The IKEA display thread

[skye]

I have just spent the last couple weeks moving into my new space, and as I mentioned in a thread somewhere, I changed my Ikea setup from deltof to billy.

Basically, I did the exact same thing as Chris. Though, I spaced the lights differently, and I added an extension unit with a library bookcase light on top for temporary display. I had to fit it into a closet, so I was not swimming in space.

The glass shelves that replaced the wood really help get the light through, and those doors were almost the death of me trying to put them on

. That one direction that just says "Click" drove me nuts! Click what? What Click??!?

Here is a rough photo of how the Chewseum closet looks. Not nearly as slick as Chris' set up, but it was the best I could do with the space. I'm going to take better pics later and the set up will change when I'm totally unpacked...

 

[ChrisGeorgoulias]

Good deal, Skye!

One thing I learned with the doors is that you first place the hinges on the doors as marked. Screw the mounting brackets to the case as indicated, but leave those just slightly loose to the touch. Let the hinge positions dictate the bracket locations at that point because being off just a little keeps them from lining up.

Then, the big thing was to adjust the front screw on the hinge which moves the hooks away from the hinge body - move them almost all the way out - about 7 turns. This will make hooking the hinge onto the brackets much easier because the bracket positions "float" and the hooks are easier to access. Have the hinges flipped to the open position, support the door with your foot, and then insert and "click". You just need a couple lined up to get it set initially. Yeah, took me a few minutes beforehand to figure out they fit on the brackets, but once I saw how it worked it was a snap (literally). Makes pulling doors on and off really simple now.

Oh yeah, once the doors are on you need to tighten the brackets down. You won't have to repeat that if you pull the door later on. And installing the glass shelving without the doors in place is the way to go, especially when trying to install in a shelf at the top peg. I was popping doors on and off frequently.

The doors will make a case very tippy. In fact you can just barely have one door on and one open. Open both doors and the case will fall forward. Use the inlcuded mounting bracket and secure the case to the wall first. With so many cases, I had them mounted to each stud on my wall.

Since each door and each case included a mounting bracket with it, I had a ton of extras. What I did was cut 10 brackets down so that I was left with about 1.5" of the long slotted end. I'd then use those as straps on the tops of the cases to join them side-by-side. I used 1 inch #10 round head wood screws and the existing holes on the top corners to mount them. Then I drilled matching holes on the opposite ends. These added a LOT of rigidity to the set-up. The corner hardware kit is available at IKEA and makes adding that section very simple.

If I had it to do over again I would probably put the lights a little more forward of center since many things are in the back of the case and the light will travel farther that way.

I also realize that I'll probably have to go back to IKEA again! I need more cases.

-chris

 

[ChrisGeorgoulias]

Just out of curiosity Chris, how many miles would you say you did to get these Cabinets?

The drive back from Atlanta was basically a freebie since we were coming back from Dragon Con anyway. But for the most part you can figure all those hours of driving at an average of 75 miles per hour. There was little traffic to contend with.

-chris

 

[Chad_D]

Skye, nice use of space. It looks perfect. I might use the closet idea someday. Your's and Chris's set ups totally make it look UNLIKE a closet. I'm sure it frees up a lot of space in the room too.

Chad

 

[StarWarsMuseum]

Your's and Chris's set ups totally make it look UNLIKE a closet. I'm sure it frees up a lot of space in the room too.

Chad

By the look of things, Skye is still in the closet but Chris has been out of the closet for a while now

Great setups guys. I wish we could see Chris's with some items in them ........
Todd D

 

[ChrisGeorgoulias]

By the look of things, Skye is still in the closet but Chris has been out of the closet for a while now

I think Chad meant Chris Fawcett's closet collection hideaway. But thanks for getting my back on that one.

-chris

 

[Chad_D]

Right, the other Chris. I only read the last post (Skye's) in this thread due to time and hadn't seen your pics yet. The cabinets look good man. Hope we get to see them filled. They look good with the store displays around the top. Superb.

