Measurements for burial flag display case

heathicus · Post by **heathicus** » Mon Jul 16, 2012 10:54 pm

My best friend from high school passed away almost a year ago, shortly after retiring from the Army. He had a full Military funeral and his wife has the burial flag. I asked her if I could make a display case for it and his medals and she said she would really like that instead of buying one. I asked if she could measure the folded flag for me so I could make the case to fit (since the flag is larger and thicker than any flag is have access to), but so far she hasn't been able to provide that. She lives several hours away, so I can't go by to measure it myself and I don't want to nag her about it.

Can anybody give me some measurements to go by?

swampgator · Post by **swampgator** » Mon Jul 16, 2012 11:17 pm

I made a similar offer for a retired Navy veteran. Since she and her children didn't offer me the flag, I went to Michael's and measured one of theirs. Now, that I have the measurements, will ask again if they want me to make it or did they just buy one. Good luck. You can probably find what you are looking for at a hobby shop and take your phone to make photos.

beeg · Post by **beeg** » Mon Jul 16, 2012 11:30 pm

Don't know if this will help. But Woodsmith mag. vol34/no.201 has plans for a military issued flag. The back is 24.5, sides are 17 21/64, height of box is 3 3/8.
Rough dimensions of the flag are 10.5X20.75, depending upon who folded it.

pennview · Post by **pennview** » Tue Jul 17, 2012 9:02 am

Here is a commercially available case for the flag and mementos (metals, ribbons, photos, etc.) that is an alternative to the triangular case -- http://www.allendisplay.com/30w-x-15h-x ... splay-Case -- It probably is a lot easier cutting and assembling than the triangular one as well.

spiderclimber · Post by **spiderclimber** » Tue Jul 17, 2012 10:51 am

The size of the flag is going to vary on who folded it. It will be the same size when unfolded but depending on how good the guard was that folded the flag will depend on the size of the flag as it sits now.

I built a flag case for my Grandfathers flag a while back. The flag was folded by the local honor guard, but not very well, white showing and some red. They also folded the flag how you normally see one folded, withthe end tucked in so it makes a nice triangle but it doesn't lay flat. A true trained military Honor guard for funerals at say Arlington Nation Cemetery will not fold the end and tuck it in. They back fold the end making a perfect triangle, and the flag is basically loose if you let it go, but it lays perfectly flat and looks the best. I do not hold a superiorly high significance on once it is folded it should never be unfolded so I redid it the way it would have been done in Arlington. When the Honor guard folded it, the bottom was 25 inches across. When I got done folding it, it was closer to 22 I think with the center being 11 inches.

You really need to get the dimensions from them, or ask for the flag for a month while you construct it so you can make it fit like a glove. Don't take generic measurement from a site or what someone else used. It probably won't match.

Here is a link to a few pics so you can get the idea that this flag case was made to fit like a glove. Flag case

Just my two cents.

terrydowning · Post by **terrydowning** » Tue Jul 17, 2012 11:59 am

I agree with spider. How the flag is folded is much more germane to the size of the flag. I have seen great folds that are very tight and really flat, and I've seen honor guard flag folds that could have been done better by first year Boy Scouts.

IMHO, A custom case is usually a better fit than the generic store bought ones and usually means more to the family. Please make sure that the wood is sealed with a good film forming finish like poly-urethane to keep the tannin (acids) in the wood from attacking the flag and decorations.

Thanks for your willingness to honor your friend and a vet.

mikelst · Post by **mikelst** » Tue Jul 17, 2012 2:58 pm

terrydowning wrote:I agree with spider. How the flag is folded is much more germane to the size of the flag. I have seen great folds that are very tight and really flat, and I've seen honor guard flag folds that could have been done better by first year Boy Scouts.

IMHO, A custom case is usually a better fit than the generic store bought ones and usually means more to the family. Please make sure that the wood is sealed with a good film forming finish like poly-urethane to keep the tannin (acids) in the wood from attacking the flag and decorations.

Thanks for your willingness to honor your friend and a vet.

What he said.

pennview · Post by **pennview** » Tue Jul 17, 2012 3:16 pm

I hope no one though I was suggesting BUYING the display box I referenced earlier. To the contrary, I though it a relatively easy box to replicate that not only held the memorial flag, but also allows for adding other mementos from a military career. The hand-made case certainly would be much appreciated, especially coming from a good friend. Were I making something similar, I'd skip the sliding doors and make one similar to a box with a hinged lid containing a glass panel, and some sort of catch or lock to keep it closed while hanging on the wall. Alternatively, it could be placed on an horizontal surface.

fixit · Post by **fixit** » Wed Jul 18, 2012 1:35 pm

heathicus,

I suggest you go here: http://www.wwgoa.com/ and spend the $19.99 to become a Premium Member so you can watch the video on making a flag case.
I have NO connection with this web site other than as a satisfied user of their information and products.

George Vondriska has a video showing how to make a custom made flag case which will fit the flag perfectly. He also tells how to get the measurements from the flag to be sure the case is a perfect fit.

Of course this doesn't show how to make a case to also include decorations and insignia. However, I believe it's better to have separate cases for each. I made flag cases and shadow boxes for a business selling military memorabilia until he went out of business recently. His opinion was people preferred separate cases for flags and decorations. That was because he sold many more separate cases than combination ones.

pennview · Post by **pennview** » Wed Jul 18, 2012 1:50 pm

Leonard, thanks for the link to that woodworking site.

I have a set of plans for building the triangular case that came from the August 2006 Woodworker’s Journal. Personally, I like the idea of a case in which one can show off related memorabilia.