Show me your eyepiece/accessories case, please.

[Paz]

1 hour ago, planetman83 said:

Guys, is there any program or site with eyepiece and suitcase database to virtually design your eyepiece collection inside the suitcase in order to see how you can put them inside before you cut the foam?

There's a business opportunity for an app developer! ?

[martinl]

2 hours ago, planetman83 said:

Guys, is there any program or site with eyepiece and suitcase database to virtually design your eyepiece collection inside the suitcase in order to see how you can put them inside before you cut the foam?

I used this one to figure out what fits in my cases:

https://mycasebuilder.eu/

They have a fair database of different EPs etc to use.

For pick and pluck foam I’ve used a simple excel sheet where every (squared) cell represents a piece of foam and simply coloured blocks of cells to represent individual EPs. 

[John]

I use a method which involves pressing the eyepieces into the cubed foam rather than removing foam chunks. I used to change my eyepieces a lot so this approach enabled me to change the layout without needing the replace the foam inners. I'd have gone through a lot of foam if it was not for this approach !

[martinl]

Yeah. Cubed, or custom-cut, foam is really too inflexible for our ever-changing collections. I’m experimenting with dividers cut from camping mat for a more flexible arrangement of my Peli 1400. It seems to work well, but I need to decide on how to keep the dividers in place. Velcro seems the obvious answer. 

Edited September 19, 2018 by martinl

[John]

With the cubed foam and my method, if you change eyepieces, you can pull the cubes back up to a flat surface and then re-depress them to fit the new eyepiece size and shape.

[Floater]

2 hours ago, John said:

With the cubed foam and my method, if you change eyepieces, you can pull the cubes back up to a flat surface and then re-depress them to fit the new eyepiece size and shape.

And the pictures of your collection are testament to the efficacy of your method, John. ?

[John]

12 minutes ago, Floater said:

And the pictures of your collection are testament to the efficacy of your method, John. ?

Thanks Gordon.

The exceptions are the poor orthos which just rattle around in an old cigar box !

I'll have to find some better storage for those ......

 

[planetman83]

martinl, I used the app, it is very helpful.

John, can you explain the method again? How can you insert a big eyepiece inside the case without removing some foam? Especially when inserting the eyepiece vertically...

[iPeace]

18 minutes ago, planetman83 said:

John, can you explain the method again? How can you insert a big eyepiece inside the case without removing some foam? Especially when inserting the eyepiece vertically...

It seems pretty simple - and does indeed rely on horizontal positioning.

[GavStar]

Whenever I read this thread, I smile. ? The OP (long gone now) was asking about the eyepiece cases not the eyepieces themselves. Whereas the focus  generally now (including past posts from me I would add!) is on the contents not the case... ?

(accepting that the last few posts are actually in respect of the cases...)

[planetman83]

I have just ordered the B&W series 5000 but I am going to put all my eyepieces vertically. Actually I don't understand why everyone in this topic puts the eyepieces horizontally.

Edited September 20, 2018 by planetman83

[Davey-T]

9 minutes ago, planetman83 said:

I have just ordered the B&W series 5000 but I am going to put all my eyepieces vertically. Actually I don't understand why everyone in this topic put the eyepieces horizontally.

Try some Ethosis then 

Dave

[planetman83]

I see even small type6 naglers or orthos put horizontally.

[martinl]

Storing EPs horizontally makes them easier to identify in the dark. Also, when switching EPs you can simply put them back on their sides without worrying about replacing end caps. At least that’s why I prefer storing my most used EPs horizontally. Infrequently used EPs can be stored vertically to save space - if your case is deep enough. 

[planetman83]

I personally can identify which eyepiece I keep in my hand without even see it (including 4 type6 naglers). And of course I put them in the case in specific spots, not randomly, so I know where I have to take the eyepiece from I want each time. 

Edited September 20, 2018 by planetman83

[iPeace]

1 hour ago, planetman83 said:

Actually I don't understand why everyone in this topic puts the eyepieces horizontally.

Well, not everyone. But it's often the most convenient way to fit them in. I do agree that vertical placement can work well and it does for me in a certain case (pun alert). No pics at the moment, perhaps in due course.

[RiponJas]

3 hours ago, planetman83 said:

 Actually I don't understand why everyone in this topic puts the eyepieces horizontally.

Simple, because I like to look at what I spend my money on. ? That's my reason... 

