Ben, I had just discussed this with Lynda Sayce after reading her laments on the same subject. I had built a "one case fits all lutes" fiberglass one that carries any instrument I own. It has made many flights and I have watched the baggage handlers drop it out of a commuter jet onto the tarmak with only minor scratches to the case. It looks more like an off shape box than a lute case. Roadie cases are plywood with a metal edge protection meant to be stacked in trucks. Airline boxes need rounded edges and more impact strength. Here is some of what I wrote to Lynda: By the way, good rules concerning airline transport for large delicate checked items: 1) Too awkward to throw. ( must pick it up with 2 hands ) 2) Absolutely no protrusions. ( handles, latches, wheels ) 3) Rounded corners. 4) Crush proof. ( must support a person or two or a transport carrier truck ) 5) Interior support must protect to 30g's ( 10 foot drop ) 6) Waterproof. (sometimes big luggage sits on flat cars in the rain ) Many companies make heavy polypropolene containers that meet these kinds of specs. The handles, latches, and hinges are recessed, and all corners are well rounded. We transport items like telescopes, spectrographs, and delicate scales in these. These cases are heavy. For my own lutes, I made a "one case fits all lutes" from fiberglass. I can check any lute in it ( no theorbos yet). I used fiberglass to lighten it. Normal fiberglass cello cases are made from blown or "chopped" glass that is used to make boats and car bodies, quick and cheap. Woven fiberglass is more expensive and is used to make gliders, formula 1 cars and kayaks. A kayak uses a solid layup for high impact resistance, a glider uses a foam sandwich construction for the highest strength with the least weight. The foam sandwich was what I used, to minimize the weight. This case is a little bigger than a normal lute case, but weighs about the same. You can jump on this one, or run over it with your car. It floats. You might contact a local glider repairman or kayak builder and interest him in a project like this. There is no mold involved. We stacked blocks of styrafoam, shaped the stack to look like the case we wanted using coarse sandpaper, then did the layup on the outside of the block. After it hardened, we cut out most of the foam and glassed the inside. Viola, foam sandwich case. If you can interest anyone, I'd be glad to send pictures. By the way, good fiberglass work is not for cadets. Lou Aull Atlanta
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