Myth Buster: Can You Build Your Own Moducase Display?

[@zeheero]

I don't want to say anything negative about this video, I appreciate Dan doing his homework and making a video on trying to make a cheaper case to inform everyone. I will be releasing a tutorial guide soon, actually a seven video guide about an hour long each on how to make a case from ground up and design your own parts. The only reason why made a video on it, is because I moved from Vegas to Tennessee and I been working full time. Again, kudos to Dan for making this video!

[@Dan14thPrime]

Sounds cool. Let me know when it’s up. 👍

[@merlin91]

Hey man what about the video

[@justsumguuyyyy]

i too want to see these vidoes you speak of.

[@idiotoninternet]

Did your video get scrapped or is it still in the works?

[@zeheero]

@@idiotoninternet Have the Solidwork draws but need convert it into CAM files.

[@pcproff]

Thanks for your work on this. Very detailed and very informative.

[@Dan14thPrime]

👍

[@yellow0nocone]

I feel like this video is missing an important point when comparing on whether you can DIY for cheaper vs buying from Moducase. You have to actually DIY. Having a company design and fabricate the materials will in fact cost more than the off the shelf option especially if it is an one off design. What many people need to know is you need to design and build your custom case yourself to see any cost savings. It also helps to buy bulk material such as longer length of aluminum extrusion and cut it to size rather than having a company custom cut for you. Case in point I spent $320 on all the material to build a 31"Lx16"Dx63"H case including the plexiglass. Compare this to the Moducase Max1`40+ which is a single shelf unit 55"Lx27.6"Dx32.6"H at $520 +shipping. Gotta actually DIY

[@Dan14thPrime]

Thanks for the comment. It's cool that you were able to build a case. One clarifying point, this video (discussion) is not comparing Modcuase to pure DIY. Of course, anything you do DIY will always be cheaper than retail. This video address a point in the community that Moducase was simply configuring industry standard parts and assembling cases - something anyone could do or any other company. So I was exploring that conversation.

[@yellow0nocone]

@Dan14thPrime little feedback on that than. Maybe rename the title or explain that more in the video. You only showed what happens when you have another company design and price materials. Nothing discussed on building your own case.

[@Dan14thPrime]

@@yellow0nocone I mean pretty obvious isn’t it? If it was DIY I wouldn’t be talking to another extruding company about building a case 🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[@yellow0nocone]

@Dan14thPrime well you did title your video "can you build your own moducase" 😅

[@Dan14thPrime]

@@yellow0nocone True, but less literally 😉. But anyway, thanks for checking out the video. Cool you built your own case. I was looking back at Moducase. You have something like an “extra large” DF case probably vs Max. Depth would make a big difference on cost due to top board, bottom board, 4 back bars and 2 side plexi pieces. So still not sure it’s A LOT cheaper with DIY. The closest DF spec to your case is about $300. But you again, you have some unique dimensions do tough to compare to either DF or Max directly. 🤙

[@MrEnergy5252]

One point i would have liked to have seen in the video is what is the unit cost per kit when you order lets say 1000 units? I am very well versed in manufacturing and this is a common strategy in these industries. I call to get an exotic fastener and it costs 67USD per fastener, but a box of a thousand is just under 1000USD. Sometimes the unit cost goes down 90%. I know for the purpose of the experiment you went with the quote you needed, but would be interesting to see the difference.

[@Dan14thPrime]

Yes it’s a good point and true that I’m sure if you placed a large order, you’d get a better price. But an individual collector isn’t going to do that. That’d be more for a sourcing strategy if you wanted to start selling them as a business. But at those volumes, you’d also then have to look at manufacturing in Asia and logistics cost to import which would likely be optimal vs large domestic sourcing. Good discussion point 👍

[@shaynerism]

Good video. However, I think the problem is that you're having someone else do the work. I'm going to look into building this myself, because I can cut extruded aluminum. Biggest hurdle is the cost of acrylic panels; adding magnets is easy... lighting is easy but could also get a bit pricey... Hmmm.... thanks again.

[@Dan14thPrime]

Yeah if you can DIY that’s a whole different conversation. Good luck 👍

[@shaynerism]

@@Dan14thPrime Nope, I was wrong. I'm not sure if it's always been like this, but the cost of the acrylic alone from my Home Depot makes this a no-go. Aluminum is also going up. I just emailed Moducase lol...

