Sopranino Case - Radical Idea

Jerryc41

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This isn't really radical, and I just might try it. Rather than try to find a case for my sopranino, I think I will use a soprano case. Since the case is too large for that little fella, how can I pad the inside? Spray foam!

You've probably received items that were packed in foam that was a perfect fit for them. They do that by shooting expanding foam into a bag and having it expand around the object. I wonder if that would work for a ukulele case. Getting the right amount of foam would be the trick.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N_bYIWl9g4
 
I have used this method to build a twin ukulele case, it works very well. I have also used it many times to form body hugging seat inserts for race cars including my own (when I was still young enough to hit the track) :D

Excellent! So there is foam under that fuzzy material? How did you get it so flat?
 
As much fun as spray foam sounds, have you considered foam for furniture? You can cut it with an electric knife or scissors and you won't have to build a form or anything. Just or trace, carve, and insert. Rinse and repeat as needed.

http://www.joann.com/project-foam-24in-x-36in-x-5in-thick/14311708.html#q=foam%20for%20cushions&start=1

That's an idea. However, when I add the cost of a soprano case to the cost of that foam, I could buy a sopranino case - when they're back in stock.
 
That's an idea. However, when I add the cost of a soprano case to the cost of that foam, I could buy a sopranino case - when they're back in stock.

Sigh. Logic defeats me again. :)
 
Sigh. Logic defeats me again. :)

Logic? I have thirty-eight ukuleles, and I'm just now starting to find some I can bear to part with.

I bought an Enya tenor for $54 and then spend about $150 converting it into a resonator. Logic and hobbies don't play well together. :)
 
Logic? I have thirty-eight ukuleles, and I'm just now starting to find some I can bear to part with.

Did you have to build an extra room to hold all of them, or do you disperse them equally around the house?
 
Did you have to build an extra room to hold all of them, or do you disperse them equally around the house?

I started putting them "neatly" in a section of the bedroom. Now I have the sopranos and concerts neatly out of sight in the closet.
 
I started putting them "neatly" in a section of the bedroom. Now I have the sopranos and concerts neatly out of sight in the closet.

Good to hear. Otherwise, I can imagine an upcoming thread here with a question or poll "What is your bathroom uke?"
 
I have a long-neck soprano that is too long for a soprano case, but too short for a concert case, so what I did was get the concert case, and then take an old black t-shirt, fold it in half, so it was half the width, roll it up, and put it in the case at the butt-end of the uke and now it fits snugly.

Cost me nothing extra and no tools needed nor toxic chemicals to mess with.

If I ever lose the t-shirt, I have others or can roll up an old hand-towel to achieve the same end result.

Yes, I am a frugal bast*rd. :)

But I employ Occam's Razor whenever possible.

See here: https://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/scientific-experiments/occams-razor.htm
 
I have a long-neck soprano that is too long for a soprano case, but too short for a concert case, so what I did was get the concert case, and then take an old black t-shirt, fold it in half, so it was half the width, roll it up, and put it in the case at the butt-end of the uke and now it fits snugly.

Cost me nothing extra and no tools needed nor toxic chemicals to mess with.

If I ever lose the t-shirt, I have others or can roll up an old hand-towel to achieve the same end result.

Yes, I am a frugal bast*rd. :)

But I employ Occam's Razor whenever possible.

See here: https://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/scientific-experiments/occams-razor.htm

HMM has a nice little insert that they fold around the head if the case is too wide for the head.

I tried Occam's razors for a while, but they kept cutting my face. :)
 
HMM has a nice little insert that they fold around the head if the case is too wide for the head.

I tried Occam's razors for a while, but they kept cutting my face. :)

HMM? Do you mean HMS?

Of so, getting an insert means I'd have to buy something and pay shipping form Hawaii and likely wait 2 weeks to get it.

The t-shirt was already in hand, sitting in a drawer. Money was spent for it like 30 yrs ago, and is inconsequential now.

Did I mention that I am FRUGAL?

If the Occam's Razors are cutting you, liberally bathing your face with Witch Hazel prior to shaving, will help by both closing your skin pores while also causing the stubble to stand at attention, ready to be extricated by the blade at 90 degrees from your skin. Works well for me. :)
 
Maybe you still have the box the sopranino arrived in? If you do, use the box as the case. Do the thing with the expanding foam, and it will make the box much stronger. Paint the outside of the box with house paint if you have some in your shed, it will make it water resistant. Or just find a box which is the right size and do the foam and decorate the outside to look like a cool case, you can get all sorts of vinyl sheet these days to use as a cover material. Sometimes a music shop will give you a uke box.
This may be the solution which has the fewest assumptions.
If you do have a loafing soprano case to use, just wrap the uke in a cotton T shirt or piece of towelling. Or maybe have some fun and find a touristy Tea Towel with a Hawaiian theme. If you are really keen, use a cotton Hawaiian shirt, being careful where the buttons are (or cutoff the buttons).
(I have added this link in case you are not familiar with the term Tea Towel https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/209922/what-is-the-american-word-for-tea-towel)

I did make a box for a Firefly banjo uke, and it turned out nice - felt-covered foam inside and brown "alligator" vinyl outside. It cost me $115, though. :(

I like the idea of the Hawaiian fabric for the outside covering.

Clever, clever!
 
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