Field Supplies
 

I'm new to this, but does anyone have a good list of what to take to the field. aside from the obvious plane, radio, field box. I was thinking more along the lines of extra props, tools, cleaner stuff like that.</p>

RE: Field Supplies
 

Friends!

Promote the hobby! :)

RE: Field Supplies
 

I started with the basics but over the years my flight box has gotten a lot bigger, this one is on wheels!!;) I carry a lot of spare parts, most of it little things like screws and little things that come loose or break. I carry a pretty good assortment of props for different sizes of engines. We tend to borrow and lend out at my field to help keep guys in the air without going home. CA glue is always nice to have. I go to the dollar store and buy the three pack so I don't need to have a tube of the stuff, use it once and toss it. Fuel line is another top item.

RE: Field Supplies
 

Little hardware items like wheel collars, clevis, screws, fuel line, glow plugs, zip-ties, rubber bands, etc. Nothing is worse than not being able to fly because of a broken or missing 25 cent piece of hardware. I also have CA glue, 5-minute epoxy, packing tape and other repair items just in case. That's all in addition to basic tools like screwdrivers, allen wrenches, knife or razor blades, crescent wrench and so on.

RE: Field Supplies
 

I bring a tackle box (my flight box) with screwdrivers both slotted and phillips in #2 size and a set of precision. I carry two glow igniter's, one primary, one as a spare. I bring a glow wrench, spare glow plugs. I bring an assortment of props. I have a spare prop washer & nut as well as the thrust washer just in case.(I had a ruined fly day because of a backfire in flight that resulted in a missing spinner,prop, prop washer and thrust washer. that won't happen again!) I bring some thin CA, two sided tape, fuel tubing, a box of rubber bands. (I don't use them, but I've helped out a buddy a time of two) an assortment of clevises, wheel collars, set screws. a spare servo & servo arms. allen wrenches & a few spare 1.5mm allen wrenches because how easily they round off. I normally bring a gallon of fuel, even if I only plan on flying a few times. a fuel pump, my starter and on of those 12v automotive jump starter packs.(that will start my planes all day+ if I need to charge a battery I can use that instead of opening the hood of my truck. not to mention the times I've helped out someone who runs there battery dead) I bring a crescent wrench, pliers (needle nose and slip joint) zip ties and a pair of dikes.I also bring some glass cleaner and a roll of paper towels, and I always bring a hat, and a gallon of drinking water, a good lighter and a full pack of smokes.


P.S. the lighter and smokes are optional:D

RE: Field Supplies
 

for fuel tubeing i just make my line from my gallon jug 3 ft long and cut from that when i need to. then when i buy more line i replace the one on the jug. i also bring a spare tx battery, spare glow driver battery, servo arms/gears, nylon bolts, AA batterys, swiss army knife, magnet (for finding lost screws/bolts) and a little plastic container so i dont have the use the magnet when i take stuff appart

RE: Field Supplies
 

My rule of thumb is if it only requires a minor repair but it would keep me from flying, have it in the box. I carry all the hex head wrenches I need to work on my planes, screw drivers, ratchet and sockets, adjustable wrench, needle nose pliers, hemostat, hobby knife, servo screws, wheel collars, control horns, tubing, rubber bands, packing tape, glue, nuts, bolts, washers, glow plugs, fast charger, shrink tubing, a cold solder gun, wire cutters, lengths of cutoff pushrods, zip ties, etc. Whenever I buy parts, I buy extra, then put them in the box. It all fits in a single tool box I purchased from Wal-Mart.

Brad

RE: Field Supplies
 

There tends to be two schools of thought. Some people start off with one or two repair items and end up using a box trailer as a flight box, others start off taking everything and slowly reduce it to the bare necessities. How close the hobby shop is to your flying field and the days it's open will have a big impact on what you bring too, as will your skill level (the number of crashes you have tends to reduce as your skills improve). I prefer to rely on good at-home maintenance and keep the on-field spares down to a spare prop, a roll of clear packing tape, and a length of fuel line. You'll find that'll get you out of most minor scrapes at the field if you're creative (eg: some tape around the end of the axle can be a make-shift wheel collar for a flight or two), and anything requiring a more exotic repair is best done at home. For a beginner I might include some wheel collars, maybe some rubber bands (even if your wings bolt on they're still useful at times), a small bag of assorted screws, and a bottle of thin CA but your best friend is really at home maintenance.

Go over your planes with a fine tooth comb before and after every day's flying, make sure all the grub screws have a drop of CA or locktite, the muffler screws too, wheels turn freely, prop nut is tight, batteries are charged and reliable etc... make it part of your end-of-day ritual while you're cleaning the plane off (assuming it's glow). Most field repairs for beginners are due to something coming loose, crash damage is usually not field repairable regardless of how many spares you have.

RE: Field Supplies
 

Good list (apart from the smokes)
I have most of that lot.
I also have lead weights, a set of ring spanners, a toothbrush (for cleaning the engine) and a bottle of after-run oil.
I sometimes take a collapsable camping chair and a coolbox full of drinkies and scoff depending on how long I intend to be at the field.

RE: Field Supplies
 

Thanks for the info, I had thought of some of the things. I didn't think about the common spare parts, screws, wheel collars and such. It 'll help, nothing stinks more than having to come home for a 10 cent part. The whole day would be wasted. I'll add these to my list.

RE: Field Supplies
 

o also bring a few servos, in case one fails (i had one fail on me today)

RE: Field Supplies
 

I pack light. Screwdrivers and allen wrenches for everything I have, some CA glue, an assortment of screws and whatever is left from small hardware I've bought (clevises and such), a glow plug wrench, cleanup supplies, and a field charger. It all fits in one toolbox and still leaves from for my buddy box and cord on training nights.

RE: Field Supplies
 

My brother and I travel to the field together, and it's about 45 miles each way. There are no hobby shops near the airfield so we take enough stuff to do fairly minor repairs. We have a tool box and tackle box that stay in the truck most of the time.

We have a small box that has the essentials for getting the planes fueled, started, and tuned: Fuel, fuel pump, glow driver, starter, tach, screwdriver.

RE: Field Supplies
 

Carb choke cleaner spray

RE: Field Supplies
 

WHY CARB/CHOKE SPRAY</p>

RE: Field Supplies
 

You've gotten some good suggestions from the folks. You'll fine tune your needs over time. Perhaps the best advice stated is to thoroughly check your plane before and after flying...that cuts down on a lot of 'surprises'. Most of the stuff I carry comes in handy when someone else needs it and we all share readily.

RE: Field Supplies
 

If your plane goes in sand or dirt, before you move throttle spray everything out. This way it doesn't get into engine. I've seen glow fuel, glass cleaner and a few other things used for this but the carb choke stuff works great. I've seen engines full of sand, a quick spray and they fire right up

RE: Field Supplies
 

I am lucky, I have a small trailer that I can keep 5 planes in and all my plane supplies. I tend to keep a big box with most of the above spare parts listed in the trailer, I also keep a spare dremel in the trailer (I have helped a many people with the dremel at the field) and a few other little things in the trailer. I also don't have a good workshop, so when I need to repair items, I just get the used parts out of the trailer. I have also been known to take a Dewalt drill with me to the field (which has been used also). I also only get to the field a couple times a month, and it is a long drive for me, so I want to be sure that I have jsut about everything.

Jon