Tommy gun violin case (need input!)

[bingoh]

So, thanks to JoakSteins Tommy gun violin case project, I decided to take the leap and try to make one for my firing Auto Ordinance Thompson (something I’d been considering for quite some time).

I picked up this antique wooden coffin-style case on ebay for a reasonable price hoping it would be big enough. Unfortunately not…it’s about 1.5 inches too short.

So, here’s where I need input from the more woodworker-inclined…my first thought was to chop off the narrow end, build an open-ended “box” to extend it the needed 1.5 inches, and attach the old end back on to keep the shape. I had already planned to reinforce the bottom with a second layer of wood due to a crack and just wanting extra strength for the heft of the Tommy gun, so I figured I could build onto that.

Would there be an easier/ better way to do it? I have enough basic woodworking tools to do normal household wood work, but my skills in this area just aren’t that advanced.

Any advice appreciated!

 

[03hemi]

I did the same, this is how mine turned out.
Reinforced same case and French lined mine.

My velvet covered straps, make sure to cover any leather that contacts blueing with cloth or it will ruin its finish.

Mine was a sentimental gift to Al Capone for his "special day" from his crew.

Surged velvet devider to keep any parts from touching, I ain't a gangsta.

Before all the bits-n-pieces were finished on the inside, but shows broken down and stored. Wooden box contains copy of my tax stamp.

Actually my first layout, but would've worked. Just shows the room and versatility the case has, but has to be reinforced to handle the weight of the gun and ammo; mine carries 55 rnds securely.

Have fun, hit me up for any details.

 

[JamesM242]

03hemi - Outstanding work! Just gorgeous! Thank you for sharing.

 

[smithjohnj]

One woodworking technique for expanding a circular table to a slightly larger circular shape is called a "Jube expanding table design". The effect is to cut the circular edge into pie-shaped wedges and slide them apart out from the original center. In your case you do not need to expand a complete circle but just a portion. This can help maintain the appearance of the smooth flowing lines of the case. I would make some paper templates by tracing the outline of the narrow end of the case, find the center of the curve, and experiment with different number of wedges and wedge angles to see if this might work for you.

 

[bingoh]

I did the same, this is how mine turned out.
Reinforced same case and French lined mine.
View attachment 1826771
My velvet covered straps, make sure to cover any leather that contacts blueing with cloth or it will ruin its finish.
View attachment 1826772
Mine was a sentimental gift to Al Capone for his "special day" from his crew.
View attachment 1826773
Surged velvet devider to keep any parts from touching, I ain't a gangsta.
View attachment 1826774
Before all the bits-n-pieces were finished on the inside, but shows broken down and stored. Wooden box contains copy of my tax stamp.
View attachment 1826775
Actually my first layout, but would've worked. Just shows the room and versatility the case has, but has to be reinforced to handle the weight of the gun and ammo; mine carries 55 rnds securely.
View attachment 1826776
Have fun, hit me up for any details.

That's just spectacular, Hemi! Exactly what I would love to do! I was trying to find a way to do it without field stripping it, maybe just removing the buttstock and foregrip, but the dimensions are causing me fits. I may just have to resort to what you did...and, frankly, your setup gives me hope that's a viable option.

**EDIT** Damn...just checked it and even field stripped, the upper is too long. Unfortunately, mine's not an SBR, else this would be a lot easier.

 

[03hemi]

That's just spectacular, Hemi! Exactly what I would love to do! I was trying to find a way to do it without field stripping it, maybe just removing the buttstock and foregrip, but the dimensions are causing me fits. I may just have to resort to what you did...and, frankly, your setup gives me hope that's a viable option.

**EDIT** Damn...just checked it and even field stripped, the upper is too long. Unfortunately, mine's not an SBR, else this would be a lot easier.

Yeah, I didn't know that, but that's gonna be a problem. Just SBR it.
Another option, you could try a viola case. Probably have to go knew, but they're a bit longer and may work for you?

 

[bingoh]

Yeah, I didn't know that, but that's gonna be a problem. Just SBR it.
Another option, you could try a viola case. Probably have to go knew, but they're a bit longer and may work for you?

I'm not sure I'm willing to pay the Feds $200, jump through the background check hoops, and give the ATF carte blanche to search my gun safe just so I can make a violin case for my tommy gun...

