P.S: I am still searching for an online company that sells the Quick Field Charger MKII displayed in post #37 that accepts American Express. I am not having any luck, apparently the only one that carries it are towerhobbies and they don't take AMEX.

As I understand it,the problem most stores have with AMEX is that they charge the STORE a much higher fee to process all purchases than M/C or Visa or the other cards do. This cuts into the profit so why should they do it? Consider getting an additional card for this purpose. If you keep the bill paid there is ZERO interest and many cards can be gotten without annual fees as well.

AMEX[:'(] Wouldn't have one.

That is exactly why most retailers won't deal with American Express. We don't take it in our shop because they charge use higher fees. Not worth the added hassles in my mind, so we just don't accept it.

Ken

According to their web page, ServoCity takes AMEX, and they sell the charger:
http://www.servocity.com/html/quick_field_charger.html

Not to be nosy ken, but what kind of shop do you own?

Thank you so much carrellh. I just placed a shortcut to the address on my desktop. Will be ordering one as soon as possible. Thanks again.


IGNORANT QUESTION : I own a Futaba T4EXA, Futaba 4YF-FM, Hitec Laser4, 2 Hitec Neon-SS and a Tower Hobbies System 3000 radios. (yes, I have a small collection going here that many would say I don't need - but I am guilty of an obsession that I love spending money on this hobby, and I want different radios for different planes I own). But anyway - Back to the question , will I need separate charging lead connection wires for each brand of radio system I own. Or will alligator and bullet clips be enough to charge almost everything?

Will I be needing one each of these for each system I own? http://www.servocity.com/html/rx_cha...ana_plugs.html and
http://www.servocity.com/html/tx_cha...ana_plugs.html Or does the charger come with the wires needed?

And what about my electric airplanes? What charge plug wires will I need for those? I will need plugs for the battery packs as well.

Just sent you my address did you get it?

Yes I received it. Did you get my email to you?

Tiger,
You're not being nosey at all. Me and my wife own a computer shop. I have a lot of fancy terms like network consultant and IT specialist, but the fact of it we are a mom and pop computer shop. Been doing it now for going on 11 years and doing great. Puts food on the table and planes in the air!!!

Ken

Here is my Sig box I take to the field each time I fly I've had it for years now. Yes it's heavy but when I can no longer lift and cry about it I'll resign myself to a couch and stop flying. Everything I need is in there even two 12 volt dry cells for my 24 volt starter hope this gives some of you more ideas enjoy. I don't use a cradle on my box like I designed earlier I have this foldable table unit I take to the field and also use in the shop very handy.

The charger does not come with any leads.

If you get a lead for "Futaba" receivers, it will work with Futaba, Hitec, JR, Airtronics, etc.

Transmitter leads are somewhat brand specific. The 'barrel' on Futaba and Hitec are different diameter. Futaba & Tower use the same one. JR leads are reverse polarity compared to all other brands.

You found the right links but they don't have a very good description to tell you what they fit. I recommend making a phone call to be sure you get what you need.

For the electric planes, you will need the right plug. I don't know much about those, maybe the servocity people will know what you need.

Postal Money Order is on its way to you. Sent it out this afternoon. Can not wait to see those cradles on my newly completed flight box. The $5 extra is for shipping. Thank you again.

Tigerdude426,
Well here you go it’s rather hard to keep up with the high level of laser cutting quality Sig does on that box by hand but I did my best. I also recalled you are going to put a natural wood finish on it so I used good quality ½� ply and sanded it smooth as a baby’s bottom. Here is how I would mount them first clamp the smaller upright in place on the inner box and use it as a jig to drill the ¼� holes now bolt it on. Now clamp the longer one in place on the outer side of the box use a level across them to get them level. Notice the slots in the longer upright drill ¼� holes in the center of the slots when level this will give you a 1/2� adjustment up and down if need be. There is no need for making slots in the box just ¼� holes are fine. Just another notice after you coat these parts with whatever you are using for fuel proofing. Make sure it’s very dry before bolting the sliding uprights together with the wing nuts or they may never slide for adjustments again they will be stuck together. Some baby powder can help with this as well or put a thin coat of Vaseline on the touching sides for easy movement.


Postal Money Order for $35 is on its way to you. Sent it out this afternoon. Can not wait to see those cradles on my newly completed flight box. The $5 extra is for shipping. Thank you again.
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You did a fantastic job on them [sm=thumbs_up.gif][sm=thumbs_up.gif][sm=thumbs_up.gif]- thank you so much . They will look great on my box.
The quality you did with the cutting and sanding is as good IF NOT BETTER than the laser-cut parts of Sig's box. I really can not emphasize enough how great of a job you did - truly FANTASTIC. You must be a professional carpenter aren't you???

Not to pressure you (take all the time you need) but I am very anxious to see this on my box. I still have to file the two drawers down to fit into the opennings, glue the battery cover supports in place, sand and sand and sand (did I mention sanding ) of the completed box and finally staining.

I have ordered the Hobbico field charger pictured earlier in the thread and I will have to figure out how it gets screwed in place onto the box when it arrives next week.

Well it is now 1:30 A.M and I need beauty rest so later for now.

