How to build a flight case

The requests for some info on how to build a flight case have increased steadily, so I decided to write a tutorial for this. It will be text only for now, because I won't be building a case anytime soon, and therefor have no good pictures to show you, other than the ones on the flight cases page.

But first, let me point you to a pretty decent alternative for homebrew cases: DAP Audio sell very decent looking, relatively cheap cases.

Still wanting to go the DIY route? The first thing you should do is locate a shop that carries flight case extrusions and parts. I am very lucky to have a good supplier about 15 miles from home: Electra Breda. For other Dutch readers, there's Flightcase-onderdelen.nl. For Belgians, there's Flitecase-brico.be. Non-Dutch people will have to find their own retailer, but prepare for high shipping costs of online shops, or find a shop willing to pre-cut the extrusions. A large manufacturer I found is Penn-Elcom. I have no idea if they take orders or anything. But they have a nice overview of what kinds of parts are available.

Below is a photo of a case from Flitekit.nl (you guessed it: they sell flight case kits) with most parts named:
Flight case terminology

What will you be needing?

  • 9.5 mm (3/8") plywood, plain or laminated. Prelaminated is expensive, but easy and incredibly durable.
  • Closing extrusions (male/female or reversible), also known as location or locking extrusions. These go in between case and lid(s) to make the closed case solid as a rock.
  • "L" or "single angle" extrusions. I prefer the 30 mm size. Used as edge liners.
  • Butterfly catches or drawbolts as locks.
  • Ball corners. Either stackable or not. Make sure they fit, if you plan to have a shallow lid. Most suppliers have 2-pronged ones for this. Some even carry special ones for lids, with integrated L-brackets.
  • Hinges, if you need them. Most suppliers carry removable ones and ones with a stop. The removable ones are usually not ver sturdy, so if you must have a removable lid, use one hinge every 4-6 inches. I recommend at least 4 hinges on a 19" wide case.
  • Handles. I prefer recessed flip handles. They're sturdy and don't take up much space, allowing you build stackable cases even with handles on top and bottom.
  • Cabinet braces, used to "make ends meet", to cover up burrs and exposed sharp edges.
  • Dishes, to install cable sockets or switches.
  • Casters, if you need them. Consider the braked swiveling type. Consider ball bearing wheels for heavy and rough use. Thank me later. Budget tip: Check IKEA.
  • For 19" racks, I prefer the sliding rail system. These allow you to slide in any number of caged nuts, allowing for a flexible vertical positioning of the equipment. I find it very useful to leave small vents in between an amplifier and a processor type device. The inside case width I use for these rails (mind the the closing extrusions if you want the rails to sit flush with the case edges) is 19.25 inch, but this may vary across manufacturers. My point is: don't make your case exactly 19" wide.

And you need at least one special tool: a pop rivet wrench. These can be had for about $20. You also need special wood-type pop rivets, the "groovy" ones. These can be hard to find, but the aforementioned shops should have them. Do not use plain pop rivets! They will not last! I use 4 mm grooved pop rivets. And I use a very high grade 4.2 mm tungsten carbide drill bit. A razor sharp, long-lasting bit will save you a lot of frustration. Believe me. Alternatively, you could use screws. A bit more work and hassle, but definitely a possibility.

Step by step:

  • Construct a closed box out of plywood. Use glue and thin 20 - 25 mm (3/4 - 1") nails. You absolutely need to build it as a closed box first, so the closing extrusions will fit perfectly. Do this now, and thank me later. There's no way you can put together a perfectly matching box and lid, and if the meeting edges don't line up perfectly, the case will never close perfectly. This of course means you'll have to account for the added depth taken up by closing extrusions.
  • Cut off the lid(s). Mark their orientations!
  • If you have dish-type recessed locks, hinges and/or handles, cut out their outlines. Again, you'll have to account for the added depth taken up by the closing extrusions! I always use some scrap pieces as guides. Alternatively, you can first fit the closing extrusions and fit the locks later. I've done this several times. But in the end I find it easier to precut the holes for the locks than to make the miter-sawn piece of closing extrusion fit perfectly. You will be cutting it anyway later on, and beacuse of that they don't have to have the exact perfect length.
  • If you're not using laminated wood, paint the parts with some tough and scratch proof stuff. I use black poly-urethane paint for outdoor purposes. Don't put too much effort into the edges, they'll be covered anyway.
  • Fit the closing extrusions, cutting them in 45° angles, preferrably with a miter saw. I built a custom miter jig especially for this work. It's worth the trouble.
  • Pop on the locks, hinges and/or handles. I usuallu don't use rivets for the closing extrusions.
  • Line the edges with L-extrusions using 2 pop rivets every 8 inches or so.
  • Cover the transitions from closing extrusion to edge lining with L-braces to minimise the risk of skin cuts from the miter-sawn edges. You will probably have to round off the edges underneith the braces a bit.
  • Cover the corners with (duh) ball corners.
  • Install casters if you need them. Don't use screws or rivets for this; bolt them through and through with washers and nuts or T-nuts. If your case is likely to tip over, use a separate base panel to separate the casters wider apart, for improved balance.

In a nut shell, that's about it. The main trouble will probably be getting those extrusions and parts. The rest shouldn't be a problem and requires minimal skills with wood and tools.

For more info on flitecase building, there's a great article at Flightcase-brico.be. It's Dutch only, but the photos also explain a lot. Or use an online translation service.

© Joris van den Heuvel, Fuzzcraft.com