Rik Shaw was working as a toolmaker until 1986 when a back injury stopped him in his tracks and he also had to dispose of his own  little workshop. It is only in the last four years that he has managed to recreate a small "tool room" in an enlarged summer house and there he has been able to continue his model engineering hobby.

 The model in the photograph is based on a design by Stan Bray, a contributor to Model Engineer and was purchased from a chap on a day on which he had left his specs at home - big mistake, it was when he put his reading glasses on that he realized what a mess he had bought. Rik had to completely strip it and remake many of the components, the rest he managed to salvage by re-machining. Rik is proud to say that the refurbished model is now quite a handsome piece and is enhanced by its new acrylic display case purchased from Widdowsons Ltd. The acrylic display case was custom made to the exact size and bought from their website at www.acrylicdisplaycases.co.uk/CDC-501.html.

The complete refurbishment took two months to complete, but was well worth it. The model is approximately 500mm high and has a 200mm diameter flywheel. With Rik's dodgy back he could just about lift it. The full sized versions of this type of vertical steam engine model were originally put to work in mills and factories where space was at a premium and horizontal engines would not fit. You can see it running under compressed air here:

Rik had previously completed another scratch built horizontal single cylinder steam engine around 1985. The original plans came from Model Engineer, he adapted them and built it to twice the plan size. Piston diameter is one inch and steam is distributed via a "D" valve. Much of this engine he finished machined using universal, surface and other types of grinding machine as he viewed its construction as an exercise in tool making rather than creating anything to scale.

 Rik made it from gauge plate and bar stock, the only bits he did not make were the nuts, bolts and washers. It is approximately 330mm long and weighs  nearly 8 kilos. It runs under compressed air as shown above.

For a guided tour of his workshop you can watch the following video, which needs to be updated as he has sold the small lathe/machining centre and replaced it with a much larger new lathe and milling machine.

Rik has been tool making of late but under the bench lies a six inch diameter brass naval shell case that he wants to use to fabricate a posh flywheel to fit on an engine which at the moment is only in the early design stage (He is thinking about it)!

Rik has also ordered two more display cases for another two models.

Skeleton Clock Display Case

Skeleton Clock Display Cover

Leslie, a very skilled 86 year old customer from Kent, loves making skeleton clocks, each one takes months of intricate work to complete, but his wife is not a big fan of dusting, so he has had some custom display covers made by us to protect them from the dust. Her visitors also find it much easier to resist the urge to poke and prod them now.
In total Leslie has made 3 of these skeleton clocks, and they all keep perfect time.

Keep up the good work Leslie

You can get a quote for a custom sized acrylic display cover for your skeleton clock from
http://www.acrylicdisplaycases.co.uk/CDC-500.html, or
http://www.acrylicdisplaycases.co.uk/CDC-501.html if you want a base as well.

More information about the company making these display cases can be found here.
www.widdowsonsltd.co.uk

An Acrylic Display Case vs a Glass Display Case

You may be wondering “Why choose an acrylic display case over a glass one?” and “What difference does it make?” well as much as it depends on what you want from your display case, there are several clear benefits, including:

• 

  
  

  It is optically clearer than glass
• It is lighter than glass
• It Is less likely to smash
• It can be UV bonded or Solvent welded

Acrylic is a resin-based thermoplastic known as “polymethylmethacrylate” or PMMA. One of the most impressive characteristics of this material is that it’s one of the most optically clear materials available, even more so than glass, and it weighs about half as much as glass. Acrylic is resistant to many elements, including sunlight, rain, snow, pollutants and many chemicals. Acrylic unlike glass, will not shatter into tiny pieces when broken.

If you would like your display case to have optically clear joints, an acrylic display case is the only option because you can use UV bonding. This involves using acrylic adhesives which set when exposed to UV light.

Although UV bonding looks the most impressive, it is not the strongest method of joining acrylic. Solvent welding is a process whereby pieces of acrylic are welded together and a virtually unbreakable join is formed.

Acrylic is a very lightweight, flexible and resilient material, which makes it ideal for use for display cases. It has the added advantage of protecting the contents of the case from most UV rays, dust, ageing and many other forms of wear and tear.  When compared to glass it is a more cost efficient and hard wearing material, which is why we recommend it so highly.

Why Do People become Collectors?

