Flight Box

Anyone have any plans for a small home made flight box?

Rubbermaid stool/toolbox combination, about $11. Craftsman has one also, and I recently saw another brand with bigger tool compartment, but perhaps a bit light duty for some of us "bigger" citizens. Steve

Root,

I built one of my own but plan to build another after learning a few things. I also used one of those Tower jobs that worked OK.

Might be best to just lay out whatever stuff you want to put in the flight box and then decide how they would be be stored, then design a box that fits the bill.

>Anyone have any plans for a small home made flight box?
>
>Paul

I have one I designed that we made two of, one for Matt, one for me. It works well and I really wouldn't change anything. It is made from 1/4 inch (or metric equivilent) Luan plywood underlayment--the stuff they put on floors before putting down vinyl floor covering. It looks nice, finishes up nicely with polyurethane, isn't too heavy, and a full sheet will build a couple. You could also do the same with quarter ince "Lite Ply" (Poplar plywood) which would build even lighter. My original plans were scribbled out just enough to figure it out and build from, but I have often thought (this might be the impetus to do it) of drawing up the plans in CAD for others to build from.

Here are thee pictures. I asked Matt to straighten it out before taking pictures, but he is too busy working on his new Classic ship.

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This is how it looks when it is all "locked up". Easy to store, easy to carry to the field, and everything is enclosed so nothing spills out or collects rain.

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Here is a shot of the top opened and the front door laying down showing the two parts drawers underneath. The lid will hold props up to 13 inch in diameter. The top main compartment holds several handles in front, ball wrenches, etc. in the rear. You can store three large line reels on the left side plus the tach on top, and the rear left compartment holds either a wind meter or a sound meter (depending on your "druthers" for the day). It usually has the wind meter. It can also be used for a stooge and pullhandle, if that is your "thing."
That front door that closes over the drawers is held in place with a magnet "catch" (actually a thumb tack on the door and a small magnet inset into the box) which locks in place when the lid is down.

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And here's a shot with one of the front drawers open. The two drawers can hold a lot of "miscellaneous" parts, anything from big wrenches, to spare plugs, bolts, fuel tubing, starting glove, etc.

I'm looking for one as well, for my C/L "stuff". I don't use one for R/C; my transmitter came in its own nice hardcase, I use a DuBro jug with self-contained attached fuel pump, and everything else is in a cordura gear bag.

I recall seeing one made from heavy-duty cardboard, that was quite similar in configuration to a six-pack carton of soft drinks- remember those, with the handle in the middle? Of course, that was many years ago, but I think Sig made it. That would be ideal for my needs.

Basically, all I need is something to carry a quart of fuel upright and securely, another compartment for the ignition battery, and a compartment or two for a few tools & odds'n'ends. I'm thinking a kitchen bucket of some sort....

Just out of curiousity, what do hard-core C/L guys favor?

I have a good flight box that I have been using since 1979. It is primerily used for pitting for combat and Rat Race, but I find that it is also very good for all types of modeling. Measures 8"X 16" X 12". I hope that Leonard will post some pictures of it that I sent him.

I have plans for it.

Bigiron

I am adding the pictures for Marvin.

There's a bunch of different style boxes at: http://www.clcombat.info/boxes.html

A few are the Rich Lopez type published as a building article/plan I think in Model Builder mag.

I like having at least one drawer or covered area to keep the clean bits clean!

- Norm Furutani

P.S. Happy New Year to All!

Here is the one I use. It starts out as a Sig mini flight box and I apply walnut veneer and inlay to fancy it up. I needed it to be covered as the field dust and such just ruins a field box. Everything is covered when in storage or the work shop. I am currently making one for JimZ from Mass. His will hold props as well as fuel. It will be different than this slghtly. Pics will follow in a few weeks when completed.
Go to www.dickbyron.com to look at more pisc.

I think the coolest ones are the ones from Tammie (sp?) Hobbies in Portland. Bruce Perry has one. So does Scott Reise. Fold up legs, place to put the plane to work on it. Carries everyting. Very cool.

Here is a flight box that I built from 1/4" plywood. It turned out a full sheet of plywood was enough to build 3 flight boxes. I sold one to a friend and I have one left if you would like to have it for $20.00 plus postage. Its put together with screws. The right side comes off for the battery. I built the battery box larger enough for a small lawn mower battery. A lawn mower battery is $14.00 at Wal Mart a Hobby battery is $27.00 at the hobby shop. Lawn mower battery lasts all summer only had to charge it once. I keep my electric starter above the battery. The box has a place to plug in the starter. 2 draws for tools. I keep my control line handle, cables, a things I use most in the top. I built the left side for a metal fuel can but I never use it. Left side is open for what ever you like. I usually keep all my props on the left. You could probably build yourself one of these just from looking at the picture.

