Home brew cut bell bass trombone case

[heldenbone]

Started with a Pelican Vault V700 rifle box and some choice material from Walmart. The result is a flight-worthy case for my bass trombone. Not shown are the wheels added to make transport easier ($12 from Amazon). Total cost of the project is about $200.

[elmsandr]

Beautiful!

I’m still looking for one just a little shorter, I want a 36” overall on the exterior, but I may be out of luck there.

Love the interior,
Andy

[Neo Bri]

This is amazing! Love it. I'd love to do this too. You didn't cut the bell yourself, did you?

[harrisonreed]

That is really cool but I would want to squeeze it into a smaller case. Like, that type of case but viola sized.

[Burgerbob]

That is really cool but I would want to squeeze it into a smaller case. Like, that type of case but viola sized.

Yeah, it looks pretty big to me.

[heldenbone]

This is amazing! Love it. I'd love to do this too. You didn't cut the bell yourself, did you?

Oh no. Gary Dafler did that for me. Size was secondary to airline imperviousness. It's still smaller than a guitar case, and thinner, so it should still frequently qualify as carry on, but stand up to checking if required.

[JohnL]

Yeah, it looks pretty big to me.

Aidan, have you seen the case John Sandhagen made for his bass trombone? Pretty darned small.

[Burgerbob]

Yeah, it looks pretty big to me.

Aidan, have you seen the case John Sandhagen made for his bass trombone? Pretty darned small.

Yes it is!

[CharlieB]

Nice work. Beautiful.
An excellent compromise of protection, size, durability and cost.

[Druidman]

Aidan, have you seen the case John Sandhagen made for his bass trombone? Pretty darned small.

Yes it is!

Are there pictures of this anywhere?

[Burgerbob]

Yes it is!

Are there pictures of this anywhere?

Not sure. I might be able to take one next week.

[BigBadandBass]

I want a bonna case with that interior

[heldenbone]

I’m still looking for one just a little shorter, I want a 36” overall on the exterior, but I may be out of luck there.

Thanks for the kind words. The closest to a 36-inch flight case suitable for repurposing that I found was a 37-note keyboard case. I didn't explore them too exhaustively because they looked like they were built like Anvil cases and weighed as much.

Perhaps that will be what someone is looking for.

[heldenbone]

That is really cool but I would want to squeeze it into a smaller case. Like, that type of case but viola sized.

Yeah, it looks pretty big to me.

Doing a search on Ebay with "violin gun case" brings up some interesting items.

[elmsandr]

I’m still looking for one just a little shorter, I want a 36” overall on the exterior, but I may be out of luck there.

Thanks for the kind words. The closest to a 36-inch flight case suitable for repurposing that I found was a 37-note keyboard case. I didn't explore them too exhaustively because they looked like they were built like Anvil cases and weighed as much.

Perhaps that will be what someone is looking for.

The problem is we all want everything with no trade-offs. Yours is a beautiful adaptation of a very robust Pelican. There are a few keyboard and pedal board cases, but like you say, they are built like Anvil cases.

I have seen very few rifle cases as nice as the Pelicans and none that come in at 36" overall. I may go a modular route eventually and make a slide case out of an arrow quiver case and something else for the bell section... but I don't see how doubling up on flanges and latches will save me weight or space yet.

Cheers,
Andy

[boneagain]

Heldenbone,
There are a couple things I really like about your case (apart from the fabric )
1) It would actually be HARD for a luggage inspector to accidentally put anything back incorrectly
and cause damage to the horn.
2) It has more travel room inside than any other case I've seen,
so no matter HOW it gets dropped, there is foam to take up shock
before ANY part gets to the edge of the case.
Nice work!

[Molefsky]

Did you use pluckable foam etc? Did you use an adhesive for the lining material?

[heldenbone]

The case came with multiple single large sheets of non-perforated foam. I fitted it especially to that instrument by tracing its outline on the top layer, then cutting carefully with a sharp modelling knife. At the tuning slide end, the layers are cut so the valve slide is supported. The multiple layers made this easier. The cutout for the bell is deep enough to allow cushion above and below. The fabric is secured to the foam using E-6000 cement sparingly, and the foam is secured to the inside of the shell with double-sided adhesive film. I added a pair of luggage rollers from Amazon for $12, and later a set of opposing rubber feet so it would stand upright. Total cost was just under $200.