Chad

 

[DarthOdium]

Not to add insult to my fellow East-Coasters, (John and Chris) but here is my Detolf case with a new display set up:

This is my first purchase from Ikea, and I am very pleased with the case. The retail on the case is around $60usd with taxes, and the quality is very nice for an item at this price point. The instructions can be somewhat confusing, but if you are somewhat mechanically inclined, then it shouldn't prove anything too difficult.
I really think you can't go wrong for such a nice display case for this price. My only "problem" would be the shelves; I wish they could be adjusted.

Bill

This setup is fantastic- best display using a detolf i have seen on rebelscum yet- then again im partial to vader stuff- those 2 3ft vader statues too- wow...very very nice set up- kudos brother

 

[Nick_Macarty]

I also realize that I'll probably have to go back to IKEA again! I need more cases.

-chris

You may also need a bigger House soon Chis

-Nick

 

[Scott_Matthews]

This remains one of my favorite displays...very nice collection!

Scott

 

[Darth_Hideous]

Hi Chris. I love the look of the display you are setting up. I went to my local IKEA last night to look into getting 3 of the Billy book cases with those new doors like you have. Just my luck they were out of the white Billy's...but I also couldnt find those doors. Do you know the style name for the doors? I saw frosted ones and glass will thick wooden frames, but nothing with the clear glass and the thin frame.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!!

 

[ChrisGeorgoulias]

The doors are called Morebo. All Billy doors seem to be in the same general area in the warehouse section of the store.

-chris

 

[JohnA]

I also couldnt find those doors. Do you know the style name for the doors? I saw frosted ones and glass will thick wooden frames, but nothing with the clear glass and the thin frame.

I linked to them on page 1 when Chris asked what they were called.

It's the 13th post in this thread.

John

 

[Boba_Fish]

Also, when you pick up the doors in the warehouse, they won't *look* clear. There's an insert packed with them, a sheet of not-quite-cardboard-but-not-quite-wood-either. I think the idea is that you can put wallpaper or something on them to make stylin' doors. I think said insert is black on one side, and white on the other. Oh, and the doors are just "shrink wrapped" with a heavy plastic.

Good luck!

 

[Lafos]

This one from Mr. Wise himself is still over the top (it´s IKEA "DOCENT") ...

 

[Nick_Macarty]

The doors are called Morebo. All Billy doors seem to be in the same general area in the warehouse section of the store.

-chris

Hey Chris, how goes the Cabinet filing?

Any updated pictures yet?

-Nik

 

[JohnA]

Hey Chris, how goes the Cabinet filing?

Any updated pictures yet?

-Nik

He hasn't posted a pic of his collection in at least 6 years. I don't see that happening. You can hope though.

John

 

[Tommy_Garvey]

Hey Chris, how goes the Cabinet filing?

Any updated pictures yet?

-Nik

He hasn't posted a pic of his collection in at least 6 years. I don't see that happening. You can hope though.

John

Nelson: "Someone snuck in and took our presents! :gasp: Do you think it was papa!?"

Mrs. Muntz: "I wouldn't put it past him. He stole my gold tooth the night he left."

Nelson: "He didn't leave. He went to the store! And when he comes back I'll wave those Pop Tarts right in your face!"

Tommy
(Who is still kicking himself for not saving all the pics of Chris' collection when he posted them to the old Archive board.)

 

[ChrisGeorgoulias]

How about these Pop Tarts?

I was stumped with how to handle the other corner of the room so I decided to try out some variations in case layouts. I needed to find the balance between more cases and existing wall space because of the displays and artwork that needed to remain on those walls. I only had 18 different versions worked out! With 4 different case sizes to play around with the options were coming to me left and right.