Everyone collects something, the hobby of collecting includes the seeking, locating, acquiring, organizing, cataloging, displaying, storing, and maintaining of whatever items are of interest to the individual collector. Some collectors are generalists, accumulating all different types of items from all over the world. Others focus on a subtopic within their area of interest, anything from Victorian Postage Stamps to first edition Star Wars toys and many more besides.

But why? What about the human condition compels people to seek out and collect these items.

Psychologist Mark Mckinley who wrote a paper on the Psychology of Collecting states: “It does seem that growing up as “kids,” we all collected something we made into a hobby. It could have begun with baseball cards, marbles, or stamps. Then it moved on: to antique books, Longaberger baskets, state quarters, or Atmos clocks. For others it was collecting the really unusual that worked best for them. Indeed, some collectors even collect collecting guides!”

For many people collecting things allows people to define themselves and their identity, to relive their childhood and in some cases this nostalgia connects them to a happier period in their life.

There are however several reasons why people collect, Dr Mckinley divides collectors into several groups who collect for reasons including:

• Pure enjoyment (Collecting can make them happier)
• Investment (Buying with a view to profit from resale in the future)
• Preservation of the past (Acquiring objects of historic significance)
• Social inclusion (Joining communities and forming friendships)
• Prestige or fame (Acquiring rare, fascinating or unique collections that have a wider interest)
• Self identity fulfilment (Defining part of their personalities by what they collect)

Many collectors will have several of these motivations driving their passion, whether it is the happiness from adding a new find to the collection, the excitement of the hunt, the social camaraderie when sharing their collection with other collectors. Not forgetting that it is often these dedicated people we have to thank, for some of the most spectacular and historic collections of human artefacts.

Researchers cannot agree on whether people who collect things are happier and more balanced, but if you ask any collector their enthusiasm and passion for what they collect nearly always shines through and they undoubtedly see it as a positive in their life.

Collectors take the up most pride in their collections, often displaying them prominently in their houses and if they are particularly spectacular or important, lending them to the worlds greatest galleries, museums and libraries. Understanding the fulfilment and pride people gain from displaying their collections is part of the reason we produce our range of display cases, allowing a collector to showcase their collections beautifully, whilst protecting and safeguarding them from ageing or damage.

Showcasing your skills

What’s the point of winning trophies if you don’t show them off to the max? Whether they are personal trophies at home or club trophies at your club house, they need to take centre stage. But who looks after them and keeps them dust free? Who ensures they look as good as they should considering they represent you and your team’s skill and excellence?

There’s no need to fret over this conundrum any longer. At acrylicdisplaycases.co.uk we have a case to fit your trophy wherever it takes pride of place. And if your trophy’s measurements are a little out of the ordinary, don’t worry our bespoke cases will do the job instead. The other great thing about our display cases is that they protect the contents from harmful UV light and dust.

Showcasing your sports memorabilia

If you’re a little light on trophies to mark your excellence, why not showcase other sporting memorabilia you’ve collected? How about the ball that featured in the winning game? We have cases to display footballs, rugby balls, cricket balls and even basketballs. But that’s not all; boxing gloves, helmets, football boots and signed kit also look great displayed in our acrylic cases.

Showcasing a piece of sporting history

Perhaps you have an Olympic Torch marking the London 2012 Games? Well that definitely needs showing off and protecting for prosperity. Guess what, we even have a display case for that. And yes it will protect your Torch from UV light and dust too.

Something to suit

Whether you need a wall hanging case or individual cases, we will be sure to have the right one. And if we don’t we’ll make it for you. It’s as simple as that. Our display cases come in a range of sizes, modern and traditional. We also offer ones with wooden bases and ones that lock. They are made from acrylic, which is lighter and less costly than glass and certainly less likely to get broken.

Does this sound like what you’re looking for? We thought so. Take a look at our range to find your perfect display case.

Wedding Day memories for all to see

Something borrowed; something blue...it was the happiest day of your life full of treasured memories. So if like us you don’t feel the odd wedding photo on the wall or mantelpiece does it justice, why not make a proper show of it?

We bet you’ve got a box of wedding day treasures safely tucked away gathering dust. Is it in the wardrobe, the loft or the garage? Well it’s time to unearth it and showcase your memories for everyone to enjoy.

