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 my homemade case
Author: kal 
Date:   2006-08-28 15:29
Attachment:  case1.jpg (123k)
Attachment:  case2.jpg (98k)
Attachment:  casedetail1.jpg (104k)
Attachment:  casedetail2.jpg (94k)

Hi, all. I'd read the various threads about making your own case, and since I had a couple of clarinets with pretty crappy cases of their own, I decided to give it a go. I'm a bass player, but I have two Bb sopranos that I play around with, one Boehm system and one simple system (early Albert system). I made a double case for them out of an unused briefcase I had lying around. I think it turned out really well, and just thought I'd share it with the board.

For the bottom insert, I laid the pieces out on a 1" thick piece of foam rubber, traced around them and cut out the shapes. I then glued this on top of a .5" thick piece of foam to complete the "cradles" for lack of a better term.

I cut notches in the top layer to facilitate placing the fabric, which I did not glue to the foam. I just didn't like the idea of that, and the tension created by placing the covered insert into the bottom of the briefcase is enough to keep the fabric firmly in place. I used a low-pile cotton suede.

The top of the briefcase had these nifty pockets and flaps that I wanted to use for accessories rather than rip out, so instead of padding the top, I made a flat "pillow" that I just place in the middle to protect the clarinets from said pockets and flaps.

Here's a few pictures of the case with and without the instruments, and two detail shots that show how well the pieces fit into their little cradles.

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 Re: my homemade case
Author: CEC 
Date:   2006-08-28 15:43

Simply outstanding! A beautiful, beautiful job!

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 Re: my homemade case
Author: EuGeneSee 
Date:   2006-08-28 15:56

I've thought some of making my own case out of a good sturdy attache case . . . now that I see what it can look like, I'm rarin' to go! Eu

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 Re: my homemade case
Author: Brenda Siewert 
Date:   2006-08-28 16:03

I agree you have done a beautiful job. Well done!

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 Re: my homemade case
Author: BobD 
Date:   2006-08-28 17:02

Nice job Kal.

Bob Draznik

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 Re: my homemade case
Author: chipper 
Date:   2006-08-28 17:20

snug as a bug in a rug

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 Re: my homemade case
Author: Gandalfe 
Date:   2006-08-28 17:47

The only addition I might consider is a sheet of foam over the top of instrument to protect it from the flap and pens in the top of the case. Nicely done.

Jim and Suzy

Pacifica Big Band
Seattle, Washington

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 Re: my homemade case
Author: tictactux 2017
Date:   2006-08-28 18:21

Gandalfe wrote:

> The only addition I might consider is a sheet of foam over the
> top of instrument to protect it from the flap and pens in the
> top of the case.

If I got kal's post right, he did exactly that. [wink]

> Nicely done.

Very nice work indeed!

--
Ben

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 Re: my homemade case
Author: EuGeneSee 
Date:   2006-08-28 18:28

The "pillow" to fit on top of the horns shows (partially) on the left side of the picture "case1.jpg". It is covered with the same tan material as the bottom part that cradles the instruments. Maybe I should send my case to Kal to make one for me. Eu

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 Re: my homemade case
Author: Chris P 
Date:   2006-08-28 18:28

"The top of the briefcase had these nifty pockets and flaps that I wanted to use for accessories rather than rip out, so instead of padding the top, I made a flat "pillow" that I just place in the middle to protect the clarinets from said pockets and flaps."

Pretty good idea - you still have plenty of storage in the lid by doing that.

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010

The opinions I express are my own.

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 Re: my homemade case
Author: Vytas 
Date:   2006-08-28 21:34

Very nice case!

You may want to check a previous thread. Another handy BB member 'susieray' (Sue) made a similar double case for Bb and Eb clarinets. An aluminum laptop case was used for that project.

http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/download.html/1,758/case.jpg

http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/download.html/1,759/case%202.jpg

http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=211888&t=211746

Vytas Krass
Professional clarinet technician
Custom clarinet mouthpiece maker
Former professional clarinet player




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 Re: my homemade case
Author: D 
Date:   2006-08-28 21:55

Lovely. That looks very good.
I did the same for my recorders (6 of them) using an empty case designed to store power tools. Worked lovely, much more robust than my clarinet case which has just broken. I might have to start making another!

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 Re: my homemade case
Author: Gandalfe 
Date:   2006-08-28 22:25

Doh, I hate it when I do that! :o)

Here's another thread with some other cases: http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=161961&t=161881

We have a pretty handy group here.

Jim and Suzy

Pacifica Big Band
Seattle, Washington

Post Edited (2006-08-28 22:26)

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