When I found my compromise I went ahead and just modeled the rest of the room for the fun of it. The island in the center is for carded figures. The center of that island is open to store 2-D items like things mounted on foamcore and some of the art and displays I'm not hanging. Stuff that used to be against a wall. That open center worked out very well and the whole island in general was a great way for me to handle the carded stuff. Those are just the modular plastic shelves all connected together, but with the figures ringed around it like dominos they don't really clash with the oak cases. It's 30" x 96" x 30" or so.

The closet doors have always been off in order to store t-shirts and jackets. The shelves in there fill the remaining space nicely. The bookshelves are existing, match the new oak cases, and are filled with collecting magazines, books, Kenner catalogs, and Kenner binders.

After my final trip to IKEA I will have a collection of Billys to go along with my SW collection. With no empty Billys to spare! Crazy!

Layout 1
Layout 2
Layout 3
Layout 4
Layout 5
Layout 6
Layout 7
Layout 8

-chris

 

[Nick_Macarty]

Awesome Chris, what program did you use to do the Graphics with? I could really use somthing like that for my Sisters House.

Hope it's simple to use, as I get confused very easily

The Displays going to look great what ever way you decide to go. Looking forward to "items in Cabinet" Pics

-Nick

 

[iharrison30]

Kaned_01 that room mate is amazing, the display is to die for never mid the fantastic computer setup. Very lucky man you have obviously worked hard for all of that, I take my hat off to you sir.

 

[Slave_1]

It's going to look great !!!

 

[Dark_Elling]

All these displays look great!

Chris, how did you link all the lights into one switch? From factory, one large cumbersome plug operates two lights (domes).

Thanx

 

[Kaneda_01]

Thank you... I greatly appreciate the compliement. The only drawback... is I spend more time gazing at collectibles during the day when I should be working on client projects.

I just upgraded my servers to support a site that I am developing... here is a sneak peek:



Last week during IKEA's Round Rock grand opening... I purchased (8) bertby display's for my AFA loose collection. I will post pic's after the contractor's are finished cutting up the entry way walls in that room.

 

[Jasper]

On a much more modest note than many of these, I got one of these shelves for my projector and accidentally filled it up with star wars figures too. This sits above the sofa in my living room.

 

[Billy_Ray]

Question for anyone that has Billys with the corner set up...how many sets of the corner hardware do you need to buy? I am planning on two of the tall bookcases with the smaller corner piece. The website says the corner hardware is a "2-pack" but only shows two brackets.

Pretty excited aout getting these finally...well, looks like I won't be getting them until my birthday in July. The space I am working with is kind of a small corner, but I measured it and everything should work out perfect. Right now I am using a cobbled together mess of two different sized Wal-Mart/K-mart shelves, some rounded corner shelves from Target, and some closet organizer shelves from somewhere to act as the corner piece. Nothing matches, the two shelf units are different heights, and it is a pretty unstable set up. Can't wait to upgrade!

 

[MrPickles]

I love this thread....can spend hours in it.

 

[frodo]

i think this is a little off topic but i have to ask cause ill be having a cabinet made and ill be installing lights. are incandescent safer for loose and moc figs? i read somewhere it was better so changed all my lights in my room because of it. is it really?

 

[ChrisGeorgoulias]

Question for anyone that has Billys with the corner set up...how many sets of the corner hardware do you need to buy? I am planning on two of the tall bookcases with the smaller corner piece. The website says the corner hardware is a "2-pack" but only shows two brackets.

You can't nicely do what you want. You need all 3 cases to be same height for it to work and in that case one corner hardware set will do it. The 2 large V brackets go on the bottom. One on each side. For the top there are 2 small brackets that screw across the tops. The V brackets are nothing more than guides to position the bottom of the cases at 45 degree angles. The weight of the cases keeps them in the grooves. It's the small brackets on top that bolt things together and your staggered idea won't allow that. You will have to be creative and construct your own brackets to join the cases if you must have the shorter one in the middle. If you don't join them and your on carpet, forget it. The cases will bow all over the place. Once you join the tops it works great.

