Hi to anyone looking at this! This fall, I'll be starting my junior year of my undergrad degree, and I'll be taking my first entomology course.

A very simple case can be made from 1 x 4 pine lumber, 1/8 inch hardboard and a piece of 3/4 inch foam board insulation for pinning the specimens into.  Most any lumber yard should have this material on hand.  I don't know if you can get a small amount for just one case.  The hardboard and foam board come in 4ft x 8ft sheets usually.  Sometimes they have half sheets availble.  A good practical size case is 18" x 24" x 3 1/2"  It will take one 8 foot 1x4 per case  The 1x4 is actually 3 1/2" wide so it just need to cut off two 24" long pieces for top and bottom. The sides will be 16 1/2" and fit inside the other two.  Now if your handy man has a table saw set it for 3" and rip the sides then without moving the fence on the saw lower the blade to 1/4" high and run the top and bottom threw.  This will give you a slot for the glass to slide in.  Next cut your bottom out of the hardboard 18" x 24".  Then use a little glue and some screws to assemble top and bottom to the sides. Put the sides on the inside of the top and bottom boards.  It's a good idea to predrill the top and bottom so you don't split the wood.  When you put the sides together make sure the glass slot is flush with the top edge of the ends.  Then flip this over and nail the back on.  Cut the foam board so it fits snugly on the inside and get a piece of glass cut to slide in and your done. Get the glass sanded on the edges so you don't get cut.  Of course sanding and painting or finishing the box will add to it's looks.  This design allows for the glass to slide both directions for ease of access and can be made narrower if you prefer.  Most of mine are 2 1/2" but if you get some big tropical beetles your in trouble and will need the 3 1/2" size.  The foam board won't like acetone but most of the time you should have no trouble with chemicals.  For pest deterent I use a 1" square piece of "No Pest Strip" or a small vial of Cedar oil. Cost should be about $12 a box.  If you have to buy full sheets of the materials you might be better off paying for the premade box.  Or if your a good salesman make the extra boxes and sell those and you may be ahead of the game.  Best of luck to you.

 

Tom

I have no experience in building a shadowbox, but in the one I bought (on sale at a craftstore), I used thin corkboard as a pinning material. After trying styrofoam, I found the corkboard to be much better.

I once used Plastazote Foam, and it was good enough to put into the Specimen boxes. it is selling at BioQuip Product

 

http://www.bioquip.com/Search/DispProduct.asp?pid=1028P