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Here is the one to have..... My dad is building them.....

I use a modified version of this, cheap, small compact but with enough room for all my stuff.

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXL414&P=7

My flight box is a five gallon bucket. It holds a gallon of fuel with plenty of room for tools and supplies. The top is a Bucket Boss "Bucket Seat". This arrangement is inexpensive, voluminous, easy to clean and transport.
I have a separate power tote which I take to the flight line. It consists of a power panel and a 12V, 5Ah, sealed lead acid battery.
Derek Moran

I have an old, beat up, but restorable small flight box that needs a good home. This one has served well for three NATs wins, two Walkers, a World 2nd and a bunch of also rans. I don't need it any longer but hate to throw away an old friend.

I found that the Sig Mini Field Boss works pretty good, assuming you are not carrying too much equipment in it. It comes in a kit that is easy to assemble.
I have my miscellaneous generic tools and field junk in a plain old toolbox, but I have the Sig box set up just for the stunt planes.
There's enough room for lines, handles, a half-gallon fuel jug, props and a few tools, and there's a detachable part that holds a power panel and battery.
The Sig box can be purchased in a kit with the power panel, too, if you want to go that way.
I also have a separate custom box set up for combat use, and a simple basket just for racing. If you get into heavy competition in more than one category, there's just too much stuff to put it all in one box.
--jt

Duck,
The Pratt and Whitney sticker adds a lot of class to your box!

Fix-it
A former wrench spinner with many P&W 120A power runs fondly remembered.

Hey Al,

If no one has taken you up on it, I'd love to restore that box for my son. You met him at VSC and kindly gave him a couple pics of your Bearcat, which he treasures. That box would be a neat birthday present.

If it's spoken for, no problem, really.

Mike Danford

Mike,

I would be happy to have you give it a good home. It holds a gallon can in each end, about half a dozed props on the inside of the lid and has about 8" in the middle the same height and depth as a gallon can.

I need your address. With a strap to hold it closed, it will ship unprotected. It is plenty strong.

When I first started out, waaay back when, I used my pockets. That sure was a mess. Levi lint on everything!! I tried the wooden box, a modified fishing tackle box and even the Sig cardboard box. Now I use a plastic roll-around box from Wal-Mart. I got the idea from Ed Culver at a Huntersville, NC contest three years ago. Several gents from that area use them also. It is wet proof, fuel proof, and has a separate tote for carrying just enough for the flight line. The handle and wheels make it nice, you don't have to carry it and even a wife can pull it behind her and the noise from the wheels (plastic) drowns out any gripping she may be doing. heh, heh.

Matney Models sells a laser cut one which in racing we referred to it as a line box. Every year at Toledo I would pick up a dozen to sell in my Hobby shop before I sold it. About 30.00. Art Adamision was always working their both.
http://www.matneymodels.com/
Richard Oliver

>Matney Models sells a laser cut one which in racing we
>referred to it as a line box. Every year at Toledo I would
>pick up a dozen to sell in my Hobby shop before I sold it.
>About 30.00. Art Adamision was always working their both.
>http://www.matneymodels.com/
>Richard Oliver

Neat box, but how do you attach the cables to the silver thing with the sticks on it?

Here's mine. Made from 1/2" ply, should have used some 1/4 here and there to save weight. The "french fitted" top section with most often used tools works great, easy to tell when something is missing and has saved a number of tools I would have otherwise left in the field.

The little boxes I use instead of drawers also have worked out well, and are cheap tackle boxes obtained at wally world.

The Green box I made about 25 years ago, It suits me well but its heavy. I've decided to redesign my box for control line use using lighter materials leaving the heavy battery and power panel off and including a paper towel holder and spray cleaner. I plan to leave the doors off and just have drawers held in place with a magnet. I've included drawers on the bottom to hold my props. I plan to have seperate drawers to hold my lines and handles. And another for tools. I will also include a ball driver rack on the right side and a glow starer rack on the left. Like building aircraft it's hard to keep the weight down. But I do enjoy a good box. Any suggestions?

Mike

This "bucket" isn't mine, but (Hey, a pun!) I wish it was. This is the best flight box I have seen yet! A friend sent me this pic, too funny.

>This "bucket" isn't mine, but (Hey, a pun!) I wish it was.
>This is the best flight box I have seen yet! A friend sent
>me this pic, too funny.

The picture shows the backside, the front has a place to hold prop spinners:+

>>This "bucket" isn't mine, but (Hey, a pun!) I wish it was.
>>This is the best flight box I have seen yet! A friend sent
>>me this pic, too funny.
>
>The picture shows the backside, the front has a place to
>hold prop spinners:+

It might!

If you make a large flight box be sure to set the plane out first or fellow flyers will be directing you to the RC field.