We’ve got the perfect solution, an acrylic display case. Just think you can put your wedding cake topper in one, your preserved bouquet in another, in fact you can have a dedicated case for all your wedding day bits and bobs. There’s your ‘save the date’ card and your guest book with all of those lovely comments. But of course it’s up to you what treasures from the happy occasion make the final cut.

Most memorabilia from your wedding day won’t be of an excessive or strange size and will probably fit into one of our standard Acrylic Display Cases. But should you need something bespoke, we are able to make a custom-sized case for you. Your objects of love deserve to be shown off in the best possible way.

Depending on where you want to display your wedding memories – on shelves or as wall cabinets – we will have something suitable for you in these ranges.

Caring for your display cases

Acrylic is much lighter than glass and less likely to smash. However, this doesn’t mean they don’t deserve a little care and attention. We polish our acrylic cases with an anti-static cloth before they leave our premises. This ensures they have protection from scratches. Once in your care it is best to apply an anti-static barrier product such as Mr Sheen furniture polish. Don’t worry you only need to do this about once every 2–4 weeks to deter dust from collecting. It also helps to protect against scratches, but you don’t need to do this every time you dust.

Just promise you’ll never use window or glass cleaners or any other solvent based preparations as they encourage the acrylic to crack.

Don’t worry if your case or cases do get scratched. Just rub a little metal polish such as Brasso into the crack and rub it in straight lines. This will cause the scratch to fade or disappear. Don’t forget to ‘Mr Sheen’ it afterwards for protection.

You’ll find all the details you need about payment and delivery on our website www.acrylicdisplaycases.co.uk. Happy showcasing.

Movie Memorabilia Display Cases

Collecting Movie memorabilia is big business nowadays and there is a lot of money to be made from it. As a collector there are some items that are more desirable to you than others, therefore you will be willing to spend a lot more money on it. If you are spending a lot of money of your movie memorabilia, I only think it’s fair you look after it and display it in the right way.

Here are a few of the Movie Memorabilia cases we have on offer -

Master Replica Studio Scale Millennium Falcon - Dusting a product like this is not easy so having a case to protect is not only practical but it looks fantastic. The case is made from 3mm thick clear acrylic and measures 915mm x 669mm externally and is 360mm in height.

Display Cover for the EFX Tie Fighter - This is one of the iconic models of the Star Wars movies. As above, it has 3mm thick clear acrylic and is built to fit the model perfectly.

Display Cover for the EFX Darth Vader Helmet - If the model above was one of the most iconic models, this has to be the most iconic model, doesn’t it? Fits all the same specifications as above and will display your model in the way it deserves to be.

Here at Acrylic Display Cases we pride ourselves on being able to cater for you no matter what you require or where in the world you happen to be. So if you have any other types of movie memorabilia we will be able to provide whatever you may require. For further information, please visit http://www.acrylicdisplaycases.co.uk/movie-memorabilia-display-cases/ or feel free to leave a message. 

Rugby Ball Display Cases

Display cases are great for displaying your collectibles and memorabilia. Whether it be toy cars or rugby balls there is always a display case that is suitable for your item. Since the famous Rugby World Cup win in 2003, rugby has increased in popularity. Therefore it will come as no surprise that the demand for rugby memorabilia has somewhat increased too. If you were to acquire a famous match ball from a big game, it is only fair it gets displayed properly, isn’t it?

We have a vast selection of attractive rugby ball display cases available that would do your rugby ball justice.  

Wooden Base Rugby Ball
Acrylic Display Case

Wooden Base - There are 3 options for the colour of the wooden base in Mahogany, Oak and Black ash. There is baize place on the top and the bottom. The baize on the bottom is non-slip to avoid it falling off or damaging your furniture and on top the baize can be of a colour of your choice. The display cover is 3mm thick UV blocking acrylic which obviously protects it from UV lights and dust.  

Modern Acrylic Rugby Ball Case with a Black Base

Modern Acrylic - We have a plethora of varying modern acrylic display cases for rugby balls.

Modern Acrylic Rugby Ball Case with a Black Base - The base is made out of 2 layers of 5mm glossed black acrylic which will give off a nice reflection of the Rugby Ball. Four pieces of machined stainless steel are placed on each corner to keep both bases stable. Like the wooden base acrylic display case, the modern type also has 3mm thick UV blocking acrylic. This type of case is available in both vertical and horizontal styles.

