Acrylic "covers" for larger statues?

UnicornPegasus · 04-06-2023, 03:55 PM

Hello All,

I have one 1/4 Sideshow piece now, and I have my lovely Ahsoka just sitting on top of an Ikea Rudsta in my office at present. I would like to give it a little more protection, so I was thinking about an acrylic "box" to sit over it, or even a large U shaped acrylic riser, but I'm having trouble finding one large enough, that doesn't cost an internal organ's amount of money too.

Does anyone have a good resource for one of these?

I've looked at football and sports memorabilia "cases" but none of them have been large enough to fit the SS Ahsoka I have (she's got a huge footprint.)

I even started looking at clear acrylic "benches" and stools to see if I could use one to accommodate her, but I've struck out there too.

It doesn't need to have a back or bottom, I just want side and "roof" protection in case a picture fell off the wall above her, or someone reached for the light switch near her and were to hit a lightsaber. Just a bit more insurance against damage.

I don't think the Rudsta would take a moducase module on top, and I'm looking for something that would be clear on most, if not all sides, which they have black sides as far as I can determine.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I've searched through all the prior display threads, and every idea I can think of online, and just haven't found one that will fit her yet. Thank you!

pdenham · 04-06-2023, 04:18 PM

Are you comfortable DIYing it?

If so, here is where you can get 1/4" clear plexi cut to the exact size you'll need

https://shapesplastics.com/1-4-clear...ic-cut-to-size

You need at least 4 sides + top- unless you don't mind going without the top clear, in which case you could make a cover from something like a styrene sheet (Dick Blick sells them in an 18" x 24" size) or if you don't mind the fit and finish being a little less- foam core board would work too.
There is also MDF and wood options, but those are heavier and not really necessary IMO.

This video will clue you in on how to "weld" the pieces of acrylic together

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-imr0Cy7NQY

There are places that will do all that for you- but the shipping tends to be high because it's a huge (empty )box. Getting the individual sheets is a lot cheaper.
Though if you go that route, you'll probably want to have them also polish the edges of the acrylic panels.

I don't want to over burden you with information or links- but this is all stuff I've researched recently for my own needs.

When I get a chance I''ll post even more options you may want to consider.

**Vince-Vell** · 04-06-2023, 05:01 PM

I know what you're looking for I have 2 from a company that went out of business either before the locks downs or after. They had any box acrylics size you could imagine but since they went out I haven't been able to find anyone else who did what they did.

they even could add a mirror behind your box. this is one I had for my PCS akuma statue but it cracked.

I wish I could find a company like this but cant.

UnicornPegasus · 04-06-2023, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdenham

Are you comfortable DIYing it?

If so, here is where you can get 1/4" clear plexi cut to the exact size you'll need

https://shapesplastics.com/1-4-clear...ic-cut-to-size

You need at least 4 sides + top- unless you don't mind going without the top clear, in which case you could make a cover from something like a styrene sheet (Dick Blick sells them in an 18" x 24" size) or if you don't mind the fit and finish being a little less- foam core board would work too.
There is also MDF and wood options, but those are heavier and not really necessary IMO.

This video will clue you in on how to "weld" the pieces of acrylic together

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-imr0Cy7NQY

There are places that will do all that for you- but the shipping tends to be high because it's a huge (empty )box. Getting the individual sheets is a lot cheaper.
Though if you go that route, you'll probably want to have them also polish the edges of the acrylic panels.

I don't want to over burden you with information or links- but this is all stuff I've researched recently for my own needs.

When I get a chance I''ll post even more options you may want to consider.

I had considered DIYing it, but all the places I had looked wanted absurd amounts to cut the sheets and shipping like you mentioned. Then I had found some Alibaba listings for "football" displays that were pre-notched sheets of clear acrylic you just friction fit together that were promising too, but they didn't have big enough sizes (one was like 0.5 inches too short on two sides, soooo close!) and they have black bottom/base that I wasn't sure how much that was integral to the structural integrity of the entire unit, and that might limit their usability if you flipped it on end to fit a statue.

I will check out the link you gave me for the panels though, I'm not ruling out a DYI in the end. I can be crafty!

I do want to try and keep it all clear if I can, but would compromise if the "back" panel had to be opaque. My 3D resin printers have the exact style of what I want, but those are all the orange UV blocking acrylic, so those won't work, but if wonder if anyone out there makes a clear version. The search continues!

I'll take any links you have though, I'm a learn by YouTube fanatic, so I'm all for more information. Thank you!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vince-Vell

I know what you're looking for I have 2 from a company that went out of business either before the locks downs or after. They had any box acrylics size you could imagine but since they went out I haven't been able to find anyone else who did what they did.

they even could add a mirror behind your box. this is one I had for my PCS akuma statue but it cracked.

I wish I could find a company like this but cant.

Yes! That's exactly what I want. I even looked for "doll" cases for porcelain dolls, but I could only find cheap thin plastic sheet style ones that are only for dust (which I had cut one to fit a Black Queen status before, but that only needed dust protection for that piece), or glass cloches/domes that were not practical at all. What you have there is just what I want though. I know someone out there has to still make them gosh darn it. lol Thank you for the information!

**Vince-Vell** · 04-06-2023, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UnicornPegasus

Yes! That's exactly what I want. I even looked for "doll" cases for porcelain dolls, but I could only find cheap thin plastic sheet style ones that are only for dust (which I had cut one to fit a Black Queen status before, but that only needed dust protection for that piece), or glass cloches/domes that were not practical at all. What you have there is just what I want though. I know someone out there has to still make them gosh darn it. lol Thank you for the information!

Looked everywhere as well, I cant find anyone who does this anymore. The only things I find are for sports stuff which is to small.

qz33 · 04-06-2023, 05:46 PM

Oooh when did you get an Ashoka??? Did you post in the statue's thread? I was hoping you'd end up with one!

mmk123 · 04-06-2023, 05:57 PM

It sounds like you want a cloche for a statue

ZenLogikos · 04-06-2023, 09:13 PM

I had done a lot of research to try to find large cylindrical acrylic cases. I stumbled across large acrylic plinths that were sold as pedestals for weddings, etc.

Alibaba has several manufacturers in China that I communicated with, but they stopped just short of what I wanted. Some places had order minimums, plus shipping was exorbitant.

I'm still looking.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmk123

It sounds like you want a cloche for a statue

That's a great idea. I didn't realize they had a name. Trying to source some large ones as we speak.

mmk123 · 04-06-2023, 09:34 PM

Yeah, if you have ever been in a bakery and saw a tray of cookies or a cake on it with a glass dome over it that is a cloche

I think having some like that for statues would be great

pdenham · 04-06-2023, 10:57 PM

This is what I've found:

J Display Cases
the page has a price list for 50 different size and they also do customs. Hard to get a hold of though (at least for me last year).

Acrylic Job (custom display cases) out of Southern California

They have a range of standard sizes, but also do custom dimensions. I'm sure you could get acustom job without a base.

Regal Robot - customs for any size

for reference, a 20" x 20" x 20" from them is $600 + shipping (which is going to be pricey because of the dimensional weight)

Kreative Acrylics - for custom work. Out of Minnesota.

They advertise that they do display cases to size.
I may have gotten a quote from them last year for a 21" x 21" x 32" open bottom case which was also around $600 shipped. I think the shipping was $150 of that at the time.