DIY display case for wall

[NRC]

Anyone here have good tips or links for making one’s own fly display case? I’m picturing some kinda framed glass case with flies mounted within.

My ties definitely don’t particularly deserve it, but I thought it’d be a fun little art project to hang above my tying area. I’m not getting out to fish much right now, so may as well use the flies for decor instead.

 

[Tom Butler]

I used inexpensive pictures frames, or recycles, in the past. Expensive part was getting several layers of mat board to cut. Getting decent corners on several layers, enough to keep the fly from the glass, was always tricky for me. Joanns, Michaels and all the craft stores have stuff you can use. Picture framing shops get expensive.

 

[Capt Insano Emeritis]

I would buy a craft store frames when on sale or use those 40% off coupons For the glass , pitch the shitty frame save any matboard. Then mill and fabricate your own framestock. I have a couple framing vises matt cutters etc but i frame all my own works and created frames snd restored gilt frames for a few museums and clients for 30 years. You need to create a shadowbox frame.

 

[kmudgn]

As long as you can use a miter box, or have an accurate sliding compound miter saw it is easy to make square, tight angles to joint your wood. I would suggest that you use either # 2, or "D" grade lumber for the project unless you have some fly that was tied by a dead master, or uses feathers from an exotic bird. In that case, a #1 prime, select would be my choice. If you want to be fancy. use glue and dowel pins to secure the corners instead of screws, or nails.

 

[Capt Insano Emeritis]

For a lot of years i saved wine corks iwould cut tiny cubes to elevate and mount flies on

 

[Josh]

How big of a box are you thinking about? How big of flies?

 

[NRC]

Thanks everybody, good info! Any other takes on how to mount, specifically? I do like Skip’s idea of using pieces of cork.

Not sure at all in size of box. Probably do Puget sound saltwater flies with an emphasis on sea runs

 

[Tom Butler]

I've used a spot of glue, or thread or fine wire to attach them to the sturdy back, and then used a typewriter to make labels (in the days before printers). My handwriting sucks because I got tremors.
Mounting to cork:

 

[Capt Insano Emeritis]

Thanks everybody, good info! Any other takes on how to mount, specifically? I do like Skip’s idea of using pieces of cork.

Not sure at all in size of box. Probably do Puget sound saltwater flies with an emphasis on sea runs

Deep frame I made Covered in Conserv. Clear glass special glazing bits used to drill small pieces of glass using brass escutsion pins over the tied flies and the painted ones for the flies used on this once great little lake below Mt St Helens. The lake was obliterated when the upper Kalama river changed course and blew through a road bed

 

[FinLuver]

Local Joann’s had “display” frames on clearance.

 

[Kilchis]

Being of a simple mind I would go to a craft store and buy a shadow box frame, then to a Dollar Store and buy a pair of flip flops. At home I would use an empty pistol cartridge case to cut plugs out of the flip flop rubber and glue the plugs into the shadow box. The rest is easily imagined.

 

[Cowlitz Bottomfeeder]

Here’s a shadow box I made from oak trim from Home Depot and some canvas. I think there’s a foam block underneath. The flies are from an Alec Jackson class in the 90’s.

 

[Norm Frechette]

Shadow Box Framing - Start to Finish

When Mike Valla gave back to me the sixty-odd hairwings I tied for his latest book, Tying and Fishing Bucktails and Other Hairwings - At...

theriverscourse.blogspot.com

 

[NRC]

Being of a simple mind I would go to a craft store and buy a shadow box frame, then to a Dollar Store and buy a pair of flip flops. At home I would use an empty pistol cartridge case to cut plugs out of the flip flop rubber and glue the plugs into the shadow box. The rest is easily imagined.

This appeals to my sensibilities

 

[Buzzy]

Here’s a shadow box I made from oak trim from Home Depot and some canvas. I think there’s a foam block underneath. The flies are from an Alec Jackson class in the 90’s.

View attachment 30115

I met Alec a couple of times - Alec was tying flies at the Blue Dun in Wenatchee one day, I watched him tie for a couple of hours. He gave me three of the flies he tied that day.


I used hot glue sticks adhered to a backing board for the fly mounts.

Years ago I built a shadow box for steelhead flies and mounted a clock into the display.

 

[Trout Trekker]

This should go under the heading of a fast and crappy resolution to a honey-do project. You'll have to take my word for it. we have some very nice fly shadow boxes.

These shadow boxes with matting and backing board came from a home store ( Kirklands ) and were ten bucks a pop.

Originally, they had a dark walnut finish, but my wife wanted to do a beach motif in one of our guest rooms, so I quickly whitewashed them, added the backdrop which are old photos blown up and printed on standard paper stock. Then just whipped up a handful of flies for each and used super glue gel to attach them to the head of fine finishing nails that had been cut to length, then simply pushed those nails into the backing board.

There are all sorts of shadow boxes in a variety of sizes available at home stores, many have art in them, but can be cannibalized and reworked for flies.

The colors of these didn't photograph well, in real life they are much more subdued & pastel in nature.

 

[Cowlitz Bottomfeeder]

Here’s another like the first one I submitted with an “Amy’s Ant” tied by Jack Dennis at a Portland Fly Show.

 

[NRC]

Looks like a batch of these could make for some fairly easy mounts either as-is or trimmed for height

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