Modern Acrylic Rugby Ball Case with a Clear Base - Virtually the same as the case above but this one has a clear base.

Wall Display Case for a
Rugby Ball

Modern Acrylic Wall Stand Display Case - This case is again very similar to the other modern display cases that have been mentioned. The difference is that it is made to go on the wall which can be great for show piecing your item. It is easy to put up and can pretty much go anywhere you want it within your house.  

If you require more information on our products feel free to leave a message or visit our website at www.widdowsonsltd.co.uk

Team Hornby Toy Trust Bike Ride

Tomorrow Team Hornby will be embarking on a 70 mile charity bike ride around the Isle of Wight, raising money for the Toy Trust charity ‘Special Bike for Special Kids’. Fund raising is still ongoing and the team is on target to reach their minimum goal of £8,000. Corgi’s exclusively commissioned Toy Trust Mini is currently at auction and it is looking like the one-off hand decorated die-cast model in on of our modern acrylic display cases will help the team exceed their donations target.

The charity Ebay auction will close at 5:02pm on Sunday 10th June. All proceeds from the highest bidder will go to the Toy Trust as part of Team Hornby’s charitable donation.
Carrying the specially commissioned Isle of Wight 70 mile bike ride livery, this one-off hand decorated diecast model has been officially coded and is subsequently the 99th Mini Mania release.

The charity Ebay auction will close at 5:02pm on Sunday 10th June. All proceeds from the highest bidder will go to the Toy Trust as part of Team Hornby’s charitable donation.
Carrying the specially commissioned Isle of Wight 70 mile bike ride livery, this one-off hand decorated diecast model has been officially coded and is subsequently the 99th Mini Mania release.

Follow Corgi on Facebook and Twitter (#IOWHornby) on the day to see how the team are coping as they cycle 70 miles  around the Isle of Wight cliff-top coast!
To see how Team Hornby’s  fund raising is progressing or to make a donation please visit: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/HornbyHobbiesLtd.

Why use an acrylic display case?

People can often associate collecting a number of items or products as something you may have done when you were a child. The obsession for many would have began as a child where boys would collect Pokemon cards and girls would collect dolls. However, there is a massive market for collectables and memorabilia nowadays for a variety of products for all ages. At times it isn’t a cheap hobby and you could find yourself forking out a fair bit of money for some of the older and more desirable memorabilia.

With this in mind, I think it’s only fair to display these products around your home. Too often these once precious items are stored away either in attics, basements or into cardboard boxes never to be seen again. A sophisticated way of showcasing your collections or memorabilia is by displaying them in an acrylic display case. One of the great attributes of an acrylic display case is their versatility. No matter the size or weight of the product, there will be a display case to suit your requirements.  

What can you put in your acrylic display case?

• Sports memorabilia - Shirts, signed balls, boxing gloves and footwear.
• Model Ship Display cases
• Toy Collections
• Movie memorabilia
• Antiques  

We can cater for all the above and much more so if you require more information on our products feel free to leave a message or visit our website at http://www.acrylicdisplaycases.co.uk/

Football Display Cases

With the increased access to autographed football memorabilia from many websites in the UK, there is an increasing need for football display cases, and because of that we have several for you to choose from, all detailed below. Our football display cases are made from acrylic, which has several advantages over the glass football display cases available from other websites,  Acrylic will block out the dust and stop people rubbing at the signatures to see if they smudge much the same as a glass display case, but the biggest benefit of having one made from acrylic is the fact that it will block over 90% of the UV light that will over time damage your signatures.

All of our acrylic football display cases include a football display stand, either built in or available as an optional extra. They are all designed for a standard size 5 football, though you can use them for smaller ones, but you would have extra clearance around the outside of it.

Wall Mounted: We currently have two football wall display cases, which are made from acrylic, with stainless steel wall fixings. The fixings supplied are those used for signs, they are basically just a small stainless steel post with a hole down the middle for you to screw through into the wall, then the back panel is placed onto them and the second part of the fixing screws through the hole in the back panel into the stainless steel post. This means the screw cannot be seen at all once it has been fitted to the wall, and the stainless steel posts look very stylish and unobtrusive. These are available with a clear back panel and also as a black back panel, you can pick whichever one suits your football and your décor  If you have a ‘busy’ wallpaper, or similar colour walls to the football being displayed then we recommend the black background to make the football stand out from the wallpaper pattern or wall, but if you have plain walls that are a contrasting colour to the football then you may want to consider the clear one, this can give the impression of the football just floating in the air, rather than being ‘framed’, but the choice is yours. Both display boxes include a built in football stand to stop the football rolling about loosely inside.  To gain access to your displayed football you just push the front cover up and pull it away, it has two hooks on either side which hook into the two slots on either side of the back panel. Once you have removed the display cover the football can be taken off the stand, which is fixed to the back panel. Click here to see our wall mounted football display cases.

