Eyepiece storage.

[Ed the Fox]

Hi all. 

With a growing amount of eyepieces and nowhere to put them apart from their own boxes, I was wondering what equipment you guys use and recommend for eyepiece storage.

Cheers.

[Stu]

18 minutes ago, Ed the Fox said:

Hi all. 

With a growing amount of eyepieces and nowhere to put them apart from their own boxes, I was wondering what equipment you guys use and recommend for eyepiece storage.

Cheers.

Just one or two here to give you some inspiration! See you in a month or two once you’ve read through the thread 😉

 

[Space Hopper]

A good flight case or musical instrument case.

Usually they have removable 'cubed foam' pieces so you can customise the inside to your requirements.

Heres a case i had a few years ago

 

[Space Hopper]

I used to use Maplins for flight cases, but as sadly they are no more have had to look further afield.

Astroshop EU is a place i've ordered from who seem pretty good, but there are other options....

https://www.astroshop.eu/telescope-accessories/transport-storage/multi-purpose-cases/15_60_60

[Louis D]

Pistol cases are pretty cheap in the US, but probably harder to come by in the UK.  I have several for binoviewers and smaller eyepieces.  They're not waterproof, but they're good enough for my less expensive eyepieces.

I use Pelican style waterproof cases for my more expensive eyepieces.  There are some decent Chinese made knock-offs available, just with lower density foam.

[Alien 13]

I do miss the Maplin cases 😥

P.S. If you want to make nice clean holes in foam or other soft material get a set of these...

But importantly run the drill in REVERSE..

Alan

Edited October 12, 2021 by Alien 13

[johninderby]

Not as good a range as the old Maplins.

https://www.maplin.co.uk/home-office/home-leisure-travel/flight-cases

[Zermelo]

1 hour ago, Alien 13 said:

I do miss the Maplin cases 😥

P.S. If you want to make nice clean holes in foam or other soft material get a set of these...

But importantly run the drill in REVERSE..

Alan

I've seen that when you posted it before, can I ask you which kind of foam(s) have you been successful with?
My first flight case came with a very soft pick-and-pluck foam, which I cut with modelling knives and scissors. I don't think it would have responded well to anything more severe. I've now got another case with a slightly firmer foam (I think they're probably both polyurethane, but I don't know).  And then, if you buy equipment that comes in its own case, it's usually that stiff, "rubberized" type.

I'm trying to cut my new block with various sharpened cylindrical objects, twisting by hand, with limited success. But it might be more effective if I could drill it (I've not had the nerve to risk destroying it!).

[Alien 13]

1 minute ago, Zermelo said:

I've seen that when you posted it before, can I ask you which kind of foam(s) have you been successful with?
My first flight case came with a very soft pick-and-pluck foam, which I cut with modelling knives and scissors. I don't think it would have responded well to anything more severe. I've now got another case with a slightly firmer foam (I think they're probably both polyurethane, but I don't know).  And then, if you buy equipment that comes in its own case, it's usually that stiff, "rubberized" type.

I'm trying to cut my new block with various sharpened cylindrical objects, twisting by hand, with limited success. But it might be more effective if I could drill it (I've not had the nerve to risk destroying it!).

It wont work on pluck foam but OK with the stiffer stuff available as well as the black polystyrene type material thats made up in thin layers. As with most things its best to try it on a sample first.

Alan

[Ed the Fox]

Wow nice one guys some good stuff to look at there and not pricey either. 

[SMF]

For interest I’ve used this company for work and for my astro set up. Decent variety of sizes, fair quality at good prices and spare foam is readily available from them to. I got through a few as I grew my set up.

https://www.cases-and-enclosures.co.uk

[Guest]

Harbor Freight has the Apache series of hard cases with the pick and pull foam in them.  I have 2 of the 4800 series that holds my eyepiece collection.  They are a really good case for 60 bucks a pop.

Edited April 12, 2022 by Guest