triple trumpet case

This is a non-stringed instrument project I got asked to do several years ago. 

Right after that, I started working on pianos and then bought a house, so this project got put on a far back burner until now.

 

 An old high school friend asked for a custom-made case to hold three trumpets; a Bb, a C, and a D. 

The D trumpet is shorter and fits in the middle spot. There are places for six mouthpieces.

 Another requirement was for the handle on the end to be recessed since he often uses his case as a stool when performing or rehearsing. 

I decided to go one step further and give him a cushioned seat.

On the other end are just four metal studs for feet. The studs, the corners, front handle, and the tan fake leather are all things I already happened to have on hand.

 

The hinges, all of the interior velvet, foam, and plywood came from piano shop surplus.

 

 It turns out that it was good for me to not get started on this case right away. If I had, I wouldn't have had this plaque, which became the focus for the theme of the case.

This is the famous plaque from Pioneers 10 and 11, which will tell all the aliens where Earth is located and how to get here.

 My friend is an avid amateur astromomer. When we were in back in high school, he had the most powerful telescope in town and the our science teacher would sometimes ask to borrow it for classes. 

I also wouldn't have had these amazing walnut veneers I pulled from a dumpster if I had started working on the case right away. The top and bottom panels further enforced the space-exploration/solar-system theme. The wood-grain pattern on this side is almost perfectly shaped like Earth's magnetoshere. 

I guess the knot could represent Van Allen radiation.

On the bottom, the wood grain reminded me of Jupiter's great red spot. There happens to be a real photo of the moons Europa and Io transiting past the red spot. 

I based this panel on that photo. I ended up using some reddish stain on the "spot" to make it more obvious what it was supposed to be.

 

   Here's a close up of Europa.

And here is Io.

Here is Earth close up. My friend lives in Hawaii, so I absolutely had to make sure it was showing on the inlay. 

Finally, the Sun, made of acrylic that resembles the solar surface (somewhat.)

I will be making more posts sometime soon about stringed instruments I've built.

I'm still waiting on a recording to feature with the final post of the completed Tres Cubano......