I'm just curious about setting up shop and field kit. For the second weekend in a row the weather has prevented my first lesson; so I'm focusing some of my energy on getting rigged.

I set up a dedicated bench and added a fluorescent light in the garage for starters. The first thing I realized is I need to have the bench away from the wall to have room for the plane.

From previous interests I have a decent tool selection (pliers, wrenches, Allen wrenches, soldering equip, Multimeter, dremmel tool, drill bits, saws, etc...).

When I bought my plane I walked out with:
- 12 V battery, and slow charger for it
- Hobbico glow plug device with slow charger
- chicken stick
- 12 V fuel pump
- For radio and receiver battery charging all I have is the slow charger that came with the receiver.
- Z-bend tool
- extra fuel line
- extra push rods
- patch material
- extra CA
- Popsicle sticks
- T-pins
- clevises

I'm thinking of getting one of those bench mount magnifying glasses on the rotating arm... I seem to gave gone far sided I notice while putting together my trainer.

I'm thinking about buying a tackle box for all the small stuff, and to keep a set of field tools in it.

I'm sure I'll want a field box, but until I spend a little time at the field and see what others are using, I'm hesitant to jump into that. Any recommendations?

Any comments?

Thanks!

Have a look here:

http://webpages.charter.net/rcfu/Beg...cWorkshop.html

Enjoy

at the field I carry extra glow plugs,quick field charger for plane and radio,extra ignitor,esv meter,extra props,prop reamer ,msl,tools' disposalable camera. As time goes by you'll collect a little of this and a little of that, next thing the building room is a cross between a hardware store and a hobby shop,gather items as you need them or you'll have a bunch of things you won't be using

I used to try to keep everything I needed in my field box, but it ended up over 40 lbs!!! I took all the tools and most parts and put them in a small tool box. In the flight box I store props, glow plugs, some control horns, rubber bands, electric starter, electric glow driver, battery glow driver, and a manual pump for the fuel. I highly recommend the manual pump and the battery driver in case your power panel or box battery goes bad.
Field tools include an adjustable wrench, vise grips, channel locks, regular pliers, needle nose pliers, long shaft screw drivers, packing tape, electrical tape, allen wrenches (metric and standard), wire ties, and some spare foam. Hope this helps you out. (there is a good thread here on rcu about field boxes if you do a search) Good Luck Loren

My field box is minimally sized to hold a 12 volt battery and a 50 ounce detergent bottle for fuel. I carry a starter, a pump and a kwick klip. For tools, I carry a 4 in one screw driver, a prop reamer and a four way wrench. I add a jewlers screwdriver that fits the low end needle on my OS engines. I also carry a 5/64 and 3/32 ball driver because I use socket head screws for most everything.

For spare parts I have a small (1x3x5) Plano fly box. I velcroed it to the side of the flight box. It holds one of every fastener used on the plane, a couple of spare clevises and wheel collars, a couple of spare glow plugs, and a selection of allen wrenches for the little set screws on wheel collars of all sizes. I carry a couple of spare prop nuts, a bit of extra fuel line and a small bottle of CA. I tuck a spare prop or two in next to the fuel bottle. The whole thing weighs under eight pounds.

Thanks for all the comments... you never know what little piece of advice may keep me flying one day.... I made a list of all suggestions.

what is an esv meter? what about MSL?

Do most folk have / need a quick charger for radio and receiver? I have been wondering about that...

Keep in mind I'm an eager guy that finished a trainer 2 weeks ago and keeps getting rained out for first lesson.... I'm too far gone to get zin about this now... there is not a good side to it... Any more time lag before I fly and I'll be starting to build my second plane...

Go ahead and start the second plane. That way by the time you master the trainer, the next plane will be ready to go. Besides, you always want at least two flyable airplanes for the occasional run in with mother earth. Serious, I have 4 that fly. What's that tell you...LOL Good luck Loren

Sounds like your pretty well prepared, I would invest in a good charger for the field, Nothing hurts more than when your having a great day flying and you want to go for one more flight and the RX battery is dead. For my transmitter I got a 1650 MAH battery for it so that one does not die too fast, Actually lasts longer than I do at the flying field.

