Shadow Box for Guns

[Silverado]

Folks I have a customer who wishes to have a pistol mounted. The pistol is a relic but in perfect working order. Does anyone have suggestions as to how to mount it with the following criteria:
* box designed so that it can be opened and the gun removed

Thanks Lawrence (Nick) Nichols

 

[artist]

I used United Mfg's gun mount kit on a civil war pistol. Worked great. Don't know about your box , though.

 

[Jim Miller]

Several frame designs can be opened & reclosed: Nielsen's 100 series has 1-11/16" useful depth, which might be enough for a pistol, and an be fitted with rail hinges to open one side like a boxtop; Framica Boxers have extenders for any depth, which can be hinged or magnetically latched; an acrylic box can be used with a wood or metal base-frame fitted for opening (Gravity Groove is my favorite). Several designs will be detailed in the all-day class, "Complete Guide to Shadowboxes" in Las Vegas later this month.

To mount the gun I suggest using several steel or brass rods, bent to fit the contours of the gun at convenient mounting points.

10mm Polyflute makes an ideal mount board (non-hygroscopic, dimensionally stable, chemically stable, rigid, lightweight, cheap), which can be covered with any material you like. Cut a hole in the back skin of the polyflute and fill the cavity around the rod, between flutes, with hotmelt glue.

Cover the exposed part of the rods with shrink tubing to provide a pad and an inconspicuous matte black (or other color) mount.

Acrylic sheet or rod can be heat-formed, as well. Likewise, wooden pegs can be shaped to fit, and covered with suitable material.

Hope that helps. If these suggestions aren't clear, you're welcome to email me privately.

 

[JRB]

Go out into you area and start introducing yourself to cabinetmakers. Find one you will be able to work with from time to time. You could also learn cabinetmaking & finishing yourself, if you have the desire & space for a few woodworking machines. Have a cabinet with a locking glass front made, invisible magnet slide lock is the best for picture frame looking display cases. Follow Jim's suggestions for mounting the weapon.

John

 

[Bob Carter]

We found a neat mounting system that might work well in this case. They are a pair of L shaped brackets that have a bullet on the decorative end of the bracket. The bullet is attached via a slide rod to allow different barrel/stock width. They look very neat and if client wishes to remove pistol, it's a snap.

The company is Pieces of History in Carefree, Az. 1-800-564-6164.

Hope this works