# Plans for military shadow box?



## Tufftoy

Hi,

New here and my first post

I'm in the Air Force, and my supervisor who is retiring soon wants me to make a shadow box for him. I have made bookcases and other small things, but never a shadow box. Looking through all the beautiful projects here, I was wondering where you found the plans for them if you used plans at all? I'm not the best at drawing out my own plans, and I can't just shoot from the hip while making things. It is going to be a simple 18"X20" case with a flag case built into it. If anyone has plans they would like to share, or any where that I could find some good plans, I would really appreciate it! Thanks! Scott


----------



## tenontim

Check out this jocks projects for some ideas.
http://lumberjocks.com/jocks/Muzhik
He makes some nice shadow boxes. And welcome to LumberJocks.


----------



## matt1970

Hi Scott…

Welcome to LJ's…I know very little about these…but it seems like there are LJ's that post shadow boxes as projects…try the "tags" option…if you click on the tags menu you may see an exact match…and the search from the LJ's sight searches the sight here…

Good luck…


----------



## refueler1

Tufftoy, check out this link, http://www.morganhousewoodprojects.com/air-force-e-7.html . They have lots of variations of shadow boxes to give you and idea. I recently retired from the Air Force, Dec 2006. I was an aircraft crew chief E-7. Boy do I ever miss it! Anyway, I was one of the guys in the unit that always got voluntold to get someone a plaque or a shadow box. We ordered all of ours from a shop in Missouri for only $105 each shaped like Master Sargent stripes, but for the life of me I can remember their web site. Any of the personnel at the hobby shop on base should be able to give you some ideas or they may even have one on hand you can get some measurements from. Hope this helps.

Jack Gaskins MSgt Retired USAF, "No One Kicks A** Without Tanker Gas"


----------



## Tufftoy

I'll check out that site, and the wood shop here at Mountain Home AFB is out of business. They dismanteled the shop last year, because not enough people were using it. Sad to see it go. Thanks for your service refueler1, I will retire in 2 years all depending on whether I make Master or not. Thanks for the inputs!


----------



## brianinpa

Scott,

I look at shadow boxes differently than others. Answer the following question: What does the retiree want in his or her shadow box? When you know the answer, build it. When I retired from the Navy, no one from my Command wanted to buy me the shadow box I wanted, so I made my own in the form of a coffee table. That is how I started anb by the time I was done it was a display table that displays my dress blues uniform jacket with full medals on one side, and my Khaki work shirt with ribbons on the other. In the center are all coins, pins, and listing of commands/significant dates with the US Flag. Others might think it is too much, but it is what I wanted. That is why I say answer the question "What does the retireee want?" then make it. Good Luck.

Brian


----------



## Tufftoy

I know what I want in the box. It's just that I've never made a box like these before, and I'm not sure how to go about installing the glass. Making it removable, or not or making the back removable. It's basically going to be 18" wide X 20" tall with a triangle setting on the bottom piece in the middle for the flag. I've never been good at "shooting from the hip" when making things, I really depend on plans, that's how I like to do it. I guess working on aircraft my whole career and following tech data has instilled that in me! Thanks for all your responses!


----------



## brianinpa

Permentaly mount the glass and make the back cover removable. Cover the inside of the back with a cork material and cover the cork with the color material of your choosing. Nothing personal but I would chose Navy blue over Air Force blue. The cork provides a surface that will allow the pins for the medal/ribbon bars to stick into. By making the back removable it allows the Flag to be inserted and fluffed until it appears the way you want it, and also allows you to be able to move the medals to look the way you want them. I have made several smaller shadow boxes and this method worked the best for me.

Good Luck!


----------



## rikkor

Thank you, and thanks to your supervisor for your service. (USN)


----------



## kcbrew1

any help on the how to find mounting hardware for the coins or other things that you want to put in the box been looking for compines that sell that stuff but have had no luck


----------



## marva

I would like to order one of the shadow box tables. I like the one woody 1492 made. Is it possible for him to email me at [email protected] with all the particulars on ordering this table?

Thanks.


----------

