DIY Custom Case

mmfitzsimons

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Hi.

I just finished customizing a hard case to fit an odd-sized uke (Kanile'a super tenor with a 19-inch neck, which has significantly wider lower bout that a normal tenor). I had seen a few recent posts about finding cases for odd-sized instruments, so thought I would share.

I looked at a number of solutions, but in the end I decided to gut an Oahu baritone case, after I realized there isn't much to it. Most of the time the fabric isn't sewn, it's just glued into place, so I saw no reason I couldn't pull that off.

While I was at it, I lined the case with Thinsulate, to give a bit more protection against sudden changes in a car or plane. Materials were cheap and easy to find on Amazon and Ebay; it was just a few nights' work, and now my baby has a safer, cozier nest.

The pics pretty much tell the story. I thought it might be reassuring for anyone faced with the same issue to know there's not much to it, and that fuzzy fabric* hides a lot of trial and error. :)

* No Cookie Monsters were harmed in making this case

2016-03-10.jpg2016-03-12-a.jpg2016-03-12-b.jpg2016-03-12-c.jpg2016-03-12.jpg
 
Great job! That's a perfect fit! Do you mind sharing links for the materials that you used? I'd like to mod a case for one of my longneck ukes
 
Lovely job!!!

I want a hard case with a hard outer shell for my Blackbird Clara - so I can put all my ukulele stickers on it.
 
Great job! That's a perfect fit! Do you mind sharing links for the materials that you used? I'd like to mod a case for one of my longneck ukes

Thanks, Wildfire (and everyone else) :).


The Cookie Monster hide/fleece I obtained at a local fabric shop, along with one-inch upholstery foam I used around the upper bouts.

For the neck support I used a block of stiffer foam that came with a printer; Styrofoam would work too, anything that’s not too soft, so the neck doesn’t sag.

I used this foam padding to cushion the top and bottom, and also in layers to shape around the bouts: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VQFSU0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00

I used this stuff as backing for the fabric to trim the top part of the lid: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CSIBCE?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=od_aui_detailpages00

I used a spray adhesive (Locktite, which works for wood, foam, and fabric, the three materials here) and then for spots where I wanted a really solid bond, something they recommended at the fabric store called Quick Dry Fabric Fusion. It holds great, but is still kinda rubbery like the spray adhesive, which is what you want since it allows the glue to flex with fabric over time and not crack and crumble.

For the gear box, I repurposed the wood components. They were easy to unscrew to get out, then strip of fabric. The little pull tab stayed on the gear box lid when the fabric came off, so when I recovered it, a cut a small slit in the new fabric, slid it over the tap, then proceeded to cut and attach. That way I didn't need to find a way to reattach that pull tab.

I had to use an upholstery staple gun to re-attach the strap that connects the lid to the main case, but only because I was careless and tore it loose when ripping out the original padding.
 
That's just fantastic!
 
Dang! Really nice and well done. Love the color!
 
Great job and execution. These are my favorite kind of threads. Way to think outside of the box. Or case :)
 
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