[John]

I find it easier to grasp larger eyepieces from the sides rather than from the top. It's a bigger chunk to get gloved fingers around, where the rubber grips tend to be, much less chance of touching a lens accidently and no chance of the dust cap getting in the way of a clean, safe, pickup. Also the focal lengths tend to be on the side or shoulders of the eyepieces.

I can see that upright storage of smaller eyepieces such as my orthos could make sense though.

 

[John]

4 hours ago, GavStar said:

Whenever I read this thread, I smile. ? The OP (long gone now) was asking about the eyepiece cases not the eyepieces themselves. Whereas the focus  generally now (including past posts from me I would add!) is on the contents not the case... ?

(accepting that the last few posts are actually in respect of the cases...)

What a dull thread (and possibly much shorter !) it would have been if the OP's post had been taken literally !

My cases have stayed looking the same from the outside for the past 5 years or more. The contents have changed a little bit though

[Alan White]

On 19/09/2018 at 12:48, Moonshane said:

no changes so far!

Far, far too long Shane....... the shame of it 6 months + and no changes.

The next thing you will say is you have ended your EP journey! ?

[iPeace]

On 14/01/2010 at 23:39, Leegsi said:

I have a metal case and chunk of foam and now have some e/p's worth putting in a case.

Not sure how to go about it.

Wether to cut a hole so they stand on their end, cut a long hole so they are on their side half in or fully in.

What have you done?

Reading the OP's...OP, the thread seems to have come full circle.

[garryblueboy]

On 17/09/2018 at 23:25, John said:

I seem to be quite settled with this selection now:

Now that’s a Dairy box selection 

[Louis D]

4 hours ago, Davey-T said:

Try some Ethosis then 

Dave

I have ES-92s stored vertically without problems in my old Doskocil XL case.  It's equivalent to the Pelican 1600 case.  The problem becomes one of extreme weight with so many 2+ pound eyepieces (including 30mm ES-82, 40mm Meade 5000 SWA, etc) in one case and having bad shoulders.

I could store my eyepieces horizontally if I went to a long enough gun case like this guy did on CN:

[planetman83]

Guys, I just made my newly purchased B&W Series 5000 case.

Inside is Nagler 5mm, nagler 7mm, nagler 9mm, nagler 13mm, nagler 16mm, nagler 20mm, Explore scientific 8.8mm, explore scientific 14mm, explore scientific 30mm, finder 8x50, howie laser 2", howie glatter 2", OIII 2", UHC 2", H-beta 2", binoculars 2.3x, red flashlight, green laser, lens pen.

It has also room for another or 2 eyepieces...

The howie glatter is a bit cramped but the case is able to close without much effort.

Edited September 21, 2018 by planetman83

[Stub Mandrel]

Here we go, some high-density foam arrived today. I filed a sharp end on the aluminium tube from a defunct pop-up display and spent ten minutes cutting out holes. They are a nice tight fit! Only thing missing from here is my cheap Bresser diagonal and a barlow. Despite the impressive number of things (where did they all come from) I'm confident the total cost was considerably less (~£130 spent, not including the four that came with scopes) than most of you folks have spent on a single EP!

Skywatcher UWA Planetary 2.5mm, 5mm (via SGL classifieds, only used briefly - too strong for the small scope I tried them with, meant for my bigger scopes)

Series 500 4mm Plossl (awful, from ebay)

Skywatcher Super 10mm, Super25 long eye relief (the standard Skywatcher pair, came with my 150PL, both work fine)

Circle-T 18mm Orthoscopic (came with my 10" Dob)

Datyson 8-24 Zoom (possibly one of the many clones, a bit rattly, not tried out yet)

Opticstar 25mm Plossl (dead cheap, bought for a guidescope and fitted with cross hairs. Give worryingly good views...)

Celestron 32mm Plossl (came with C90 Mak, very comfortable to use and shows zillions of stars)

Svbony 40mm Plossl (Another ebay cheapy, but very pleasant to look through).

Celestron amici prism diagonal (to turn C90 into a spotting scope but I like the very natural views of the moon etc.)

Datyson x5 barlow (not had much joy with this, very hard to get focus).

Revelation Astro x3 ED barlow (spanking results used for planets in the dob).

Even I am too proud to stick cheap Huygenian EPs etc. in there!

One plan is to make a few EPs from odd lenses I have around. First attempts worked OK, but I want to make a better job of them.