DIY Case

Jerryc41 · Jun 9, 2018

I like to have a hard case for each ukulele, but finding an appropriate one for my Firefly was a challenge, so I decided to make my own. It was an interesting project, and I'd use Luann rather than 1/4" plywood to save weight. Of course, screwing things into that thin Luann would have been a challenge. I still have to put some kind of feet on the bottom and side.

I made this for a Firefly I had over a year ago, and the vinyl is peeling a bit. Time for more glue. I just got this out of the garage for my new Firefly.

olphart · Jun 9, 2018

Try this one...fun!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msxeu4hkDlE

Doug W · Jun 9, 2018

Looks professional. Were you able to find hinges, handles, vinyl etc. at one place?

Junie Moon · Jun 9, 2018

I plan to make a case one of these days. There a a bunch of how-to's out there.

Here's one:
http://www.instructables.com/id/The-Cardboard-Ukulele-Case/

Jerryc41 · Jun 9, 2018

Doug W said:
Looks professional. Were you able to find hinges, handles, vinyl etc. at one place?

Thanks, but you haven't seen it close-up. : )

I bought the clasps and the handle online. Everything else I got locally - fabric store, Lowe's, etc.

Jerryc41 · Jun 9, 2018

Camsuke said:
Nice work Jerry

Thanks.

Booli · Jun 9, 2018

Nice project! Thanks for sharing Jerry

Doug W said:
Looks professional. Were you able to find hinges, handles, vinyl etc. at one place?

You can get lots of the hardware from Penn-Elcom, which manufactures them as heavy-duty items for DJ, pro-audio and 'flight cases', so they are very sturdy and can take lots of abuse.

http://www.penn-elcom.com/default.asp?MC=01010101&LG=EN&title=case-and-cabinet-hardware

Parts Express sells lots of items in the Penn-Elcom catalog as well:

https://www.parts-express.com/Search.aspx?keyword=penn&sitesearch=true

I'd source the wood locally at Lowes or Home Depot and have them cut it at the store, and also source the fabrics and padding locally at a Michael's craft store or similar.

bsfloyd · Jun 9, 2018

I think it looks great, Jerry! I always liked the idea of a hard shell case in the shape of the triangular cardboard boxes that the ukes ship in. Reminds me a bit of some vintage parlor guitar coffin cases I've seen old photos of.

Jerryc41 · Jun 9, 2018

Booli said:
Nice project! Thanks for sharing Jerry

You can get lots of the hardware from Penn-Elcom, which manufactures them as heavy-duty items for DJ, pro-audio and 'flight cases', so they are very sturdy and can take lots of abuse.

http://www.penn-elcom.com/default.asp?MC=01010101&LG=EN&title=case-and-cabinet-hardware

Parts Express sells lots of items in the Penn-Elcom catalog as well:

https://www.parts-express.com/Search.aspx?keyword=penn&sitesearch=true

I'd source the wood locally at Lowes or Home Depot and have them cut it at the store, and also source the fabrics and padding locally at a Michael's craft store or similar.

Thanks for the links.

Booli · Jun 10, 2018

Jerryc41 said:
Thanks for the links.

Sure thing!

When I was working 4-5 nights per week as a mobile DJ, all the cases I used, to haul around the audio equipment, lighting equipment and other gear had hardware from Penn-Elcom.

I onlly had to replace a single set of 'butterfly latches' on one of the oldest cases in a span of 15 yrs, and got the exact replacement part, which was a Penn-Elcom part, so I can attest to their durability.

Mind you, most of these cases full of equipment for my DJ work weighed at least 80-100 lbs, (and some even double that) and most ukes weigh less than 2lbs, so this hardware should last forever on a ukulele case unless you throw it off a roof top or something like that to drop-test your case.

I would never toss something off a roof top, but some folks are crazee.

Martinlover · Jun 10, 2018

Nice case Jerry. Looks like a ukulele coffin.

Osprey · Jun 10, 2018

Great job, Jerry, looks very professional.

ksiegel · Jun 10, 2018

Jerryc41 said:
I like to have a hard case for each ukulele, but finding an appropriate one for my Firefly was a challenge, so I decided to make my own. It was an interesting project, and I'd use Luann rather than 1/4" plywood to save weight. Of course, screwing things into that thin Luann would have been a challenge. I still have to put some kind of feet on the bottom and side.

I made this for a Firefly I had over a year ago, and the vinyl is peeling a bit. Time for more glue. I just got this out of the garage for my new Firefly.

View attachment 109593 View attachment 109594 View attachment 109595 View attachment 109596

It looks good, Jerry.

But I'm not that handy - I used a Vita Uke case for my soprano Firefly - Here's the thread:

Jerryc41 · Jun 10, 2018

ksiegel said:
It looks good, Jerry.

But I'm not that handy - I used a Vita Uke case for my soprano Firefly - Here's the thread:

Good idea. I can swap the Vita and Firefly, depending which one I'm bringing. That case has gone up in price since I bought mine, so I doubt I'll buy another. I paid $58, but now it's over $70. It really isn't a $70 case, but the limited production raises the price.

DIY Case

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