Improved dust proofing IKEA Detolf glass cases

[ScanmanDan]

Those of us with these Ikea cases know that while they do keep your figures out of harms way and keep most of the dust off em they ain't exactly dust proof. To try and fill the big gaps either side of the door glass I've taken to using thin self adhesive foam weather stripping.

Take the door off and run one length on the the door jam side glass piece. Set it back about 1/4 inch from the edge of the side glass to allow the door to close and just touch the weather stripping. You just want to fill the gap not make an air tight seal.



Now do the same with the side glass on the door hinge side but set the tape back just a smidge more. The edge of the door glass has to just kiss the stripping when it swings back and forth. Test with a short strip until you get a gap you can live with and still safely open the door.



So far I've done up four of my cases and while it doesn't completely seal the case it does cut down on the dust and doesn't spoil the look of the cases. If you are careful getting the tape on straight it can look like it's meant to be there and sort of disappears from view.

Just an experiment you can try if your as crazy as me.

Dan

[Renascor]

Woah thanks M8 for the pro-tip ! Is the 'self adhesive foam weather stripping' bought as it is like in the photo or do you buy foam and use double sided tape?

Where did you bought it from? Bunnings?

As for me I don't use the IKEA Detolf (although I was contemplating in getting them to move the figures into another room) because the place I am in have built in cubicles into the wall. For me I just use those clear plastic wrap for tables and just seal the cubicles tight. Problem is, its troublesome if I want to fiddle my figures, as I have to peel it off.

Cheers

[USMC Maggot]

God i hate dust.

[cree82]

Good idea me thinks this is.

[justin_g]

Nice tip! Is that the IKEA light you have in there - I have four Detolf cabinets and I'm wondering if the lights are worth getting?

[Kinster]

Great idea! I've been thinking of ways to cover up the gap too. Where to find these foam strips? The proper questions is, what are they actually used for?

[ScanmanDan]

Renascor-- Believe it or not I got the weather striping at my local IGA grocer. But you can get it at the great god Bunnings( A hardware megastore where Aussie men go to pray on weekends for you guys in the states) Neat iead about the cubes. I wonder is I could use clear mylar sheet from the artist supply shop. Hmmm now that's an idea.

USMC Maggot--You said it. I hates it I do!

cree82--LOL, Yoda was my wife's 20th anniversary present to me. She's the bestest chick in the entire world and that's a fact

justin_g-- I used two lights in each case. Yep they do work well but get a timer for them so they only run a few hours each night. And I suggest that you don't run them in high summer as they do get a little hot.

Kinster-- Any good hardware store should have the equivalent weather stripping. It's used to seal out drafts in windows and doors.

Dan

[uramegak]

Great tip! Thanks for sharing!

[Matt Random]

For the folks in the US, Wal-Mart carries 3-4 different types of adhesive weather stripping. I was thinking of doing something similar with that silicon flange stuff that you sometimes see clipped on the edge of the glass door of an entertainment center. I imagine this stuff could be found somewhere although I haven't went looking for it yet.

[CalvinLo]

Dan, you are a great fan of IKEA for sure! Should get them to do 1:6 special display gears and furnitures man! LOL!!!

[cablecommander]

great idea, scanman.

[MigsGabb811]

i may have to do that, mine is just full of dust right now

[doomhammer]

Quite clever, do you have any pics of the whole cabinet so we can get a better view of how it looks?

[Rogue Trooper]

Thats a cool tip, ive bought a dust extracter which sucks the dust out of the air and push it into water, cool syuff but ive only had it for a fortnight.

[gaiagear]

Truly neat idea, Dan. I have been thinking how to remedy the dust issue before getting the case. Thanks for the pointer bro.

[predrhone]

I can't even GET one of these cases (for a decent price... sorry, no $250+ shipping charge for me) but if I had one, I'd most certainly use this idea of yours, simple but effective = for me.

Right now, depleting my Wal-Mart's supply of their compressed air cans is my only means of defense.

[KMok15]

Dan, you've become an IKEA spokesperson!.

[specforce205]

Great idea for dust proofing those cabinets Dan..

For those that have built in cabinets with glass panel front enclousures, like I do along the wall. You can try this trick I picked up from a 1:24 scale model truck builder friend of mine. He purchased three aquarium air pumps at his local discount/bargain basement store for about $5.00 USD each. He drilled small holes along the clear plastic airline, then ran the line through the shelves at both corners from the bottom to the top, hid the pump under the kick plate of the shelves and plugged them into a power source. With the pumps running, they provide a constant positive airflow inside the shelve area, that would not allow dust to settle. Because the pumps are meant to run all the time, and are low voltage he did not experience a noticible increase in his electric bill either. About the same cost as running a fish tank in your home. I'm sure that these types of pumps would work on the Ikea setup as well.

[Broadshore]

BRILLIANT!!!

Cheers!