Martin
815 posts
May 21, 2015
9:02 AM
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Just found a really nice looking briefcase, brand new and bought it for a song, that seems lika a strong candidate for yet another harmonica case.
This time I thought of making something with rubber foam. But I wonder, you guys who are handy in these matters, do you just take one of those ... paper knives, or whatever they´re called, and grope out the appropriate amount of foam.
Or is there a better way?
(I am clumsy beyond belief, so if it´s too advanced I´ll probably just let the harmonicas bounce around freely in there but would prefer a smoother solution.)
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mlefree
301 posts
May 21, 2015
10:10 AM
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One tempting solution is that "pick-n-pluck" perforated foam (known by other names as well). I bought a bunch of it online years ago and made a really cool double-layer harmonica case from an old laptop case.
It worked great until one night I accidentally dropped it. I thought it would be no problem because I figured that the foam would be the ideal protection for my 2 dozen harps. But when I opened the case I was shocked to find my harps mixed up in a case full of little foam cubes. The weight of the harmonicas had ripped my carefully constructed foam layers completely apart! What was left was a pile of foam rubble.
If I were to start from scratch making a new harmonica case, I wouldn't make it out of any kind of foam and here's why. Unless you careful clean your harp before you return it to its foam crypt the foam gradually picks up untold mung. Foam also doesn't breathe so it turns the inside of your wet harps into perfect little Petri dishes so the germs can propagate.
One option I've only seen once in an old clarinet case with nice wooden inserts made for Grant Dermody by his wood working father. Beautiful and highly functional. If you can work with wood or other media, I'd try to adapt that to case liners. I make some very cool liners out of that Kydex thermoplastic foam.
[You can tell I dislike foam harp cases. But in the interest of disclosure I do make fine leather harmonica cases.]
Good luck whatever you decide.
Michelle
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SilverWingLeather.com
email: mlefree@silverwingleather.com
Last Edited by mlefree on May 21, 2015 10:15 AM
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harmonicanick
2239 posts
May 21, 2015
10:20 AM
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Briefcase's are good Martin, but too small for all my kit...I am looking for a suitcase on a trolley with rubber wheels not hard small wheels like airline trolleys.
When I'm walking back late from gigs the small wheels make a lot of noise in my city street.
Like a big lap top trolley which looks cool, in fake leather, not some naff old folks shopping trolley.
I was lucky to buy the last Cumberland custom cases before his house burnt down
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Martin
817 posts
May 21, 2015
10:37 AM
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@Michelle: You make really nice looking leather cases -- I´ve seen them. And if you were in my neck of the woods (Gothenburg, Sweden), and that leather case that I carry in the left front side of my jacket was really filled with interesting things, then maybe ...
But this briefcase was too good a deal to just let it pass me by. (Hard shell, place for a dozen harps or so, microphone and an fx pedal.)
Anyway, I hear you on the rubber foam issue and take note of it. However, this is a case for jams and such only, so I don´t plan to make it a resting place for the harps any longer time. (Got another briefcase for that, somewhat larger and with -- wood liners!)
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Martin
818 posts
May 21, 2015
10:41 AM
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@harmonicanick: You sound like an all set mate, but I´m looking for something medium large here, to complete my collection of really small, small, kinda large and full-size cases.
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Oso
57 posts
May 21, 2015
2:02 PM
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I have made a few harp cases in my spare time. I have tried several different ideas, as well as the ideas mentioned above. I also agree with mlefree when it comes to the harps going back in the case and developing some kind of muck in your case.
I use this case anyway and just take extra care of my harps and case to keep in funk from any moisture on my harps or caught in my cases.
Here is one of my most recent lil cases:
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SuperBee
2613 posts
May 22, 2015
12:20 AM
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sorry to disappoint you Martin, i don't have anything particularly useful to say either, about the techniques of foam sculpting. i think it is maybe easier to cut the whole piece out and then backfill, rather than gouge/scoop, but maybe it depends somewhat on the qualities of the particular foam you are using. I don't like the stuff, for the reasons already mentioned, but i acknowledge your intention to use the case as a gig bag rather than long term storage probably defuses most of my concerns. personally i divided my case up with balsa wood and covered it with padded fabric. i designed the space so that when i load it up and the lid is closed, everything which needs to stay put, stays put.
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Tuckster
1466 posts
May 22, 2015
8:52 AM
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A buddy of mine used to design and build transmission line loudspeakers. The foam damping is a complex labyrinth. He tried many things to cut and shape it and after much trial and error,found that an electric knife like you use to carve a turkey was the best tool for the job.
Last Edited by Tuckster on May 22, 2015 8:53 AM
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Frank101
83 posts
May 23, 2015
8:12 AM
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Why not just keep the harps in the cases they came in, and put them in the briefcase that way?
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the_happy_honker
222 posts
May 24, 2015
7:15 AM
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I remember someone here cut the ends off the original harp cases, glued them side-by-side and installed a block of these in a case. Seemed to work as intended.
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Popculture Chameleon
68 posts
May 24, 2015
7:35 PM
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I want to have all my harps and gear in one place- including the pedal board and all of the pedals I use- So I intend to convert a large pelican case with wheels into a harmonica hub. I will be able to have all of my harps pedals mics and equipment all in one place. Im trying to come up with a way to hold the harps and the only thing I have come up with so far is CORKBOARD as a shelving unit. I would have to find a way to seal it up somehow but I think I can make it work
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Ian
28 posts
May 25, 2015
5:35 PM
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I don't have loads of gear, just half a dozen harps and a couple of books but I use a vintage briefcase which I lined with a cardboard material which is supposed to be a cat scratching bed.
http://tinyurl.com/q2dyd6h
It's good stuff for lining things. You can Carve and shape it, it's breathable and it protects against bumps.
Obviously it wasn't a used bed... That would be gross.
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