felixone

Even though I am still flying my trainer I got a great deal on a Futaba 9CHPS today. Anyway, unlike the cheap Futaba transmitter that came with my Avistar I don't really want to just toss this radio in my flight box and head to the field. So I am curious what you all use as cases for your transmitters. Specifically I am looking for alternatives to the $40+ cases that places like Tower sell. If anyone has any suggestions I would appreciate it, especially if you can supply links to place to buy.

Thanks!

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

Aluminum tool case from Lowes. $24.94.

[link]http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=24981-16878-60132&lpage=none[/link]

Ken

felixone

Excellent start that is exactly what I am looking for...

The Lowes site doesn't give dimensions, is that large enough for 2 radios? At the very least it looks like it can hold a lot of accessories. Unfortunately I live in a state that has Blue Laws. This means retail stores can't open until 1:30 PM on Sunday, so I will have to wait until I get home from the field before I can check it out.

Although this one looks about perfect I would love to see if anyone has any other ideas.

Thanks

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

Yes, it will easily hold 2 transmitters, and still have space for other things too. This is the same size case that Tower sells for $45!!!!

Ken

danny31292

The cases at lowes or Home Depot really do look nice too. They look just as good as the tower ones. However what kind of foam comes inside. I've never actually opened one. Do you need to add foam?

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

No, they come with a block of soft foam that is about 4" thick. It has perforations in so you can easily separate the foam in any shape you want. Makes it easy to remove pockets in the shape of your transmitters

Ken

skorman

My Feedback: (3)

The cases from Lowes comes with the foam inside. The ones from Home Depot just come with dividers, no foam.

felixone

Steve,

Thanks for pointing that out. I was planning on checking into these today. Since I have both stores within a mile of my house it would have been a crap shoot over which one I went to. I would hate to have gone to THD, and left with a mostly useless box.

Although on a semi-related note, I was discussing this will my wife last night and according to her a good source for the foam might be sewing supply stores. She knows they sell foam for cushions, we just haven't confirmed that it would be suitable for our purposes. I regularly get dragged to these stores with her (I think she is even planning to hit an early Memorial Day Sale at one tomorrow). If I find out an results I will post them back here. Even if you already have foam inserts, get a replacement piece might be useful one day.

Thanks everyone.

RCPtero

Hmm, good idea!! I already have some left over coushin foam from trying to revive some couch coushins. I also have an old aluminium case I used to keep my SLR camera in. It too came with the foam that you could just pull out the blocks you don't need to fit your items. Would have used it already, but my transmitters aren't the same shape as my old camera!! Now, with the left over coushin foam, I think I'll give it a try. I'll just have to mark out the outline, and then use a sharp knife to remove the foam.
--
Tom

LuftwaffeOberst

I bought mine from Horizon Hobby... the J/R one for my JR 6 channel radio. Cases are good to have, they'll protect your transmiter, and keep it looking new.


Luftwaffe Oberst
Radio Aero Modelers Club
AMA# 856404
Pulaski, NY

flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

I bought one form Lowes years ago used it once.....at the time it was $19.99 and the Futaba ones at Tower were $69.99...the only time I used it I went to the field with everything packed,,,went to get my Tx and had brought the wrong one...it sat in the bedroom for years and I gave it away last winter.....Rog

agexpert

My Feedback: (1)

GET A CASE!

Get any hard case that will protect your TX. I have a 9303 and a 10X. One of them comes with a nice case. For the other, I got one from Home Depot.

Cases are manditory. $20 to protect a $1k TX? Good investment.

felixone

Well just to update everyone on my TX case status (I know, everyone here is sitting on the edge of their seat waiting to hear how this has turned out for me), when I was at the field today one of the other pilots told me he has a case he will sell me really cheap. Given the price I expect it is one of the cheap clamshell style with the egg crate type foam inside. We are supposed to meet at the field later in the week so I won't know until then. I did however stop at Lowes and check out what they had to offer. I even was a bit sneaky, and opened it up to check out the inside.

The one I looked at appears to be the same one from the link above. Inside was quite a few pieces that can be used as dividers, and one pieces of foam the rough dimensions of the inside of the case. It was about 2-3 inches thick, and fit really well. My concerns about this is that with only one piece of foam there will be no protection under the radio, or on top of it. If the case were to fall on it's side I am afraid the TX would be damaged.

So my question to those of you who have this case is; did you add foam to the case or did you simply cut out the shape of your TX? If you didn't add foam, how do you protect the top and bottom of the TX?

Thanks!

agexpert

My Feedback: (1)

Go to another store.

