[meteorite-list] A box to put my meteorites in...Part one

From: Rob Wesel <Nakhladog_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:29:59 2004
Message-ID: <003d01c38342$8a1c5a60$037cd50c_at_GOLIATH>

Boxes, boxes and drawers and random shelves. Unseen, loved but distant to
the eye of their beholder. This has been the fate of my collection for the
last five years.

It grew slow, the collection, and in the early days it occupied a shelf in
the living room. About 15 pieces at the time, it was Christmas, time to
decorate and my wife needed the shelf space for Christmas knick-knacks. Too
much effort to ask me to relocate them or put them in a box for safekeeping,
I came home one day after work to find a celestial pile of rubble on the
corner of the shelf. The whole lot heaved into a mound and camouflaged with
that fake snow crap. I knew then that meteorites weren't my wife's cup of
tea and they need to be moved somewhere safe as the value of the collection
was increasing and they deserved respect regardless of value

So boxes, boxes and drawers and random shelves in my office. Unseen, waiting
for a home.

The last two years have been defining what that home would be, what it would
need to do for me...and for the meteorites. The office was granted to me
upon the birth of my son Logan, now two, as natural history, optics,
computers, and chemicals don't mix well with toddlers. It is my sanctuary,
my fortress of solitude, an homage to all things me and I must thank my wife
for such a concession.

What would it take? Form and function.

Space was a major concern and in shopping various furniture stores I ran
into various nice display cases but none suited for meteorites. They all
stood on the floor, what good is a meteorite on the floor? I needed a wall
mount. All wall mounted display units lacked doors. I hit eBay. Baseball
cases, golf ball, pez...all had the right dimension, minimal depth, but they
all lacked any aesthetic. Only one answer, custom built. The next two years
were spent conceiving the case of my dreams and proposing it to cabinet
makers. Plans on paper, CAD, napkins.

As important as form was function, protection. Years were spent researching
lighting and other electronics.

Most cabinet makers sent me away, too complex. The best bid for my design
was $1600 without glass and electronics. I was discouraged to say the least.
Still I pressed on, bought the electronics I needed, searched for more
options on eBay.

In the end, after watching one too many episodes of Trading Spaces, I made
the decision....I would build it myself damnit.


Continued

--
Rob Wesel
------------------
We are the music makers...and we are the dreamers of the dreams.
Willy Wonka, 1971

Received on Thu 25 Sep 2003 04:53:50 AM PDT