We have a much wider variety of tabletop versions, these all consist of a display base, with a removable plastic display cover. The cover is basically a clear plastic box with an open bottom, which will locate onto the various styles of bases below. To gain access to your signed football all you need to do is lift off the cover and take out the football.

Tabletop Wooden Base: The first one we introduced was the one with a wooden base, the wooden base consists of a wooden frame around the outside and the inside is about 3mm (an eighth of an inch) higher than the interior surface, this forms a raised outside edge which the cover will locate inside. The outside wooden frame is available in three colours, Mahogany, Light Oak and Black Ash. The interior display area, is totally flat and is covered in a soft cloth baize material, this is available in a variety of colours, we currently have available black, red, blue, green, cream and moss green. This gives eighteen possible colour combinations which should allow you to match your particular autographed football and its surroundings perfectly. Because this football base is totally flat, this football display case is supplied with an optional football stand, which can be put in the showcase to display the football on, and stop it rolling around inside. This football stand is available separately from our extras section if you wanted to get a smaller version of this display case, or if you wanted to get a custom sized display case to display two signed footballs. Click here to see our  football display case with a wooden base.

Tabletop Modern Base: The display case we call our modern design, has the same cover as the other display cases, but the base on this one is different, it is constructed from 5mm thick acrylic/plexiglass, it has too layers held apart by stainless steel corner posts. The lower base is slightly larger than the outside size of the display cover, so the cover sits on top of the lower base, the upper base is slightly smaller than the inside size of the display cover, so the cover will slide over this layer and that is what locates the cover, and stops it from sliding or getting knocked off the base. It is available in two colour bases, you have a choice of a gloss black acrylic base, or a clear acrylic base. This display case has a central hole in the upper base which is what stops the football from moving within the showcase. This does make it unsuitable for displaying anything else other than a football, or other round object. If you were looking at this display case for displaying another item then please use the custom display case builder to get a quote, as with all of the products listed here, they can be made in any size you want. Click here to see our modern football display cases.

Flat Acrylic Base: Or last choice of football display box for you is the one with a flat acrylic base, it is slightly cheaper than the modern design, but still looking fairly contemporary. It has a flat 5mm thick acrylic base, which has a rebate around the outside that makes a lip for the display top to locate onto. This is not listed as a football display box, but is the perfect size, so you will need to buy the football display stand from the extras section of the website if you want to go for this option. They are supplied with four rubber feet which are not affixed to the display case, this is so that you can put them on the bottom of the base and use as a conventional display case, or you can put them on top of the lid so that you can use the display case upside down as a box with a removable lid instead. It is available with a  choice of either black or clear for the base/lid The advantage of this display box is that they can be stacked on top of each other.If you don’t want a plinth/base for your football display, or you would like to make your own then we have the display cover available separately, and of course you can also buy the football display stand separately as well. Click here to see this display case.

We hope we have covered every scenario for displaying your signed football, but please let us know if you have any other requirements or ideas.

Football Boot Display Cases

Our football boot display cases are made from acrylic, which has several major advantages over the glass football boot display solutions available from other sources,  Acrylic will block out the dust and stop people rubbing at the signatures to see if they smudge much the same as a glass showcase, but the biggest advantage of having an acrylic display is the fact that it will block out over 90% of the UV light that will damage your signatures over time. We have a display case for you whether you want to display one football boot or two.

They are all designed for a size 11 football boots, though you can use them for smaller or larger ones, by having more or less clearance around the football boot(s). To make sure of your desired fit you should take note of the sizes of the display cases and measure your football boots. Ours are all 350mm long which should fit the vast majority of boots. They can of course be used to display your trainers or any other shoes you have, just double check your measurements. If however you do need a slightly different size you can get an instant quote and order online through our custom display case builder on our home page, all of the following sizes are available to your sizes, and only take 3 – 10 days to make.

