Telescope cases

[Ande]

I’ve got a William Optics ZS61, which came with a very nice padded bag/case. However, once an EAF, flattener/reducer, filter drawer, spacers, guidescope, guidecam and main camera have been added the case suddenly becomes useless. I don’t want to break my rig down after use, and would prefer to be able to put it away “as is” for storage or transportation, and also for faster setup.  I don’t mind popping the guidescope off, but that’s about it.  Does anyone know of any suitably sized cases, preferably foam filled, so they can be custom cut to fit?  I did look on the FLO site, but all seemed to be cases for specific OTA’s.

[UKDiver]

I'm considering a Neewer bag packed with additional foam. A couple of other sizes are available.

[Shimrod]

1 hour ago, Ande said:

I’ve got a William Optics ZS61, which came with a very nice padded bag/case. However, once an EAF, flattener/reducer, filter drawer, spacers, guidescope, guidecam and main camera have been added the case suddenly becomes useless. I don’t want to break my rig down after use, and would prefer to be able to put it away “as is” for storage or transportation, and also for faster setup.  I don’t mind popping the guidescope off, but that’s about it.  Does anyone know of any suitably sized cases, preferably foam filled, so they can be custom cut to fit?  I did look on the FLO site, but all seemed to be cases for specific OTA’s.

I use a Macallister case I bought from B&Q to hold my ZS61 and AZ-GTI mount. I don't think it would accommodate the EAF but would possibly take everything else assembled. If that doesn't work, you can get larger tool cases with foam that should do the trick - but they come at a higher price - here's an example on Amazon

[cajen2]

How long is the ZX61?

[Ande]

12 minutes ago, cajen2 said:

How long is the ZX61?

About 45cm, with the image train attached.

 

Okay, thanks to each of you. Although they look interesting, I’ve discluded the Neweer bag, as I’m not entirely sure how protective it would be if it were to take a knock. So I took a look at tool boxes, as suggested, and spotted a Stanley one that looks like it could fit the bill with a bit of foam padding: https://www.toolstop.co.uk/stanley-1-94-749-toolbox-fatmax-waterproof-23-inch-p14024/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAk4aOBhCTARIsAFWFP9H8UKNBL_-OsLlXnk2VDVqyUUFDo-BS92wCPndL6ycA8tygdDD4s4oaAhTZEALw_wcB

I think I could probably pick one of these up locally too. 
 

Thanks again 🙂

[cajen2]

Or something like this, with foam included:

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/PeakTech-7270-Universal-Aluminium-piece/dp/B00I1GP1RC/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?crid=2CI7RGSP2IW1P&keywords=clas+ohlson+flight+case&qid=1640129870&sprefix=clas+ohlson+flight+case%2Caps%2C172&sr=8-6

[nephilim]

I'm wanting the same so that I can move my gear about without stripping down. No surprise but its not cheap 😂 Some places such as this also make custom cases to suit your required specs https://www.trifibre.co.uk/product-category/type/waterproof-cases/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAk4aOBhCTARIsAFWFP9HqDWmU-dAwCprQDwATmMyUMVmQmNqPEFRD3tJLdzrA9hLNESHYQHYaAvuaEALw_wcB

If foam isn't included in any case you decide on you can buy it here. https://www.gwp.co.uk/protective/foam-inserts/flight-case/

[Ande]

9 hours ago, cajen2 said:

Or something like this, with foam included:

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/PeakTech-7270-Universal-Aluminium-piece/dp/B00I1GP1RC/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?crid=2CI7RGSP2IW1P&keywords=clas+ohlson+flight+case&qid=1640129870&sprefix=clas+ohlson+flight+case%2Caps%2C172&sr=8-6

I did look at similar, but it’s getting the right proportions….  That one is way too shallow.

[Ande]

9 hours ago, nephilim said:

I'm wanting the same so that I can move my gear about without stripping down. No surprise but its not cheap 😂 Some places such as this also make custom cases to suit your required specs https://www.trifibre.co.uk/product-category/type/waterproof-cases/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAk4aOBhCTARIsAFWFP9HqDWmU-dAwCprQDwATmMyUMVmQmNqPEFRD3tJLdzrA9hLNESHYQHYaAvuaEALw_wcB

If foam isn't included in any case you decide on you can buy it here. https://www.gwp.co.uk/protective/foam-inserts/flight-case/

They look quite good. But, again, the only way I could accommodate my scope would be by going way over size in height. The foam link could be useful though. Anyway, panic over as I’ve found the ideal case. Drum roll please……

 

https://www.screwfix.com/p/stanley-fatmax-tool-box-26/8380p#product_additional_details_container

[TerraC]

I got one of these for my gear.   Not too bad - ok you cant run over them with a car but they keep dust out and offer protection against dings and clunks.  They do all sorts of sizes. 

https://www.cases-and-enclosures.co.uk/roc-cases-aluminum-flight-cases

[PeterC65]

I've recently bought these 'Max Case' brand cases for my two telescopes from The Case Shop.