I looked at viola cases when I dove into this and didn't find anything quite long enough there, either. I had actually recently considered dropping the classic violin case idea and go with more of a Michael Sullivan-esque Road to Perdition case. Not quite as flashy and gangster-cool but still different.

 

[adamszki427]

would it be viable to cut the end off, space it out and then fiberglass in the gap somehow. not sure what your intention is with the exterior finish but if you were to wrap the case in vinyl/leather/tolex and line the interior then none of the fiberglass would be visible. could be possible to make a form from xps foam or similar to get the curves of the top and bottom.

 

[bingoh]

would it be viable to cut the end off, space it out and then fiberglass in the gap somehow. not sure what your intention is with the exterior finish but if you were to wrap the case in vinyl/leather/tolex and line the interior then none of the fiberglass would be visible. could be possible to make a form from xps foam or similar to get the curves of the top and bottom.

I wanted to keep the exterior similar in appearance as it already is...aged, worn wooden violin case (the thought being that a mob hitman carrying a Chicago Typewriter in a case under his arm wouldn't want to stand out). I didn't figure that would be difficult, even with modifications, since it's just a black painted wooden case and I should be able to reproduce wear on the paint for modified sections relatively easily.

The hard part with extending the length is the angles. As you can see, the case itself tapers, but the end comes to a blunt rounded "point." If I extended the length of the case and continue the same taper, the rounded end would be too wide to fit the new section. That would mean making a new rounded end too, and I'm not sure I have the woodworking skills to do that.

 

[adamszki427]

I wanted to keep the exterior similar in appearance as it already is...aged, worn wooden violin case (the thought being that a mob hitman carrying a Chicago Typewriter in a case under his arm wouldn't want to stand out). I didn't figure that would be difficult, even with modifications, since it's just a black painted wooden case and I should be able to reproduce wear on the paint for modified sections relatively easily.

The hard part with extending the length is the angles. As you can see, the case itself tapers, but the end comes to a blunt rounded "point." If I extended the length of the case and continue the same taper, the rounded end would be too wide to fit the new section. That would mean making a new rounded end too, and I'm not sure I have the woodworking skills to do that.

i hear you. so there may be a way to do this but i think the most difficult challenge is hiding the joints between any new section inserted and any existing parts. i think possibly the way to go is to make the extension piece and then apply a veneer over the whole front and back of the case to hide the joins, then blend the paint and weathering as necessary. the curve on the surface is possiblly shallow enough to just apply the veneer with glue and then somehow clamp up or shove it in a big vacuum bag..... i would say that might be easier than trying to get the joinery so tight, but if it's getting painted then maybe wood filler may just do enough to hide the joints. the bonus of the veneer method is added thickness and strength to the case front and back.

 

[03hemi]

I got ya, I'm just not worried about the alphabet soup. I'm buying a suppressor for my 300 BO so I don't care.

 

[03hemi]

That's just spectacular, Hemi! Exactly what I would love to do! I was trying to find a way to do it without field stripping it, maybe just removing the buttstock and foregrip, but the dimensions are causing me fits. I may just have to resort to what you did...and, frankly, your setup gives me hope that's a viable option.

**EDIT** Damn...just checked it and even field stripped, the upper is too long. Unfortunately, mine's not an SBR, else this would be a lot easier.

No field strip
To assemble: Just slide the receiver and frame together until it snaps.
To disassemble: Use the screwdriver to depress the receiver lock button on bottom, give the trigger a couple of squeezes and the two just slide apart.
Saw this trick in a WWII training video of how to separate the M1 quickly.

 

[bingoh]

No field strip
To assemble: Just slide the receiver and frame together until it snaps.
To disassemble: Use the screwdriver to depress the receiver lock button on bottom, give the trigger a couple of squeezes and the two just slide apart.
Saw this trick in a WWII training video of how to separate the M1 quickly.

Sorry, I used the term "field strip" too liberally. I meant separating (what I suppose would be considered in a modern firearm...not sure if that applied historically ) the upper and lower.

That being said, I had never heard the trigger pull trick. It's always been a pain to get that receiver lock button depressed the second time once you slide the upper forward and it drops into that channel. The manual says to use a screwdriver to depress it again, but it's not easy. I'm gonna have to try your trick! Thanks!