Modern football display case with a clear base

We have a much wider variety of tabletop versions, these all consist of a display base, with a removable plastic display cover. The cover is basically a clear plastic box with an open bottom, which will locate onto the various styles of bases below. To gain access to your signed football boot all you need to do is lift off the cover and take out the football boot(s).

Tabletop Wooden Base: The first one we introduced was the one with a wooden base, the wooden base consists of a wooden frame around the outside and the inside is about 3mm (an eighth of an inch) higher than the interior surface, this forms a raised outside edge which the cover will locate inside. The outside wooden

Football boot display case with a wooden base

frame is available in three colours, Mahogany, Light Oak and Black Ash. The interior display area, is totally flat and is covered in a soft cloth baize material, this is available in a variety of colours, we currently have available black, red, blue, green, cream and moss green. This gives eighteen possible colour combinations which should allow you to match your particular autographed football boot and its surroundings perfectly.  This product is available in two sizes, one for a single boot and one for a pair of boots. Click here to see our  football boot display case with a wooden base.

Tabletop Modern Base: The display case we call our modern design, has the same cover as the other display cases, but the base on this one is different, it is constructed from 5mm thick acrylic/plexiglass, it has too layers held apart by stainless steel corner posts. The lower base is slightly larger than the outside size of the display cover, so the cover sits on top of the lower base, the upper base is slightly smaller than the inside size of the display cover, so the cover will slide over this layer and that is what locates the cover, and stops it from sliding or getting knocked off the base. It is available in two colour bases, and two sizes (singe boot or a pair of boots) you have a choice of a gloss black acrylic base, or a clear acrylic base. Click here to see our modern football boot display cases.

Flat Acrylic Base: Our last choice of football boot display box for you is the one with a flat acrylic base, it is slightly cheaper than the modern design, but still looking fairly contemporary. It has a flat 5mm thick acrylic base, which has a rebate around the outside that makes a lip for the display top to locate onto. This is not listed as a football boot display box, but is the perfect size. They are supplied with four rubber feet which are not

Flat base display case

affixed to the display case, this is so that you can put them on the bottom of the base and use as a conventional display case, or you can put them on top of the lid so that you can use the display case upside down as a box with a removable lid instead. It is available with a  choice of either black or clear for the base/lid. The advantage of this display box is that they can be stacked on top of each other.If you don’t want a plinth/base for your football boot display, or you would like to make your own then we have the display cover available separately. These again are available in two sizes, suitable for a single boot or a pair of boots. These can be found in the display box section.

We hope we have covered every scenario for displaying your signed football boot, but please let us know if you have any other requirements or ideas.

Rockwave Seismometer

The Rockwave VS1 Seismometer is a custom made tool which can be used to monitor global earthquake activity. It contains a small weight known as the ‘Proof Mass’ attached to a carbon fibre beam, supported by a spring. When an earthquake is happening the seismic waves will cause the ground to move up and down and subsequently the seismometer will move up and down with the earthquake too.  In order to keep the seismometer from harm’s way and not to skew the results by knocking it they’re placed in our custom display cases to keep the dust out and keep them safe. Many seismometers have skewed

The seismometer comes with a custom version of the AmaSeis data logging program which is used for recording, analysing and charting seismic data. The custom program can export and import event files for exchanging with other users around the world. The VS1 Seismometer is great for children who are keen on science as it can help them learn about earthquakes, geology, the earth’s interior and even issues which are related to earthquakes such as humanitarian aid etc.

Check Rockwave out here!

1:18 Model Car Display Cases

Model 1:18 scale cars are hugely popular, with the biggest manufacturers being Minichamps, Maisto, AUTOart, Bburago, CMC and Paragon Models to name but a few, if you are looking to expand your collection, the biggest range we have found is at www.minimodelshop.co.uk.  Most on-line stores offering 1:18 scale models will also supply custom number plates as well, this makes an ideal personalised gift for your loved one.

But lets get down to the important bit, you can’t keep them out in the open, they will get dusty, kids will play with them and they will get damaged. You need a display case, and we have the widest range you have ever seen, whether you want to display them singly, in a group, on a wall or on a table. Have a look at what we make, and if you have an idea for a perfect display that we don’t have, just let us know.