I'm really impressed with them. They are good quality, rugged and reasonably priced I think. They're available in lots of different sizes, enough to accommodate most small and mid-sized scopes, with and without foam inserts.

The foam inserts come in four pieces. At the bottom of the case there is a 1/2" thick flat foam layer and in the lid there is a dimpled foam layer. In between, and filling most of the space, there are two more layers of foam of equal thickness. These two layers are pre-cut into 15mm squares, with a single 1/2" band of foam around the periphery. The pre-cuts are not quite right through the foam allowing you to cut out what you need with a narrow kitchen knife. For the Skymax 127, with the finderscope, I cut through both layers for the scope and just the top layer for the finderscope so that it lies on the lower layer of foam.

The Case Shop provided a great service, with an easy to use website that allows you to search for cases based on their internal dimensions, and the cases were with me in three days.

I'm so pleased with these two that I've ordered a third one to accommodate my eyepieces and diagonal / filter wheel assembly.

 

[nephilim]

1 hour ago, TerraC said:

I got one of these for my gear.   Not too bad - ok you cant run over them with a car but they keep dust out and offer protection against dings and clunks.  They do all sorts of sizes. 

https://www.cases-and-enclosures.co.uk/roc-cases-aluminum-flight-cases

Well considering I'm running over my telescope in the car pretty much on a daily basis, these unfortunately will be of no use to me at all 😁

In all seriousness they look like the have some good cases there

Steve

 

 

[Ande]

Thanks each. Both of those options look decent.  However, I’ve just collected my Stanley case from my local Screwfix. Once I have foamed it out it should be just about perfect.  Although I’ve pictured it with the guide scope on, the lid doesn’t come down. So I’ll only have to remove that for storage, which is fine by me 🙂. The case seem very robust, and could probably stand the weight of an average person. I’d be sure to make sure the scope isn’t inside whilst testing that theory though 😂. 
 

https://www.screwfix.com/p/stanley-fatmax-tool-box-26/8380p#product_additional_details_container

 

Edited December 22, 2021 by Ande

[nephilim]

1 hour ago, Ande said:

They look quite good. But, again, the only way I could accommodate my scope would be by going way over size in height. The foam link could be useful though. Anyway, panic over as I’ve found the ideal case. Drum roll please……

 

https://www.screwfix.com/p/stanley-fatmax-tool-box-26/8380p#product_additional_details_container

Hi Andy,

This is the problem I'm having, the ideal case for me would be 600mm x 500mm x 500mm but can't find that anywhere so I would have to go for a custom made case which is just silly expensive.

The tool box you've linked looks ideal & is a really good price, all it needs is the foam which I can get from the link I posted above.

I'm going to have another measure (not that It's going to have changed size since I last measured it 😂)

The main problem I have is because my setup is side by side mounted it makes it a lot wider & stripping that down even in the smallest way would mean pretty much taking the lot to bits. 

[nephilim]

8 minutes ago, Ande said:

Thanks each. Both of those options look decent.  However, I’ve just collected my Stanley case from my local Screwfix. Once I have foamed it out it should be just about perfect.  Although I’ve pictured it with the guide scope on, the lid doesn’t come down. So I’ll only have to remove that for storage, which is fine by me 🙂. The case seem very robust, and could probably stand the weight of an average person. I’d be sure to make sure the scope isn’t inside whilst testing that theory though 😂. 
 

https://www.screwfix.com/p/stanley-fatmax-tool-box-26/8380p#product_additional_details_container

 

Looking at that I don't need to measure up again as there's no way my kit would fit in there 🤬 I'll have a look on their website & see if there's anything else. I'm also popping into town soon so I'll go into B&Q on the way & see if they have something.

[Ande]

Stanley do seem to make quite the assortment of sizes at very keen prices.  £29.99 was the price I paid.  Worth a peep 🙂

[Ande]

15 minutes ago, nephilim said:

Hi Andy,

This is the problem I'm having, the ideal case for me would be 600mm x 500mm x 500mm but can't find that anywhere so I would have to go for a custom made case which is just silly expensive.

