robdee
24 posts
Oct 08, 2010
5:03 PM
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I went to SPAH 2010 and saw some nice cases with foam inserts. Prices ranged around $95. A friend told me he could get me the same case for $15 from a store in the US. To my great delight, he sent me one last week. I checked prices to order just the foam - $35 USD plus shipping and taxes etc. I thought I'd try to make my own insert.
I dug out a cigar box I had lying around that I had bought for a buck. I drilled some holes - ended up with 15. I bought some plastic desktop hole thingies for 25 cents each tonight at Active Surplus. Et voila.
I've had a lot of cases - hohner, seydel, custom leather etc and I like this one the best. Total cost 20 bucks.
Last Edited by on Oct 08, 2010 5:06 PM
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eharp
834 posts
Oct 08, 2010
5:26 PM
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gotta love DIY.
great job.
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nacoran
2915 posts
Oct 08, 2010
6:53 PM
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Very nice!
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Nate
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Hobostubs Ashlock
1127 posts
Oct 08, 2010
6:59 PM
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nice, i like the cigar box idea
http://www.reverbnation.com/hobostubs
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Ray
274 posts
Oct 08, 2010
7:07 PM
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Looks great, nice work.
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BronzeWailer
13 posts
Oct 09, 2010
12:53 AM
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Nice.
I just had an business idea/epiphany.
They should make extra large key stickers for those of us who find the world isn't in as sharp definition as it used to be...
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rbeetsme
305 posts
Oct 09, 2010
12:11 PM
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Is that the technical term, "desktop thingys"?
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toddlgreene
2000 posts
Oct 29, 2010
5:58 AM
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Robdee-great idea! I have the same case from Harbor Freight-my buddy found them on sale for like 10 bucks and bought several. Been procrastinating on making hetrick-type slotted dividers out of plexiglass or luan, so i haven't been using the case, but this is a very simple and innovative idea. The cigar box fits right in? There's a smoke shop a block from here; I'll go see if they will sell me a box or two cheap.
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Todd L. Greene, Codger-in-training
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Rift
3 posts
Oct 29, 2010
11:14 AM
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I like the Suzukis right up front where they belong. Nice case. I am jealous.
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robdee
28 posts
Nov 02, 2010
8:41 AM
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@Todd
The cigar box I used fits "almost" perfectly. It fits lengthwise but the width is a little short so there is a small gap which I have at the front of the case. I can put a capo in there for my guitar. The height is crucial or the lid won't close. I took the lid off the cigar box and then turned it upside down - without the lid there is enough room. Good luck with your case. Buying the dividers would be great but they quoted me 65 bucks just for the dividers. The cigar box was free.
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toddlgreene
2021 posts
Nov 02, 2010
8:44 AM
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Thanks, Robdee. I have a box that's a bit too small all around-I will be on the lookout. Do you know what size bit you used, and what exactly those 'desktop thingies' are?
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Todd L. Greene, Codger-in-training
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robdee
29 posts
Nov 02, 2010
11:13 AM
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Todd,
I used a 1.5 hole cutter - like you'd use to cut a hole for a lock. The plastic piece is likely called a "Desk Grommet" from searching on the net. I found them at a surplus store so I can't tell you exactly where you might get them but you can start by searching for "desktop grommet" I think they're used to run cable or electrical cords etc. The ones I have have an inside dimesnion of 1.325 inches. Of course they have a collar so they fit a drilled whole of 1.5 inches. Honestly, I just got lucky and bought a handful when I saw them in the bin. If you can't find em you could try drilling at slightly smaller than 1.325 and put your harps in without the grommet. YMMV of course.
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toddlgreene
2025 posts
Nov 02, 2010
11:18 AM
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That's a very good and innovative idea, robdee! If the Hetrick guy can sell what he does at his price and get it it, you could probably do the same.
I've got the same size hole cutter-I'll hit Office Depot for some of those grommets.
So, I gather the hole isn't so big and the cigar box isn't so deep as to allow the harps to fall over and get trapped inside the cigar box?
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Todd L. Greene, Codger-in-training
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robdee
30 posts
Nov 02, 2010
11:28 AM
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The grommets I used have a kind of a tab (if you look the photos above you will see 2 of them in the empty grommet. There are two more on the opposite side - so they reduce the 'hole size' a tiny bit. I actually 'lock' my harps into them. I guess it depends on what harps you are going to use. A GM is almost too big. As you can see I have SP20's, some Suzuki harpmasters and a Manji - they all fit. In the bare hole approach you should definitely experiment with may a 1.250 size hole and see what you can do without the grommet.
Last Edited by on Nov 02, 2010 11:31 AM
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jimmy love
2 posts
Mar 27, 2011
7:16 PM
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Here is my new case. I also purchased the small case from Harbor Freight. Reg price is $19.99. It was on sale for $14.99 plus I had a 20% off coupon so it was only $12!!! I thought I wanted to use some sort of foam insert, but after much research, I was concerned about some posts that complained of the smell they put into the harps. So here is what I came up with.
I used some old polyethylene foam packaging I had from a computer I bought and carved out a couple of niches for my mic. Then I covered them in black crushed panne fabric using a spary adhesive. I got the fabric at a local fabric store for only $7/square yard (but it was on sale for 40% off that.) Then I also created the compartments for my harps out of a thicker than normal (1/4") double-wall corrugated cardboard from an old box and covered that in the same fabric. The space left over in the middle was just right for my mic cord. And I still have enough room to add a bullet mic, should I decide to go that route in the future.
Last Edited by on Mar 27, 2011 7:32 PM
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Matzen
114 posts
Mar 27, 2011
7:29 PM
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Cool... I picked up a couple of those cases at Harbor Frieght for $14 a while back. I had used some slotted tool dividers that I got at Northern Tool for dirt cheap. You can get a precut foam insert for this case for $39 from www.customharpcases.com. It's usually the pluck n' peel foam that outgasses and stinks!
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Last Edited by on Mar 27, 2011 7:34 PM
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orphan
16 posts
Mar 27, 2011
7:35 PM
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The grommets can usually be found at any hardware store. They will be in the area with the nuts and bolts. Ace, True Value, Do It Best, etc. They have assorted dia.
Nice case!
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Joe_L
1161 posts
Mar 27, 2011
9:20 PM
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I bought the case from Harbor Freight. It stunk. I aired it out for a few days. No problem.
I bought a foam insert from Hal Iwan. No smell at all.
Nice case. It holds 20 harps + 1 chromatic, a bullet mic and a pedal, plus a cable.
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