****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
Having already purchased a display case from this supplier for a different purpose, I was expecting a solidly built, well finished product. I wasn't disappointed. The cherry finish is a rich high gloss. The brass latches are very solid and ensure the case remains tightly shut. Is it airtight? Well it would probably leak if you wanted to mount this on the side of a crater on the moon, but I would bet that any air circulation around the door is virtually nil here on Earth.There is a built-in, stationary bracket that holds the handle of the bat. Two brass(?) brackets, two drywall screws, and two plastic drywall anchors are included for mounting to the wall. You have to install the brackets on the case yourself, and 8 little brass screws are included for that purpose. Pilot holes are pre-drilled into the back of the case so it's pretty easy to install the mounting brackets.If you are looking to mount this case horizontally, you won't have any issues. The barrel of the bat is supported by an included bracket that is not fixed to the case. You can put the barrel bracket wherever you like. A baseball display pedestal with a concave dimple is included, also not fixed to the case.On the other hand, if you plan to mount this case vertically, you are going to have a small problem. The manufacturer did pre-drill pilot holes for the mounting hardware, but they put them on the wrong end of the case. The mounting brackets should be mounted to the handle end of the case, but instead the pilots holes are on the barrel/ball end. Put the brackets on that end and you'll end up with your bat rattling around in the case with the handle pointing down and the barrel banging on the door. But if you have a 5/64" drill bit you can fix the problem yourself. Position the bracket on the corner of the frame and carefully drill a shallow hole. Secure the bracket in position with one of the included screws. That will anchor the bracket while you drill the other three pilot holes. They don't have to be deep because the screws are pretty small. The good news is you only have to drill the holes for one bracket. Now when you mount it on the wall, the bat will hang with the barrel end pointing down, the way nature intended. Wonderful, now it looks just like the picture!If you do mount vertically, you won't need the barrel bracket or the baseball pedestal. Just toss them, or do like I did and put the pedestal on top of the case and put another ball up there.One last thing, I found that the plastic anchors did a poor job gripping the drywall. I had to replace them with a couple different anchors I had in my garage.In all, I am thoroughly satisfied with this display. It is very nice looking and the finish matches the other display I have in this room. If it weren't for the minor mounting issues I would give it 5 stars, but since modifications were necessary I give it 4 out of 5.
