let it sit. It just takes up space for a long time.