 

[bingoh]

i hear you. so there may be a way to do this but i think the most difficult challenge is hiding the joints between any new section inserted and any existing parts. i think possibly the way to go is to make the extension piece and then apply a veneer over the whole front and back of the case to hide the joins, then blend the paint and weathering as necessary. the curve on the surface is possiblly shallow enough to just apply the veneer with glue and then somehow clamp up or shove it in a big vacuum bag..... i would say that might be easier than trying to get the joinery so tight, but if it's getting painted then maybe wood filler may just do enough to hide the joints. the bonus of the veneer method is added thickness and strength to the case front and back.

That's a possibility. Thinking I'll just have to make a paper template to see how much of a gap extending the length will create.

 

[03hemi]

Sorry, I used the term "field strip" too liberally. I meant separating (what I suppose would be considered in a modern firearm...not sure if that applied historically ) the upper and lower.

That being said, I had never heard the trigger pull trick. It's always been a pain to get that receiver lock button depressed the second time once you slide the upper forward and it drops into that channel. The manual says to use a screwdriver to depress it again, but it's not easy. I'm gonna have to try your trick! Thanks!

Not sure it works on the 27/28?
Like I said, it was a WWII training video on the M1, let us know!

 

[GrenadeKing]

I'm not sure I'm willing to pay the Feds $200, jump through the background check hoops, and give the ATF carte blanche to search my gun safe just so I can make a violin case for my tommy gun...

That is a myth perpetuated by paranoid old men. Having a tax stamp does not give anyone permission to waltz into your house whenever they please. If the ATF wants to search your home without consent, they'll need a warrant just like any other agency.

The worst part is really just the cost and the wait time. The paperwork can be done online, photos uploaded online, and fingerprints can be done at home as well. Takes like an hour at most. But, then you have to wait weeks/month for approval.

My biggest problem with SBRing a Thompson is that I don't think I can't re-barrel one in my tool shed.

 

[03hemi]

That is a myth perpetuated by paranoid old men. Having a tax stamp does not give anyone permission to waltz into your house whenever they please. If the ATF wants to search your home without consent, they'll need a warrant just like any other agency.

The worst part is really just the cost and the wait time. The paperwork can be done online, photos uploaded online, and fingerprints can be done at home as well. Takes like an hour at most. But, then you have to wait weeks/month for approval.

My biggest problem with SBRing a Thompson is that I don't think I can't re-barrel one in my tool shed.

I understand people are being approved in a matter of weeks now?
Mine took 7 or 8 mos.
And yes, with a barrel wrentch now you can.

 

[greenmachines]

I understand people are being approved in a matter of weeks now?
Mine took 7 or 8 mos.
And yes, with a barrel wrentch now you can.

The quick turn around is a real thing. Being one that was about one month before that started happening, I also know it is not retroactive. Old slow are still in the old slow pile. Several people I heard say they ordered a second one recently and both came through including the old one. Having a long history with corporate shenanigans as well as working for government, this all has the reek of temporary subconning the work to a non-government group. As in, they are likely subconning "new" orders (overflow) to a commercial company that gets paid for actually working instead of carrying a specifically sized and quota'd backlog (government worker's rules).

 

[GrenadeKing]

I understand people are being approved in a matter of weeks now?
Mine took 7 or 8 mos.
And yes, with a barrel wrentch now you can.

Yep, they've getting new stamps approved in 2 weeks or less even from what I've seen. My last one, 3 or 4 years ago, I did online and it only took 2 months. First one was on paper and took almost a year.

 

[bingoh]

Yep, they've getting new stamps approved in 2 weeks or less even from what I've seen. My last one, 3 or 4 years ago, I did online and it only took 2 months. First one was on paper and took almost a year.

That's extremely surprising. I looked at getting a suppressor several years ago and the turn around times I heard was 6 months minimum, with 12-18 months possible.

That was also before my state passed a law that the sheriff/chief law enforcement officer who has to sign off on the application had to have an actual reason to reject it. Before that, they could just reject an application because they didn't want to sign it, didn't like suppressors/autos/SBR's, or even just didn't like you as an applicant.