ACT I:
The case top is in good condition, some torn material and scuffed places, and very dirty. But the bottom was in pretty bad shape. The sides and end are made from plywood. The center brace of ¾” wood. The bottom was most likely made from masonite. The same material peg board is made from. It’s good until it gets wet, then its junk.
I didn’t start taking pictures until after I was mostly finished repairing the case bottom, I wish I’d started sooner. Let me describe it: the plywood ends were almost completely de-laminated. The water had broken the glue bond and the wood was pealing apart. About the only thing holding them together was the rivets through the latches.
The sides were also de-laminating in several places, and three of the corners had come apart. The fabric on it was rotten and falling off.
So, I pealed the fabric off, then took each piece of plywood and spread the layers apart. Then using a plastic credit card I worked the wood glue, I use Elmer’s Wood Glue Max, all the way through and between each layer of wood. Then clamped it tight with wax paper between the case part and pieces of wood and metal I used to spread the clamping force.
After the box walls were repaired I nailed the pieces together using paneling nails. I use these kind of nails because the barbs hold good.
Then I cut out a new bottom from ¼” plywood. Free stuff, no cost.
Glued it and clamped it together, then I nailed the new bottom to the frame.
After putting the box back together I put in a new base for the cord block. The cord block is screwed to the floor of the case with a wood screw. So an additional thickness of wood is glued in the box so the screw doesn’t penetrate the bottom.
Here is the repaired bottom from the outside.
You can see all the nails I used, in addition to the glue, to make my repairs stronger.
When I got to this point I put the top on and closed the latches. It fit! Yayyyyy!