Buy the tall center case, you'll need it. If you put doors on the cases later on you have to skip the corner case because of how the doors on the side cases overlap the corner case when they open.

-chris

 

[Billy_Ray]

Chris, thanks for the help! Sorry for the confusion, I do mean to get all three units the same height as you suggested. I just read what I wrote and it does sound like I meant to get a shorter corner cabinet (by smaller I actually meant narrower). I really just wasn't sure how the corner hardware worked.

So to do what I want to do all I need is one set of the hardware The v shaped rail things go on the floor to act as guides and the smaller brackets actually connect the shelves.

 

[ChrisGeorgoulias]

So to do what I want to do all I need is one set of the hardware The v shaped rail things go on the floor to act as guides and the smaller brackets actually connect the shelves.

Yep!

-chris

 

[prufrock]

To all of those out there using the Morebo glass doors, has anyone put artwork/graphics/pictures between the glass and the fiberboard? I get lots of light in my basement, and I thought a cool SW theme would help keep out the rays but still look nice.

 

[JohnA]

To all of those out there using the Morebo glass doors, has anyone put artwork/graphics/pictures between the glass and the fiberboard? I get lots of light in my basement, and I thought a cool SW theme would help keep out the rays but still look nice.

Why not just get the solid wood doors then? Everybody is into a different type of display but I'm more of a fan of a museum display. I think SW graphics on the door may give it more of a "toy store" look, though if that's what you want to go for it may look great. I just figure if you want to cover the glass on the doors then it defeats the purpose of glass. I think they also have frosted glass doors which may help. I'm pretty sure Shane has them on one of his cases.

John

 

[Robert_Acquarulo]

Honestly guys, I was blown away by some of the collections that were posted in this thread. After seeing them, I felty compelled to post mine.

 

[prufrock]

Why not just get the solid wood doors then? Everybody is into a different type of display but I'm more of a fan of a museum display. I think SW graphics on the door may give it more of a "toy store" look, though if that's what you want to go for it may look great. I just figure if you want to cover the glass on the doors then it defeats the purpose of glass. I think they also have frosted glass doors which may help. I'm pretty sure Shane has them on one of his cases.

Hey John.

I think that the "museum" look is really effective when the contents justify it. So far my stuff is more "toy" than "collectible".

I read in this thread that Shane wishes he had the clear glass now. I like the frosted look, but in his case (a windowless basement with amazing items) the clear would be a great upgrade.

I was thinking of these doors over solid ones for their versatility: I can use the fibreboard if I want a solid look, clear for displaying items, or put images in between for a little whimsy.

I was thinking of using something like the movie posters (domestic and international) or some McQuarrie art.

 

[ChrisGeorgoulias]

I was thinking of these doors over solid ones for their versatility: I can use the fibreboard if I want a solid look, clear for displaying items, or put images in between for a little whimsy.

I agree. You have many more options with what you're talking about. With those in place it ends up being more like a cabinet if that's what you're after. Plus you have the option of black or white. You could even cover them with wood-grain contact paper and expand the options.

I couldn't bear to throw those panels out and now I have a nice stack of them in my attic. I think I have 19 plus a short one! Along with an even bigger stack of unused wood shelves. I probably have 40 of those. Too bad there's no way to sell all of that stuff back to IKEA.

-chris

 

[Nick_Macarty]

Too bad there's no way to sell all of that stuff back to IKEA.

-chris

Could you not Ebay it all Chris? But make it clear for them to "Pick up only"

I'm sure someone out there may be after 2 or 3, as they may have a broken or scratched panel etc.

-Nick

 

[Path]

My little Detolf:

 

[G_Man]

Path, I really like those risers! May I ask where you got them and the measurements. Looking for something like that for my display case??? Thanks, Gary
Oh, Great collection by the way!! Sweet display!

 

[Habs98]

I seen these at the IKEA in Philadelphia for $99. Plan on grabbing a few here pretty soon.