Making your own flightcases

I have been contemplating making a few flightcases for some bits and bobs i have collected and would really like to make them myself.

I am thinking of making some 4u amp rack cases and possibly a case to hold my lighting desk

Any tips guys?

Wheres the best place to get the bits from? Penn?

Cheers

Yo hmeboy Heathrow, it is I sir Jim from Colchester. Nice one for the cabs last week. Got back safe and sound. Picked up some Crowns from the SSE fellas the following day. The subs are safe wiv the others. Can't wait to strip em and make em bling!
Making amp racks isn't that difficult if you have basic wood working skills. You'll need decent wood (birch ply) sharp hand saws, a plane to round off the edges, chisels. And some other woodworking common sense tools.
I made three some years back and i was really happy with them. They had open backs and fronts. I used recycled wood and covered the racks with black felt... I had a felt fetish back then, now it's latax, but that's a different forum altogether. ha ha
To fit the amps securely i attatched alliminium right angled (L shaped) sturdy metal strips at the front of the racks, but recessed by about an inch. I then put the amps in the rack and drilled holes in the alliminum strips to fit nuts and bolts to hold the amps.
I would like to make more for the current amps i am obtaining, as a self made amp rack that works well is very satisfying. But other construction projects are taking my time. Once you've made one you can make others to match. Looks tidy bro.'
Don't get phazed by making an amp rack, it's got to be the most simplest construction there is. If you have the tools and wood just start and see where it leads you. Make sure the corners are rebated. Which if you're not sure what that means. Google it and there's images. Get the measurements spot on. Check three times before cutting the wood
The racks have to rebated where the pieces of wood meet each other for strength. I then added quadrant where the sides meet the top and bottom for added strength. If you have the cheap nasty ply that Wicks sell, then it's worth covering the racks with carpet - another doddle.
Peace. Jim

I built myself a couple of amp racks and to be honest it would of worked out cheaper to buy secondhand ones. And it would of saved me loads of time.

Depends what you want I suppose.

There's a lot more to it than you think to build proper flightcases. I've worked in case shop on and off. By the time you've bought all the materials and probably some more tools, built it, the difference in price probably isn't that much.

Of course if you're planning on building a few then you can buy in larger quantities and it might work out better. But you're never going to have things like a punch for the aluminium angle, metal chop saw unless you're really serious. Drilling all the holes would be really tedious.

One option could be to get someone who builds them to do you a flat pack kit that you just rivet together.

I've built a good few cases before... For standard stuff like 4u racks you might as well buy them... For something bespoke then it can be worth making your own, but I really wouldn't bother unless you've got the right tools, a chop saw is a must - you can't cut all the mitres with a hacksaw... You'll want a decent riveter for 5mm rivets as well...

Thanks for the advice guys but I definitely want to make my own cases.

Its not a cost issue, I just like my cases to be a certain way and i am yet to find anything off the shelf

Thank for the advice Jim, if i get good I will make you some with ASS on the side

smiley20

I already have access to a well kitted workshop, things like chop saws etc are not a problem.

in terms of riveter, i was thinking of the air powered one... seems beefy enough

I need to research fixtures and fittings I think

First thing to flightcase is a microwave I think

then 6 pairs of lights

then make a ighting desk i think

cant wait!

its true about buying cases cheaper than making them.

But im going to be building some soon. i had some wood cut for making some 15" reflex, but at the moment some cases would be more useful.
ive made one before and it was pretty easy. These new ones are going to be better! will post photos when i start. hopefully next week!

If you can make cabs then you can make flight cases. Regarding buying cheaper than you can make. The cheap ones don't have many fixings, they usually contain small butterfly catches that fail and sometimes you get small wheels. As A.S.S. I made flight cases more or less from day one, I only used the strongest bits mainly from Adam Hall. A lot of those cases are still around today. My only advise is, don't make your flight cases to be cheap, just make them to be the best.

um going to make mine like making a speaker box, ie no alu. i picked up some southco catches so the doors will be simple. might start tommorrow....

If i knew how to post photos on this site i'd have some great images to put up. Just built wicked replacemnet cabinets to hold JBL alliminum 2350 vintage huge radial flared horns to replace the missing ones on my A.S.S Concert system. Thank God the JBL ones are identical in dimension to the missing A.S.S fiberglass ones. But they do weigh a lot more. Spent a time buffing up the alliminum with autosol. Looks so wicked. Rig bling and ting - know wot i mean.
Someone please explain in simple instructions how to post a photo from the my pictures folder (where me keeps em) onto the site. Then you can all have a buthers at me woodwork and tell me how fookin' superb it is, making my head expand. Which if it was filled with hot air rather than ideas i would float away.