[@macadamianuts6363]

this really helps

[@williamhenry2290]

Walmart sells these shop shelf units that gonna try to add plex glass sides to and should only cost about $180 in parts and it would be the side of the big unit in your display in this video.

[@CodeCrush11]

For the floor board, are you able to replace the existing one on a moducase with a 1/4 or even 1/2 inch of plexiglass/acrylic if you wanted a transparent look? My dream would be something like the light box base that Legendary display cases have but without that price

[@Dan14thPrime]

You could. You’d just need to be cognizant of the weight of your display and rigidness of the acrylic. Ideally you’d do same thickness as the board otherwise it will create a lip relative to the bottom framing of the case.

[@anubis0095]

Hey I’m thinking to buy model case but good attempt to re-engineer the cases it look more solid but the price yes more expensive thanks for the video

[@Dan14thPrime]

Thanks 👍

[@stevenfinklea4596]

I’m going with Greeco’s comment. If I’m going to build my own cabinets, I may as well carve my own statues.

[@artfiend75]

Dan I was really expecting you to say they would be a lot cheaper not the other way around!! Thanks man, great video

[@Dan14thPrime]

Thanks. I think in a way I was expecting that too. But couldn’t even get close with this company. Still a fun learning experience. 👍 If their price would’ve been at least close, I wanted to buy one and compare it but can’t really justify at 4x cost. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@artfiend75]

@@Dan14thPrime o for sure, definitely not worth going that route. Just popped onto moducase site, they have a sale on at the moment.

[@carlosviramontes9785]

Seen this before and it is $$$

[@shroomgod1990]

i was looking for an affordable alternative. This is strictly insane You can spend 1,500 and get a medium wall unit edit: from moducase themselves instead of all this trouble

[@Greego]

Great topic, Dan. My personal perspective is that if I think about making my own cases, I may as well think about sculpting my own statues. The display cases are works of art that go hand-in-hand with the statue or figure art work that you want to place in them if you have the budget. You had me excited for a second until you scrolled down and I saw that price.

[@Dan14thPrime]

😂 yeah that price was a shocker. But really gives credit to ModuCase for offering a good value, despite all the “complaints” about their cost even. I’ve got a Max set coming soon BTW. Paid the final installment last week. 👍

[@pokeking123]

Would it be possible for me to get the list you made.

[@Dan14thPrime]

The part list? It’s in the video.

[@matthewjk9016]

I found a fish tank with the same dimension of a modu case.....fish tank 200....modu case .....520. you wouldn't even know it's a fish tank

[@matthewlugo2417]

Doubt

[@MrEnergy5252]

Good luck getting the front glass off a fish tank to add a new figure when 4 other 50lb fish tanks are also on top of it 😅

[@nezihkalelioglu9563]

This isn't a relevant comparison. You are not building it on your own. You are asking for a company to engineer and build the cases for you. Of course it would be more expensive. They have to charge all the indirect (all operational expenses related with this project) costs directly to you whereas moducase split these cost to between 100's of customers. Besides, the labor cost in the US is probably 10 times more than Singapore. I know you can make it way cheaper because I did build my case for my Lego collection. It measures 3.6meteres in length and 1.8 meters by height. I also added a 15cm MDF raiser with drawers to hide electrical components of the LED's. I only bough the raw materials and did everything on my own. The total cost turned out to be around $1500 exluding the LED system. It's like half of the price you'd pay to moducse. So yes you can build it for way cheaper than moducase.

[@Dan14thPrime]

You're missing the point. This is not a DIY. Of course any DIY is going to be cheaper than buying from a retailer. Such a simple point does not require a discussion. The discussion in the community on Moducase has been that the parts and materials are standard industry design and can be purchased from any common aluminum extruding company for a fraction of the cost and assembled yourself. This video sought to explore that argument.

[@Steve-fe8gu]

One thing i think people forget to account for is the cost for your time. Building custom cabinet takes a lot of time, planning, and effort. If you can afford the smount of figures/statues to put in moducases, then the trade off between time/price trade off would make moducase a better choice.

[@MrEnergy5252]

Do moducases come assembled? 🤔