The case you want will come with foam in the lid, on the floor, and a center-sheet of foam comprised of removable 1/2 X 3 inch blocks. OR a solid center piece you can cut with an ELECTRIC knife. Just don't let the wife see you use this 1970's hierloom for your hobby.

The one you are describing is fine for tools and such, but you will have to line it with foam yourself.

My 1st case was a plactic pistol case..worked great.

The goal here is to have foam on all sides of the TX, and not allow it to move in the case at all.

I know they have them at Harbor Freight, but I dunno if Harbor Freight exists in your area. Google it. these cases come from China, (surprise), and they are available for $20 to $120 for the same dern thing.

Good Luck!!

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

Felix,
I have 3 of those cases from Lowe's that I linked to. As you take out the foam perforations in the shape of your radio you can use that for the bottom of the case. Take out the foam in the shape of your radio, and try to keep it in one piece as you take it. Don't worry, it's pretty easy to get it out in one piece. Once you have that piece out use a razor blade to cut about an inch off of the height of the piece you cut out. Put that back into the cutout portion inside the case and this will cushion the bottom of the radio. You can get a piece of foam from Wal-mart (craft section) for the top of the case. Yes, you can find cases with foam in the top of the case but they are more expensive. In fact Tower sells one for $45. IMHO I'd ready buy the case of $24 and add a $1 piece of foam. As I said, I have 3 of the case and they work great. Over time they've all been dropped, bumped, and banged around the the radios are well protected.

Ken

flyingJ

I have 2 of the Lowes cases, and mine came with perferated foam for the bottom half and solid foam in the top. It also had a panel with pockets and straps for use as a tool box. I removed the perferated foam in the shape of the radios and broke it off leaving an attached layer in the bottom. I removed the tool panel placed the owners manuals for the radios and my trainer cords in the top before reinserting the solid foam. Now if someone shows up, I atleast have a set of cords to hook up for training.

Appfan

Another option:

Make sure you check out the pistol cases at WalMart. I'm not recomending what I use, black plastic with foam padding, for your radio. However I know that Wally-world does stock some nice aluminum pistol cases as well. I'm currently flying with a Futaba 6EXAS, so I really can't justify anything more than what I'm using today. However when I do upgrade radios, I'll probably look to go with an aluminum case.

cheers!

felixone

Well, the guy that was supposed to sell my the TX case never showed up. Hopefully I will see him this weekend. Since the cases at my Lowes didn't have top and bottom foam, I will check out my Wal-Mart to see what they have. Thanks for the tip!

bruce88123

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=36870
You can get one of these in Columbia,SC

sscherin

My Feedback: (1)

Also check out Guitar Center.
They have a nice selection of equipment cases form cheep to insane $$

jbrown_101

felixone,

I just went to a local fleet farm and picked up a pistol case... i cut some of the foam out and it works great


and the good thing was is that it was only $10.99

felixone

Bruce - I have looked at the ones at HF, and unless I was wrong they didn't have foam inserts. It is a little out of the way for me, but if I don't find something soon I will have to check there again.

sscherin - I don't know if we have a Guitar Center here, however we do have quite a few music stores. I will have to check them out

jbrown - What is is a fleet farm? $10.99 is an excellent price. There is a gun shop just up the road from my office. I might have to stop in there after work tomorrow.

I did get a chance to check Wal-Mart tonight. They had some rifle cases, and shooting bags, but nothing like a pistol case. I checked the hardware department, and nothing beyond plain toolboxes there.

You know, I have to admit I really didn't think it would be this hard. So far I have been to Harbor Freight, Lowes, and Wal-Mart with no luck. I am going to check Home Depot, and even check Lowes again on the chance that I was looking at the wrong case. At this point I would almost be willing to spend the $50 to get one of the nice ones from Tower, if only they were in stock.

Oh well I will persevere until I find something. I do want to thank everyone that has offered up suggestion, I really appreciate it.

Thanks

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

Felix,
I'm not really sure what you say is wrong with the ones from Lowes for $24.95? All of the ones I bought from Lowe's had both a large foam block in the body of the case, and a piece of foam in the lid too. The cases will hold two transmitters with no issues at all. Even if it's missing the foam in the lid, you can pickup a piece of foam from Wal-mart for a buck or so. If you check around you can usually get foam for free. Ask any computer shop, they usually have it coming out of their ears (trust me, I know. I own a computer shop). They'll usually give you all the foam you want for free if you ask for it.

Ken

huck1199

The harbor Frieght $10 case is only 4.5 inches thick OD. The sticks will have to be removed each time you use the case

-pkh-

My Feedback: (2)

I use pistol cases and cut the foam to fit...