The tool box you've linked looks ideal & is a really good price, all it needs is the foam which I can get from the link I posted above.

I'm going to have another measure (not that It's going to have changed size since I last measured it 😂)

The main problem I have is because my setup is side by side mounted it makes it a lot wider & stripping that down even in the smallest way would mean pretty much taking the lot to bits. 

I don’t know what impresses me the most….  Your gear, or your location. Either way, you’re a very lucky boy 😃

[nephilim]

2 minutes ago, Ande said:

I don’t know what impresses me the most….  Your gear, or your location. Either way, you’re a very lucky boy 😃

Thank you, as you know, it's taken a loooong time to get to this point (for both of us I think) and for you, your well on your way to finally be out getting some good photos 🙂

[Ande]

All we need now is a biblical parting of the clouds 🙂

[nephilim]

29 minutes ago, Ande said:

All we need now is a biblical parting of the clouds 🙂

That would be nice, I'm pretty desperate to get some more time on the North American Nebula.

I've also realised that I've been having a bit of a 'senior moment' 😂 I've only just realised that the case I need doesn't have to be the dimensions I've spent god knows how long looking for. All I have to do is take the scope/guide camera & the Lens/ Imaging camera off the  Vixen bar & that breaks the size down a fair bit so the box I'll need can be smaller & that means cheaper. 
I'm at my parents for xmas at the moment & luckily there's a Screwfix 2 miles down the road so I'm off there now to check out toolboxes 😃



 
 

[nephilim]

7 hours ago, Ande said:

Thanks each. Both of those options look decent.  However, I’ve just collected my Stanley case from my local Screwfix. Once I have foamed it out it should be just about perfect.  Although I’ve pictured it with the guide scope on, the lid doesn’t come down. So I’ll only have to remove that for storage, which is fine by me 🙂. The case seem very robust, and could probably stand the weight of an average person. I’d be sure to make sure the scope isn’t inside whilst testing that theory though 😂. 
 

https://www.screwfix.com/p/stanley-fatmax-tool-box-26/8380p#product_additional_details_container

 

@Ande With your recommendations your becoming an expensive online friend to have what with the ASIAIR Pro & now this 😂

In all seriousness you've actually saved me money here (and as for the ASIAIR, that's been an absolute dream to use). I hadn't even thought about using a toolbox and flight cases that would be a suitable size were easily around the £150+ mark.

Buying the toolbox at £29.99 plus the packaging foam (here's a link if you haven't sorted yours yet.   https://www.easyfoam.co.uk/packaging-foam.php ) will have saved me a fairly big chunk of money.

Anyway it was meant to be though,  as I mentioned, there's a ScrewFix a 5min drive away from my parents & this was the last they had in stock until the New Year.

Although this would fit both the guiding & imaging gear, it would be a squeeze so I've decided to keep my main camera & lens setup in this case along with its Bahtinov Mask & Dew controller & dew heater strap, I'm then going to buy another toolbox the next size down for my guiding setup, the control until for my ES EXOS II PMC-Eight mount, filter, cables & the tablet I use for the AAP.

I never thought buying a toolbox would make me so happy 😂 Just please don't recommend anything beginning with the 'letters' Planewave or 10 Micron 😬

 

[Ande]

On 22/12/2021 at 18:00, nephilim said:

@Ande With your recommendations your becoming an expensive online friend to have what with the ASIAIR Pro & now this 😂

In all seriousness you've actually saved me money here (and as for the ASIAIR, that's been an absolute dream to use). I hadn't even thought about using a toolbox and flight cases that would be a suitable size were easily around the £150+ mark.

Buying the toolbox at £29.99 plus the packaging foam (here's a link if you haven't sorted yours yet.   https://www.easyfoam.co.uk/packaging-foam.php ) will have saved me a fairly big chunk of money.

Anyway it was meant to be though,  as I mentioned, there's a ScrewFix a 5min drive away from my parents & this was the last they had in stock until the New Year.

Although this would fit both the guiding & imaging gear, it would be a squeeze so I've decided to keep my main camera & lens setup in this case along with its Bahtinov Mask & Dew controller & dew heater strap, I'm then going to buy another toolbox the next size down for my guiding setup, the control until for my ES EXOS II PMC-Eight mount, filter, cables & the tablet I use for the AAP.

I never thought buying a toolbox would make me so happy 😂 Just please don't recommend anything beginning with the 'letters' Planewave or 10 Micron 😬

 

Did you ever get round to decking your case out in foam? Would love to see a picture or two if you have. I’ve not done mine yet. I need to order some of that pick-foam that you linked.