Dauntae

esv stands for expanded scale voltmeter.Its a meter that checks the batteries in the radio and plane under load,gives you as idea as how much if any flying time is left on the batteries,I think a quick charger for the field is a must.Many times I've ran the batteries down or someone forgot to turn off the plane,which would end the day,15 to 25 minutes on the quick charge and full of juice for the wild blue younder.By all means,do some researching and start a second plane for the learning curve,good flying weather is around the corner then you need to be at the field not building.

I've found that 4 out of 5 times I go flying, I don't need more than just the basics out on the flightline...so my flight box is bare essentials. Sure makes lif easy when nothing goes wrong. However, if something does go wrong, a tool box awaits in the car fully equipped with quick charger, tools, hardware, etc etc...etc...etc...I just don't have to lug it around if not needed.

for a field box you might want to consider this box that a bunch of people use
http://www.rcuniverse.com/showthread...247&forumid=63
I got one at our feild and after people saw it about 3-4 more showed up, also Bill Hell and a bunch of the guys in his are have them.

it has 2 halves so that you can put all your normal starting stuff in the bottom and take that down to the flight line and leave the tools in the top or roll the whole thing on its wheels.

as for what you need in the box I found that the greater the distance between you and your supplies, the greater the need will be.

in other words, bring everything you can, because you never know )

I would also like to add that in the last 25 years, I've gladly gone backwards in field box technology. Gone are the days of power panels that go dead from corrosion loose connections and moisture. Same with electric pumps that fry and leave you dry for the day...and mosly to heck with glow driver and starter wires to get caught shorted and cut by props. A simple hand pump, and portable glow driver do the same job, only less complicated and last longer. Zip-tying my battery under (attached to) my starter was one of the coolest and most portable thing I've done! Very often on a busy afternoon it makes it's rounds on the flight line...as in engines that die while taxying out etc...

I was wondering how much ventilation is needed for the sealed 12V 7AH batteries.

Since they are sealed, there should be no gases being given off when charging.

But what about heat generation when being charged or if it is used with a quick field charger?

Garry

CHARGE MINE ON TRICKLE, ON FULL CHARGE THE BATTERY OVER HEATED AND THE CASE SPLIT, I USE A STANDARD CAR BATTERY CHARGER.

TerrellFlyer

I was wondering about using it to power a quick charger (charging rx and tx at the field) . Not sure whether the draw of a quick charger would generate too much heat if it was enclosed?

Garry

I use mine to run my quick charger and the only problem is the quick charger drains the supply battery quick.

I get about 5-6 charges (if that) on my ZAGI battery before its too weak to kick over my engine with the starter

it is great to use to quick charge your RX or TX packs if they get a little too low for comfort

no problem,usually raise the hood of truck and use the truck battery saving the small sealed battery to start the planes. As Unstable sez,can drain the starter battery,that's the reason I carry two batteries.

.....and everybody would borrow my tools or ask if I had this wheel collar or that set screw..........now I carry the minimum tools I can and I keep a small stash of hardware in the car. I might carry a few extra tools if I have a brand new airplane, but once one has been thru the "shake down" period, they rarely require attention at the field. Oh, I do keep a manual pump in the car, just in case the old Sonic Tronic electric burns up. But so far they seem to last about eight or nine years a pop. I do have band-aids in the box, (not for me mind you), and sun screen. Now with the big West Nile scare, I would recommend you keep some Back Woods Off in the car. I'm lucky, I have drive wagon with several storage compartments. Oh, and you'l need a station wagon too. But not that many tools.

Dave,

I used to carry three different boxes to the field every time I went flying. As was said above, "everyone else will use these tools more than you will" , and this is true. It sounds like you have the nessary basics so I would go with what you have for now. Everyone has a different idea of what you need at the field, this is something you will come to your own ideas on as you gain experience. Different types, styles and sizes of models have their own needs as far as field equipment goes. Personally, I carry only the basics in a small compact box. It has a field charger, glo charger, ESV, 1/2 gal fuel, 12v battery, 12v fuel pump, 12v starter and enough tools and hardware to make minor repairs. And the whole package weighs 12 pounds This works for me, but like I said, give it some time, look at other flyers boxes and then decide what will work for you. Good Luck, Greg

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