Measuring to check the fit: When measuring your model cars for our display cases please bear in mind that we call the width of the display case the distance from left to right and the depth is from front to back,  but when you measure your car you will naturally think of the length of the car and the width of the car. In the vast majority of cases the models will be displayed side on, so the length of your car has to fit within the width of our display case, and the width of your car has to fit within the depth of our display case. A certain amount of clearance is needed around the model car to stop it looking ‘cramped’ in the display box. We have very carefully chosen our sizes to enable a good amount of clearance to fit most cars, but due to the extremely high number of different sizes and shapes of cars there is bound to be a few examples of cars that do not fit well. If your model is unique enough not to suit the stock sizes we offer then we can still make one in any of the single car styles to any size you want. Just measure it and go to the home page to enter your sizes to get an instant quote.

If your 1:18 scale model car is supplied on its own base, then you will have a couple of options, if the base has a lip around the outside of it that a 3mm thick cover could locat onto then you can order a custom size cover to go onto that, remember we make our display cases to the inside sizes supplied by the customer, so if you ordered a display cover 300mm x 200mm, we would make a display cover that size on the inside, the outside size would be 306mm x 206mm, ideally it will be best to send us the base and we can make it a perfect fit.
The other option is to make sure that the display base supplied with your model will fit inside of our display case, this is the best option.

Tabletop Model Display Cases

Single 1:18 car display cases are basically available in three heights, we have 125mm high display cases for most large cars, 100mm high display cases for Formula One Cars and convertibles  and we have 80mm high versions that are strictly for Formula One model cars. The width and depth of each of the single car display cases are pretty much the same on all of them, which is 325mm wide x 150mm deep.
We have several different styles of tabletop display boxes, so you will need to make a choice based on the type of car you are displaying and also on the furniture and surroundings of the room that the model will be displayed in. They all have the same type of cover, it is made from 3mm thick acrylic and just lifts off the base, they all locate onto the base to stop them just sliding off.

The traditional wooden base version has a choice of colours that the wooden frame can be made in, and also a choice of colours for the central display area as well. This is by far the most adaptable one, though the vast majority of our customers choice black frame and black central display area. The cover locates on top of the central display area and inside of the wooden frame, which has an approximate 10mm low profile. Please click here to see our display cases for 1:18 scale model cars with wooden bases, in a choice of colours.

The modern showcase has 2 layers of acrylic for the base, separated by highly contemporary stainless steel supports in each corner. The lower of the two bases is slightly larger than the outside size of the cover so the cover sits on top of it, whereas the upper base is slightly smaller than the inside size of the cover, so the cover slides over this and is held in place by it.
This style is available in two colours, shiny gloss black, or clear. Please click here to see our modern 1:18 scale mode car display cases. Please click here to see our modern range of display cases for 1:18 scale model cars.

The plain plastic box version is also of a modern appearance, but this has a single layer of 5mm thick acrylic for the base, which gives a very minimalistic solution to your display needs, also because this display is supplied with four non slip rubber feet, they can easily be stacked on top of each other. These are also available with a choice of clear or shiny gloss black acrylic bases.

The cover only can also be ordered on its own, this is ideal if you are making your own base, or a diorama.

As well as the above single model display cases, we also have sometabletop shelved display cabinets. These have a similar double base to the modern versions of our displays, but without the stainless steel supports. These are supplied with three or four fixed shelves, the four shelf version has less space in between each shelf so is more suited to Formula One cars, convertibles and sports cars. The covers on these just lift off the same as on our other tabletop displays, the shelves are fixed to the bases. These are also available with a choice of base colours, including clear or gloss black acrylic. Please click here to see out shelved 1:18 scale model car tabletop cabinets

Wall Display Cabinets

Our uniquely styled wall display cabinets come in a choice of three shelves or four shelves, again these are the same exterior size as each other but the height between the shelves is smaller in the four shelf version in order to accommodate the extra shelves, the four shelf version is designed for Formula One cars, convertibles and sports cars, whereas the three shelf cabinet is for the larger higher cars. They are wide enough to display two cars end on end, so viewable from the side on. The beauty of these cabinets is that there is no frame to block the light like on conventional wooden cabinets, so there is no need for interior lighting, the light from your room should be more than enough, or you can fit a light above them. Please click here to see our wall display cabinets for 1:18 scale cars.

We hope we have covered every aspect of displaying your prized 1:18 scale models, but please let us know if you have any thoughts or suggestions.