Now I hope this isn't seen as a dumb post, and I apologize if it's elsewhere. I haven't seen it, but if it is, someone just point me.

What's the ideal tool box?? How big do you need, what actual dimensions, metal or hard case plastic, how many compartments, foldouts or liftouts, what do you need to take to the field, etc?

Do many have a bracket for a fuel pump on the outside, battery terminals for the starter etc.

Any other info on toolboxes that anyone sees worthy of mention would be welcomed. This could be a realPandora's box of tool box design.

welcome to the forums Japanflyer!! Glad you are here!

Regarding the tool boxes it is a very easy choice. Get what you want to fill your needs. Many of my friends including myself prefer to purchase what we call "tackle boxes" These are the tool boxes used by fisherman, they are very convenient and have many places to store your tools and suppiles. The prices can vary depending how big you get. Mine is a mediym sized one and does the job well.

Ill post some pics for you later

good luck

konichiwa

Almost any of the commercial "Flight Boxes" would serve the purpose. I went to a hardware store and bought a large plastic "toolbox". It has depressions in the sides that would be ideal for mounting a 12 volt battery and small fuel container; there's a liftout tray inside large enough for voltmeter, tach, screwdrivers, pliers, prop wrench, glow igniter.... all that stuff.

Under the tray I can put my starter, extra props, stuff for clean-up (roll of paper towels, etc.), and still have room for a transmitter.

Best of all, it cost me a whole $15.00, and it works well as a seat when relaxing at the field!
Dennis-

DB, sounds like you have a nice setup. Can you post a pic?

I have two boxes. One has my power panel and battery and fuel/fuel pump and starter and little else except a prop wrench. That's my flight line box. In my vehicle I carry a larger tool box with hand tools, glue, spare glow plugs, and a corded spare starter (I use a cordless starter on the line) spare props and anything else I think I might need at the field. I don't plan on any major repairs at the field and I take it home after a crash. I take the small lightweight box to the pits and leave the other in my pickup which isn't far away if I need a prop, glow plug or handtools. I built the small box myself out of plywood. The large one is a regular fishing tackle plastic box. There are several field boxes and box kits froom the major suppliers.

This is very much a personal preference issue. I have two flight boxes, one with a power panel and another with a field charger mounted in place of the power panel. Both boxes have starters, fuel pumps, and glow drivers. I then carry an assortment of tools such as screwdrivers, wrenches, spare glow plugs, etc scattered between the two boxes. In addition, I have a small cardboard box that I also take to the field with me that has paper towels, glass cleaner, and assorted other junk. I could probably consolidate and get everything down to one field box, but hey, I got it so may as well use it.

I would say your vehicle, flying field and type of aircraft you fly would dictate your needs for a toolbox as well as economics. I myself use the same setup as Ballgunner, I have been flying for 20 plus years and seem to have selltled on this setup. I bought the Craftsman 3 drawer metal toolbox with a hinged lid for about 39.00 and it works great, It has a handle to carry and the drawers are secure when lid is closed and looks nice too. I recently saw a nifty plastic tool box with a popup handle and wheels at Wally World and thought it would be a good possibility for a model airplane tool box. I have an old maple wood flight box that just has the basics and is very easy to transport to the flight station and has everything in a compact package.

Hello Japanflyer:

I use a very diverse set up. I have a Dubro fuel setup. I cannot remember the model name but it has a 1 gallon red fuel tank. It comes also with a squeeze pump and fuel lines. No need for a battery, easily portable. And very safe!

I also have a small tool box with a metal lid. I got it in a raffle. Available at any NAPA or similar auto parts store or a Sears store. I store spare props and any large parts I need for the planes I am flying. Sucj as canopys, interwing struts and so on. It usually stays in the car.

I also use a flight box. Standard Goldberg kit I assembled and painted. In it I keep all the little goodies I Need like clevises, spare parts and tools.

I also have a small box that holds a small motorcycle battery. It has 2 side compartments. In one side goes the starter. In the other side goes the seperate Nylighter. I also keep my tach, voltmeter and field charger in this box. I do not use a power panel. Too many chords to get tangled and cought in propellers. If my model dies taxying out all I need is this small box. It gets used real hard by most of the guys at the fields I go to. It is very handy, And with the cycle battery it runs starters all day long. It never goes dead like the small gel cels and like do.

Everything is small and portable. Just remember the KISS principle (keep it simple stupid). I hope this helps.

