chilie

I am interested in seeing pictures of how people store large numbers of their airplanes. I currently have 9 planes and can't seem to come up with an efficient way to store them safely with the smallest footprint in my workshop as possible. I've seen where people makes racks for storing the wings which seems to work out well. Storing the fuselage is a different issue.

How do you guys store all your planes?

outdoorhunting

What I did was to make a "U shaped" bracket out of 1/2" PVC & fastened both legs to a 2 by 4 nailed to ceiling. I left one elbow "unglued" & sanded the PVC a littls so it would slide in & out when I wanted to take the plane of of it. I put that foam tubing you use to insulate plumbing over the legs to save " hanger rash." The plane can sit at whatever attitude you want & is totally out of the way.

fireman7875

My Feedback: (7)

Basically, there is no efficient way to store planes. Different tail and landing gear configurations get in the way. If you build some sort of system to store your current fleet that is efficient just wait until you replace one of your planes. Then it all goes out the window because the new plane is just different enough to prevent it from fitting into your current storage. My solution was a 5x 10 enclosed trailer inside of which I built a combination of shelves and racks that are completely generic so I can fit any type or size plane in it. The best part is there is no loading and unloading. There is no trying to decide which plane to take to the field and there are no more multiple trips to and from the truck carrying planes and equipment. I just hook up to the trailer and off I go!

Brian

chilie

Yeah this is the problem I've faced. I tell you.... if someone comes up with a great system, I bet they'll be rich.

This is the system I'm using for the planes for now. It just takes up a lot of room and I have to believe there is a better way!

Disarray

If I had the money to spend, I would build plywood boxes for each of my planes. Then they could be stacked and protected from hangar rash. I would use an external charge jack that plugs into the plane so I could charge and monitor the batteries while the plane is in the box. Then I could load the planes I want to take to the field quite easily. But the boxes would get a bit expensive.

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

I've built many very inexpensive shipping crates out of 1x2 wood, cardboard and a hot glue gun, they are light, easy to build and very cheap, Big sections of cardboard can be found behind home deopt, Peir One, Furniture stores, etc,,,,

Even if you did use 1/2" ply, decent material would be around $30 a sheet, figure on average one sheet per plane,, that doesn't sound very expensive to me,, the biggest issue I think is they would be heavy to move around

chilie

My main requisite is to get the planes off the ground so I can park my cars without any problem or when I hose out my garage. I love a clean garage, so I'm always having to move my equipment around to make sure it doesn't get wet.

I wish I could weld, I have some idea, but I figure it would cost too much to have someone fabricate my ideas.

tdcombat

Did you check the [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fwd.asp?messageID=9565825]trailer storage thread[/link]? Compact storage there. I like using the little slideshow button for the threads that have lots of pictures, handy.

I find that using the old fashioned shelf bracket systems works perfect for easily customizing different heights for specific planes. 2x3 uprights, brace across the top and a decent base, and everything in between slides just where you need it. $5 for the track, $2 per bracket. I generally store my planes with wings on, so I sacrifice a 4'x5' footprint, if you will.

I can fit six planes on my stand the way it is, and my top bracket is 5' from the floor. The best part about it is that it is not mounted to a wall, so I can slide it around. I put coaster type feet on the frame, so even with it loaded, I can twist it or slide it around my room very easily. Portable, free-standing, adjustable, I love it!

Cheers,
DAVE

gboulton

My Feedback: (15)

After 3-4 different methods of storing airplanes in the shop...and with ever increasing needs in both quantity AND size...my recent major shop renovation led me to a method that, for me at least, has been the most efficient and effective storage system yet.

The basic components of the method are "ClosetMaid" standards and shelf brackets. They're readily available at anyLowe's and, I would think, most other hardware stores. There are, of ocurse, numerous brands that accomplish the same thing.

The main criteria, for me, was adjustibility. I wanted a system that could easily and quickly be changed around to support whatever airplanes happened to need storage at the time. At any given moment, some airplanes might be in the trailer, on the workbench, in the shop, whatever.

Basic idea is that there is a horizontal rail that runs the full length of one shop wall, near the ceiling. Then, vertical standards of various lengths hang from that rail. The standards are NOT attached to the wall in any way, so they can be removed, changed around, slid closer/farther apart, whatever. In the standards are simple shelf brackets of various lengths, covered with PVCInsulation.

The nice thing about this is that a single standard...thus, a single part of 'vertical space" on your wall, can serve double duty...it can be part of a wing rack at one level, and then one side of an airplane rack below that. The first of the two attached pictures demonstrates this.

The other nice thing is that standards of varrying lengths can be used to support single large airplanes, or multiple smaller airplanes. The second picture illustrates this idea.

Finally, they can even be used as single hanging points (or, a bracket can serve double duty) for things like wing bags, as shown in the 3rd picture.

I'll take some more specific pictures later today when I get home from work, but this is a basic idea.

The system is a tad pricier than a "DIY" system with wood/PVC...but a whole lot more configurable and, as a result, more functional imo. DO keep any receipts, because everyone i know who's using this system (myself included) has, after they started hanging airplanes, found creative ways to do more with less, and wound up returning many of the standards and brackets they thought they'd need.

gboulton

My Feedback: (15)

FWIW, btw, on my 20' wall, interrupted by a pedestrian door, I have, at one point, stored fuselage AND wings for:

~ 80" Dave Patrick Edge
84" Wildhare V1 Edge
102" Wildhare 35% Edge
Parkzone P-51 Mustang
MS Composit Foam Pitts S2S Bulldog
Hobby Lobby Senior Telemaster
Sig Hog Bipe
Giant Aeromaster

Oh, and some pictures, and a charging station for 2 transmitters, and a glow driver.  [8D]

Nothing on that wall sticks out more than 2' or so, which dramatically increases available shop floor space.

chilie

It looks like gboulton is using a similar system to mine. I was thinking about using the adjustable shelving for the wings too. I think the wings are the easiest to store, its the fuse that a pain.

I feel better knowing I'm not the only person who's struggled with this. I don't feel so dumb now

VCScott

Here's how I did mine. Works great & real cheap. With open rafters you can go higher, add a cross brace and attach there.
I've had planes sitting on these for years in a busy garage with no problem.
Later, Scott

aerofly0610

Wow that is simple! Thanks for the idea.

gboulton

My Feedback: (15)

Egadz...I'd let this thread slip my mind.

chilie

scott,

That's a pretty simple idea. I'm not sure i could store all 9 of my planes that way, but it certainly something worth considering.

gboulton

My Feedback: (15)

A few "detail" pics :

bennettestate

I like the method you describe fro hanging airplanes. What is the horizontal top rail made of and how are the vertical brackets attached?

gboulton

My Feedback: (15)

If you mean mine, just look up. The method, brand names, and source are all described in a post just above.