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Building a flight box - 1/13/2004 12:19:58 PM   
RH1N0



Posts: 36
Joined: 6/7/2003
From: Sydney, AUSTRALIA
Status: offline 		Hi all,

I am a beginner to RC aircraft and was in need of a flight box to house my increasing collection of field equipment. After looking at the overpriced and/or poor quality flight boxes on offer at my LHS, I decided to have a go at building my own. I spent a few hours searching the web for examples, ferreting through the shed for materials and scratching out a rough plan. I wanted to stick to a simple design made from some bits of wood left over from other projects. It was time to start making noise and saw dust

The pictures below show the basic structure around which the rest of the flight box would be built. Two 12mm plywood supports are glued and screwed to a 12mm base. A section of 25mm diameter aluminium tube is partially recessed into the supports to form the carry handle. You can also see the frame work which will support two sliding draws and a piece of 3mm ply which will be the base of a tall compartment. More to follow...

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< Message edited by RH1N0 -- 1/13/2004 7:24:34 AM >
       Post #: 1

Building a flight box - 1/13/2004 1:06:28 PM   
RH1N0



Posts: 36
Joined: 6/7/2003
From: Sydney, AUSTRALIA
Status: offline 		The rest of the centre frame work was easier to build on the bench before attaching it to the box. 6mm ply pieces are glued and nailed to 12mm square supports. With a bit of imagination you can see space for large and small drawers, a tall compartment and two short compartments separated by a divider. The short compartments are sized to fit an electric starter and the tall compartment will accommodate some tools, (screwdrivers, chicken stick etc) a spray bottle and the re-fueling hose.

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(in reply to RH1N0)
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RE: Building a flight box - 1/13/2004 2:28:46 PM   
DBCherry


 

Posts: 5554
Joined: 1/25/2002
From: Hubbardston, MA, USA
Status: offline 		Lookin' real sweet RH1NO!

What are you going to use for a finish?? Clear polyuerathane sure would look nice.
Dennis-

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RE: Building a flight box - 1/13/2004 2:45:40 PM   
TerrellFlyer


 

Posts: 1631
Joined: 3/19/2002
From: Terrell, TX, USA
Status: offline 		good looking box,want me to field test it for you?

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RE: Building a flight box - 1/13/2004 4:16:00 PM   
DustOffUH1



Posts: 1101
Joined: 5/3/2003
From: Mercer, WI, USA
Status: offline 		Nice job! You take nice clear pictures too

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Lots o Planes & Helicopters. 5 more planes & 1 heli to build ;)

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RE: Building a flight box - 1/13/2004 5:27:28 PM   
RCaeroguy



Posts: 929
Joined: 5/7/2002
From: Arcade, NY, USA
Status: offline 		That looks great!! The only input I have is concerning weight. I built my own box as well and kept it much smaller than yours. The thing is still plenty heavy.

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RE: Building a flight box - 1/13/2004 6:22:47 PM   
Jimmbbo



Posts: 1179
Joined: 10/1/2003
From: Fresno, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Nice work!!

Agree about the clear poly finish - will make the nice grain pattern pop out well...

Looking at the design, it lends itself to fold up sides, hinged at the bottom, latched at the top - instant closing and a work surface to boot!! Would make it a bit heavier, tho'.


Jim

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Building a flight box - 1/14/2004 11:02:31 AM   
RH1N0



Posts: 36
Joined: 6/7/2003
From: Sydney, AUSTRALIA
Status: offline 		Thanks for the comments guys.

The flight box will be painted bright yellow because I already have the paint and I wan't it to stand out so I don't trip over it . All pictures are taken with my wife's new Fuji FinePix S5000 digital camera which I bought her for Christmas - good planning on my part . The 12mm ply will make the box heavier (but also stronger) then the average commercial flight box. As tempting as fold out panels and clear poly paint are, they would constitute a greater complexity then I am equipped for. I'm not a cabinet maker by trade and have to make do with a jig-saw for cutting the wood.

Now back to construction. The first picture below shows the 6mm side panels and 3mm end panel clamped into place to check the fit. the left hand compartment will house the battery and power panel and the right hand platform will support a 5 litre fuel container. After taking the photo, I shortened the battery/power panel compartment to a more practical size. It will comfortably fit an 18 Amp Hour 12 Volt SLA battery but I will be using a 7.2 Amp Hour battery - after all I'm only starting a 46 size trainer .

The second photo shows the smaller of the two drawers. It is made from 6mm ply sides and a 3mm ply base. Pieces are glued and nailed together using standard white glue (no need to use expensive CA glue on a flight box) and 1mm diameter by 10mm long nails. I partially pre-drill the nail holes to prevent the wood from splitting and knock the nail heads below the surface of the wood with a centre punch. The drawer is really strong and will stand up to plenty of rough handling.

If you click on the pictures it will open a larger image.

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< Message edited by RH1N0 -- 1/14/2004 6:04:37 AM >

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RE: Building a flight box - 1/14/2004 5:29:18 PM   
Montague



Posts: 4653
Joined: 4/19/2002
From: Laurel, MD,
Status: offline 		Oh, I like it. When are you going to start selling kits?


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RE: Building a flight box - 1/14/2004 6:41:28 PM   
phread59


 

Posts: 1475
Joined: 7/21/2003
From: coal township, PA, USA
Status: offline 		That is some box ya got there! I believe only a nucular blast will phase that baby! It sure looks like a nice job. But it is gonna be heavy. I hope it works good for you. An congratulations on a job well done.

Mark Shuman

(in reply to Montague)
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RE: Building a flight box - 1/14/2004 6:50:59 PM   
ZimboRaider



Posts: 430
Joined: 8/28/2003
From: AshburtonCantebury, NEW ZEALAND
Status: offline 		Rhino,

Do you have plans for this? I should also start building a field box as I will need it soon!!
Oh yeah, it looks great!

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Building a flight box - 1/15/2004 8:44:27 AM   
RH1N0



Posts: 36
Joined: 6/7/2003
From: Sydney, AUSTRALIA
Status: offline 		The flight box is now fully assembled and ready for paint. The battery compartment end panel has four ventilation slots and is held in place with self tapping screws to allows easy removal for access to the battery. The draws have semi-circular cutouts as opposed to knobs or handles for opening. This is simple yet effective, costs nothing, and there are no protrusions to catch on things and break off. Draws fit nice and snug but I will use either magnets or velcro (haven't decided yet) to hold them closed. So far it's not too heavy but 5 litres of fuel and a battery will put an end to that.

Now where did I put that paint

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Building a flight box - 1/15/2004 9:31:29 AM   
RH1N0



Posts: 36
Joined: 6/7/2003
From: Sydney, AUSTRALIA
Status: offline 		For those who asked, I will be happy to release a kit just as soon as you send me a laser cutter . But seriously, I will measure up some key dimensions and post them for you. The photo's should be a good enough guide for the rest - just measure up your own flight gear and build the box around it.

Painting away. I gave all surfaces a good sanding followed by a wipe with a slightly damp cloth to prep the surface. Then I applied two initial coats of paint by brush as this lets me work the paint into the wood and seal up the grain and any small gaps. Then another sanding. Then the top two coats were sprayed on (from a can) to give a good surface finish. It may just be the paint fumes but I'm feeling really pleased with my project

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RE: Building a flight box - 1/15/2004 11:53:27 AM   
RCaeroguy



Posts: 929
Joined: 5/7/2002
From: Arcade, NY, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Montague

Oh, I like it. When are you going to start selling kits?


Ok, when are you going to make more?

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