Mark Shuman

I'm probably luckier than most. I belong to two clubs, two different fields, but the furthest I have to park from the pits is about 20 feet. (The other is set up so you can back your vehicle right up to the pits.) Both also allow careful taxiing to the runways, which are approximately 20 feet from the pits/starting area.

Cruz,
I'll see if I can get a couple pics in the next day or two. I keep my flight box in the car, and we're supposed to get about two inches of rain tomorrow AM.

I also have a self-contained starter and glow igniter, and a manual pump. So I could theoretically get my "box" down to a real small size if carrying only necessities.
Dennis-

Ok, great, thanks.

I have one you can get from wal-mart and it is in 2 pieces the tool box on top holds everything and the bottem half holds my fuel can and fuel pump and my lawn mower battery and best of all its is on wheels and fits in my car as one piece.

Cruz,
These aren't the best pictures (had to use the old digital camera), but should give you the basic idea.

You can see the small plastic fuel bottle (Quart) mounted to one side, there's a similar recess on the other end of the box. I had a 12 volt battery strapped to that side before I went with a self contained starter.

Pics are real small, but that top tray has my voltmeter, tachometer and a peak charger resting in the middle, along with small screwdrivers, pliers, glow plugs and wrenches.... Plenty of room.

Manufactured by some off brand company named Contico, but the handle is recessed into the top, the top latches down, and you can use a padlock to lock it.
Dennis-

Great idea, thanks for posting,

Hey, DB, where is the other field??

Thanks!

Cruz,
No problem. It works great for me, and I can't see shelling out $40 for a wooden "flight box" kit that doesn't offer me anything more than my box.

Hey Yub-yub, How are ya'? Haven't seen ou around for a while. The other club/filed is in Oxford, MA. It's a 'closed' club with a maximum of fifty members. There's a waiting list to join.

Hope to see you around. You getting a Trainer?
Dennis-

To the Group -

I realize that I'm a newbie who hasn't even flown yet but I ran across an interesting post on this topic on another board. Perhaps this opinion might be useful?

- DCD
[hr]
Flight box. If you want to go out and buy a fancy field box, or you find a giant rolling tool box at the local HomeOwnerHellStore that just sings to you, great, but remember, you have to haul this thing around, and if you are like me, you will soon be looking to pare it down, and then, eventually, you'll scratch build your own to hold exactly what you need and only what you need.

For now, I'd suggest that a good field box can be found in the housewares department at Walmart. Get one of those Rubbermaid or equivalent "cleaning supply caddies", like the one mom uses to hold the Endust and scrub brushes and stuff tucked under the kitchen sink.

While you are in housewares, get a 50 ounce bottle of liquid laundry detergent. The brand doesn't matter, just the color of the bottle (red or orange, or whatever pleases you) and the price (cheap).

Rather than hauling a 1 gallon bottle of glow fuel to the field, I want you to decant your fuel into the smaller laundry detergent bottle, which just happens to fit nicely in the caddy. This allows you to keep the gallon bottle at home, under temperature, dust and humidity controlled conditions. Being opaque, it will protect your fuel from ultra violet rays that break down the nitro. It has a molded in level indicator so you will know when you are running out of fuel. 50 ounces is plenty to fly .40 sized models all weekend.

I hate it when people are so damn logical.

Are you vulcan?

gus

Go ahead and laugh, but my Daughter gave me one of her old makeup cases. It's an aluminum case, 15"X 12"X 6", with two compartments that lift out on metal arms to the left and right (holds my emergency glues, lock-tite, extra rubber bands, etc.) the large space below holds my spare props, foam, steel ruler, fuel bulb, tools and there is a panel attached to the lid w/velcro that has elastic bands that hold xacto knife, spare blade box, clothespins, telescoping mirror and magnetic parts grabber, sharpie pen and epoxy brushes. I still got a regular field box to hold the fuel jug, electric starter, glo-starter, safety glasses and windex wipes when I'm in the pits.

But I can't kick on the price for the toolkit (free) and my Daughter is tickled that she was able to donate something to her Daddy that he would use for his new hobby.

BTW, if you have teenage Daughters, you can buy this same kit at places like Walmart, Kohls, Kmart for about $25.00, take out all the makeup, give them to them as stocking stuffers for Christmas, and keep the kit. That way, you get a little bit of Christmas shopping out of the way and you get something useful. But, to each his own..........