An octagonal display case, designed for mounting around a column - especially the huge Norway spruce that holds the roof of MIT Fablab Norway.

Concept by Haakon Karlsen, modelling & fabricated by Jon Nordby, with help from Jens Dyvik. First version made in Lyngen, after Nordic Fablab basecamp, January 2016. In March Siemen Cuypers adapted, CNC-milled and outfitted each of the columns of the fablab.

Top & bottom parts were milled in 27 mm wood used for benchplates, but any wood with thickness >18 mm should work. The vertical panels are designed for 5.7 mm acrylic, but 6 mm should work without redesign. By changing the parameters in the source files, can adapt to approx 5-8 mm. Glass instead of acrylic can be used for the front, and vertical panels could be wood (plywood or MDF) instead of acrylic.

DXF parts are made for a circular central column between 800-1000 mm circumference. Adapt the parameters in the design for different sizes.

FreeCAD project file | DXF lasercut parts | DXF milled parts |

Without too much work, the model could be adapted to mounting against a flat wall - cut off and add a slot along the backside.

• CNC-mill: 2 halves for top plate, 2 halves for bottom plate, 4 butterflies, and 4-8 brackets.
• Lasercut or mill, 8 side-walls
• Lasercut or mill, 8 back-walls
• Lasercut or mill, 12 shelves
• (optional) Lasercut or mill, 8 front windows

To be able to slide the front window out, the top plate groves should be cut all the way through (versus ~50% for bottom slots).

• Assemble the vertical panels to each of the bottom halves.
• Attach the brackets to the central column
• Move the bottom plate halves onto the brackets (second pair of hands useful here).
• Use the butterflies to connect the two pieces of bottom plate. Fasten the butterfly with short screws.
• Slide the two halves of the top plate down onto the vertical plates.
• Use the butterflies to connect the two pieces of top plate. Fasten butterfly with short screws.
• (optional) Slide in front windows, through the top slot
• Attach bottom plate to brackets using screws, or use three-four wedges to prevent sideways motion.
• (optional) Use 2 brackets to fasten top plate to column, or add two wedges to prevent sideways motion.

Moved to doctags project