Ok Ok I am taking the plunge as well, would be ordering my goodies tonight but I cant decide what to do about field gear. I was looking at ordering all my stuff from Tower and am torn between three choices. 1) The Great Planes Master caddie Combo, includes a Box with detachable Aux power station, 12V charger, Tower deluxe power panel, glow plug clip, and a TorqMaster LC 7A battery. 2) The 2nd choice is the Hobbico Ultra-tote combo which includes basically the same stuff. 3) my third choice would be to get a box such as the Great planes Master Caddy or the the one I think I really want but not sure I need, the Goldberg Super tote or Monster tote and then buying all the things I need ot go along with that. I am leaning towards putting a kit together myself as it will let me pick and choose each item so if you guys think I should go that way what items do I need to have a really good field box.

I know for sure I need...

1) Box
2) Power panel
3) Battery
4) Battery charger
5) Starter
6) Glow plug
7) Glow starter
8) Glow starter charger

Aside from these items what else makes up the basic field box or what else will I need to make the kit complete. Thanks guys.

Zachary Kirby
LTJG USN

check out this thread
http://www.rcuniverse.com/showthread...547&forumid=22]

You don't need all that stuff. Especially just starting out.
Fuel and a fuel pump - I use a Dubro bulb pump on a gallon can. Works kinda lika an outboard motor fuel tank pump.
Glo-starter - Get the long one with the internal NiCad, and an AC (home) charger. One less wire to get tangled in.
Chicken Stick - stick used to prevent finger loss when flipping props to start the engine.
Glow Plug Wrench - looks like a mini-X wrench.
Extra glow plugs and props.
Something to put all this stuff in (except the fuel jug). I converted an old tackle box.

One advantage to the "tote boxes" is getting everything from your vehicle to the pits in one trip. Most of the guys I have seen at flying fields could use a few extra trips.

You don't need a battery, field charger, rotary starter and all that stuff yet. If you get to the point that you need to recharge your batteries at the field, someone there will likely have a charger, or you can get one that connects to your vehicle battery without having to lug one around. And if you can't start your .40 to .60-size engine by flipping, get some help in getting it tuned. (Or get an OS )

Give it some time. A few trips to the field will let you see what others use and what you think you would like to include in your "kit".

Concentrate on your airplane, engine and radio until you get your feet wet. The Field Toys can come later.

You really don't need the power panel and all the power accessories. I use a chicken stick (hobbico) to start my engine (OS 46FX), and usually one or two flicks is all is needed to start it if I primed it properly. You just need to get the hang of it! Last time it did take me about 30 flicks, but that's because I forgot to plug in the muffler to fuel tank line

I also use a battery operated glow starter (dubro) and that works perfectly. Whenever I come back from the field, I put my TX, plane and glow starter on the wall chargers that came with the equipment for about 14 hours, then a 6$ timer takes care of charging every day for 1 hour. Keeps everything well charged, and unless you do electric planes, no use for a field charger.

And finally, the fuel pump. I heard electric fuel pumps break often. I bought myself a manual crank fuel pump (Hangar 9). It works really well and very quickly, and I heard a lot of good things about the sqeeze bulb types also.

Oh, and before I forget, I bought my field box used (only used item I bought). I'm not sure but I think it's a Tower super-tote. It was pretty beat up, but I sanded it down and gave it two thick coats of TremClad paint. I'm very happy with it and looks rather spiffy as well! And a word about field boxes, be careful, whatever you buy, you might find out a month later that you don't care for it much. What might look really cool might be actually too much and too heavy - leave the workshop at home!.

Start small, there will always be beginners willing to buy your used stuff if later on you see that you'd rather have the more complex and expensive equipment (only to later to sell *that* and go back because of too many complex hassles )

I have the hobbico ultra tote, it holds everything that I need it to and Tower selss it in a combo with all your starters, power panel, etc.

SIG has a nice field box.

If you're smart, and I wasn't, you can dry fit it and make simple changes to make all your stuff fit. Be careful about buying a small field box, you'll probably end up with a lot of stuff, so plan ahead.

If you aren't overly constrained money-wise, I'd stay away from "starter packs". They will get you started, but you end up outgrowing everything pretty quickly.

I would buy a starter, I'm sure the chicken stick works, but I wouldn't try it.

Be careful when buying a battery. I use a lawn mower battery I got from Wal-Mart. Its fine for glow, but doesn't last very long if I fly electric.

I ended up spending more money buying "better" stuff than I would have if I had bought the good stuff first.

Besides, the Pres is probably good for a few more pay raises.

Tim

I'd say, go look around Home Depot, Lowe's or Walmart at the tool boxes. A lot cheaper and many are better than the "Field Boxes".

I'd get the starter, but you can buy them with an internal battery pack. If you get one of these and a glow igniter with built in battery, you don't need a 12 volt battery or a power panel. (And you don't have all those wires to get tangled in the prop.)

You're also much more portable for starting. Don't know your field's layout, but at ours' it's easier not to have to haul all that stuff to the flight line. Just a starter and glow igniter to carry.

My opinion.
Dennis-