Military Award Pistol Display Case

A few years ago my best friend won a series of awards from the army. The coins were the first awards in the series, followed by the knife and the Colt 1911 pistol engraved “NCO of the Year” by the army. He had asked me to build a display case for them and I finally got around to it.

The frame is built out of Padauk with inlayed banding. The items are “french fit” into a multiple-layered bed of 1/4” plywood sheets with the shapes cut out on a scroll saw. It is lined with stretched blue felt.

The frame is reinforced with hardwood splines and steel miter nails in several layers. The “glass” front is actually ‘unbreakable’ Lexan set into construction adhesive. The back is screwed into place with 12 stainless screws. A security cable is attached to the back and can be bolted to the wall. These all make for a “medium security” case. In other words, it is made to seriously slow someone down who might think of taking it off the wall. The recipient also has a home security system (and no children yet).

There is a desiccant tin built into the middle of the box to control moisture and prevent the pistol from rusting. Several “channels” run different directions in various layers of the plywood sheets to aid in air movement to the desiccant. The middle of the desiccant turns green when it is saturated and only needs to be baked in the oven to re-activate it. I included a plastic “window” in the back of the case so you can see when the desiccant changes color without opening the case (you can see the small round widow in the last photo).

Did I leave anything out? Oh yea, I am also including the appropriately sized lag bolt and stainless washer which the security cable attaches to and also the case will hang from.

He is out of state, and since I can’t send it to him in the mail (because of the gun) he will have to wait until he is in town to collect it. So these photos are his Christmas present.

Merry Christmas, Dave.

-- Happy woodworking!