Oh and thank you for the wonderful job .

tigerdude426,

Well I reengineered things a little and I’m sure you’ll like it even more. As you can see in the pics below I cut off the L shaped cradle arm form the upright. I made new uprights so they would be the same length as before. Now all three will bolt together with the wing nuts the upright and the two L shaped cradle arms. I’m sure you are wondering why I did this I have three reasons. Firstly looking at the cutouts I realized my design had a little flaw. With the L arm being part of the mounted fixed upright it can’t slide only one L arm moves. So when a plane was installed in the cradle and adjusted it could not sit in there straight it would be at a slight angle to the box see drawing. Secondly this new idea of making the L arms separate means both will slide providing more adjustment for your planes. And thirdly I thought now that all the L arms are the same why not make two table mounts for them. Now simply remove the L arms from the uprights and you can bolt them to the table mounts and use your cradle on your work bench without getting your flight box all messy with balsa dust. These table mounts are rock solid you could build a heavy ¼ scale plane on them without worry and they just sit on the table top . The bolts are what they call carriage blots they have a small square shape near the head. This square pushes into the wood locking the bolt so it don’t turn you need to make sure the square part goes back into the square hole when re installed. I’m happy to hear you like the work I’ve been working with wood and build things most of my life. I love to design things and build them more so if it’s for the planes. I have a few simple beliefs you must be willing to fail but keep trying and take pride in what you do and do it right!
I took a look at your charger and it does not appear to have any mounting apparatuses. The real beauty of these chargers is their compact portability. Don’t mount it just Velcro it in place in the box top so it don’t slide around. There it will be handy to use and if you need to charge a pack on the bench you can remove it to do so.

I love it. Very nice improvement. I never would have seen that flaw until too late. Thank you again, looking fantastic.

One question though. With the box being 1/4" thick and these pieces being 1/2" will that make a significant difference in appearance when I join the two? How much weight do you think will be added?

It really is looking fantastic. I don't believe you are doing all this for me.

Til later.

They are not all that heavy besides you don't need to lift the box with them on anyway they come off. You won’t even notice the thickness difference it needs the thickness to provide rigidity when working on and starting a plane sitting upon them.

I see an OOOPS not sure you know this or not but perhaps you fixed it already. Years ago we used wet cell batteries for our flight boxes. When charging they emit dangerous explosive gasses that need vented off hens the slots on the front of the box which also dissipates heat from high use and charging, heat is the enemy of all batteries. If you put the cover on yours it will not vent properly now. However most of us use dry cell batteries now that require little gas venting anyway. So it’s most likely not a huge problem but keep the cover off during charging so the heat can escape.

Yes I noticed that after it was dry. But I didnt think nothing of it for two reasons:
1) Instead of storing the batteries horizontal as it is meant to be I was going to store them vertical so that they would still fit into the compartment with the vents.
2) When I install the Hobbico Field Charger into the opening that was inadvertantly placed in the rear of my box I was going to drill a hole on the wall of the battery compartment to send the wires through.

PLEASE DONT TELL ME batteries can not be stored vertically as I see no way of removing the outer wall of the box and regluing it. As I used an extra thick application of Elmers white glue for extra strength and it is very solid as was my intention. How would I remove it now to redo? And then I would have a cosmetic unsightly mess on the outside to look at if it was redone.

I think you have answered an unasked question I had: I was going to have a layer of foam padding between the two batteries to cushion them but that would omit the venting wouldn't it? How would I have two batteries there without having them smash each other?

And about the battery cover: The cover is not permanent, it rests on balsa rails and lifts right up to get to the battery compartment.

So anyways from what I see on my box I can fit two batteries in the compartment, but like I said above it is not safe to cushion them with foam? How would that be different from the airplane batteries that you DO cover in foam? And again please don't tell me its not safe to store batteries vertical as I do not want to break off the side of the box and redo.

I think the wires going from the charger to the battery through a hole would be OK, as the batteries would be where the vents are. I need two batteries - one for the Hobbico Field Charger and the other for the electric starter I have.

So to make a long story short (too late huh) tell me its OK the way I have it, and that batteries can be stored vertical and wrapped in foam like airplane batteries, and that I don't have to break off the outer wall of the box.

And Finally the OOOPS won't affect putting on the cradles will it?

ALSO I am searching for a good electric field box for my electric planes.
Preferably prebuilt with cradles so I won't have to do the work again that I am doing here, it will be awhile before I will be wanting to build another field box.

Any ideas on electric field boxes that fits my criteria here?

tigerdude426,

It should not affect the cradles at all but you may need to move the pump to the boxes rear.
I have no real knowledge that storing a sealed dry cell on its side does any harm I’m sure it make little difference. I have two batteries in my box just sitting in there no padding what so ever has been fine for years. If I was you I’d find a way to punch some holes in the divider so it can still vent on out the vents in the front and put them under the panel as they should be. A Dremel with a right angel cutter and one of those side cutting bits would cut some nice slots in it quick and easy.

Gel cells can be stored/operated in ANY position. No need for venting of gases but at least some cooling venting should be considered for charging but not a lot because they do not usually generate a lot of heat.

Thank you all for this information, I am relieved to hear I don't have to remove the sidewall and redo. Now what about the padding? Is it safe to wrap foam around the batteries to help cushion them from each other?

I don't know much about batteries but this is what I ordered from Atlanta Hobby http://www.atlantahobby.com/shopexd.asp?id=5441 (2 of them, 1 for starter, 1 for charger). Will they be alright store vertically? Are they what you call gel-cell? Will they be alright wrapped in foam? They weren't cheap - $20 apiece - so please tell me they are good.

Thank you!!!

I think its about time I get myself a Dremel tool and accessories. Something I should have gotten a long time ago. I bet when I get one I will wonder how I lived so long in this hobby without one.

It is safe. I cushioned my 12v battery with Hobbico white foam rubber sheets.