DIY scope chest

[Jim!]

Having bought an SCT due to space and portability issues, I thought I'd better have a box for it. The one that the scope was shipped in was huge and didn't fit in the boot of my car, it was also a plain cardboard box with minimal amount of foam packing which made me shudder to think that it was shipped like this! Some construction criteria -

1) Got to be light! the scope and mount is close to 25kg without the box, much heavier and it'll cause lifting issues.

2) Strong and well padded

3) Small in height and depth so it can fit in the back of my car

4) Just the right width to upend it and sit on when observing.

Finished dimensions approx 360x450x750. Box is made using 25x25mm softwood baton as a frame, covered by 5mm exterior ply and finished using Ronseal yacht varnish. Total weight including the hinges and catches is around 5kg. 1/2 lap joints used in the corners as well as the reinforcing baton that the handle is attached too.

Inside it is packed out with polystyrene and camera case foam, covered in some very bling red velvet bought from C&H fabric. It was a right pain in the bum to form the correct shape of the scope. Still, kept me busy over several cloudy nights. The square blue poly in the lid is the top of the old cardboard box, cut to fit and glued in place. It was by far the easiest way to pack the top.

Hope this is of some help for those not wanting to spend hundreds on a pre made case. Total cost around £50

Jim!

[kev 102 42]

thats a cool job ,very well done looks the dbs....................kev

[jgs001]

That's very nicely done Jim... I'd like something like that for my scopes.

[Jim!]

Thanks for the comments guys.

I should go into the carpentry business jgs001

[Doc]

Maybe you should, I bet quite a few folks would buy something like that if the price was right.

[gary1968]

Oh that is nice Jim. If you take up making / selling them please give me 1st shout.....

Gary.

[skye at night]

nice..

but didnt you think of using the meade foam from the original packaging and lining over it?

Steve

[Jim!]

Thanks guys.

As to making the things to order, I can't think of a way to get a good solid fit on the

mount without having the scope next to me for a template. The original box foam

didn't support the forks firmly. Now the scope cannot shift in transit because its

clamped from the top.

The lid is the original box, cut to fit, wedged, glued and covered over. Says "Meade" under there!

[russ]

Ace job. I admire anyone who can cut wood in a straight line or mate two bits of it together. Very impressive! And your LX10 looks very snug in there.

Not something i'll be attempting in a hurry. A trip to B&Q and plastic storage box for me.

[Jaffa007]

Fantastic piece of work!!

Do you have any pictures of work in progress??

[Herakles]

Love it ! Made a box for my 80mm frac, not as good ( as in tight inside fitting ) as yours,though I wanted to be able to store other stuff along side the scope. Love the grain and the colour chosen for the staining.

[Jim!]

Thanks chaps. I'm afraid I don't have any in progress pictures soooorry!

The scope is rather a tight fit across the forks Herakles, I have to angle the scope a bit and put

one side in first - does this make sense? Had to be that size, just about squeezes in the car.

I'm rather pleased with the wood too, it isn't stained either, only clear gloss yacht varnish.

It's bog standard exterior ply from my local trade shop! Goodwillies in Waterlooville.

[daz]

That's a great box Jim!!

Just thinking about the interior......

Would it be possible to :

1. Cover the base in a layer of foam of some sort

2. Wrap the scope in cling film or other protectant

3. Squirt expanding foam into the base and then sit the scope into it

4. When set, trim the foam as necessary, put a nice velour cover on it...

It would give a firm support to the scope, moulded to the right shape - wouldn't it?

[Jim!]

Daz you're a ^%£*^" star! I could come round and kiss you.

That will work very, very well. Gonna have to be a lot of cling film, can you imagine an SCT full of magic foam?!

[arad85]

Top class job. Next box I make will have the screw holes lined up and countersunk like yours. Makes such a difference to the look of it...

[Mike W]

Jim, I suppose you could squirt the foam into a bin liner placed in the box, rest the scope on top of it until it forms and sets to the desired shape and then peel the bag away, just thinking it might be less fiddly than trying to cover the scope.

Mike

[philj]

Very nice. shades of the 60s and 70s Japanese scopes there the top ones used to come in fitted wooden boxes.

Philj

[toilandtrouble123]

Hope this is of some help for those not wanting to spend hundreds on a pre made case. Total cost around £50

Jim!

ha! ruddy tell me about it!! the only case I can find to fit my scope is from casemarket, at £267 with foam lining.... and still striving to find a better quote... *sigh*

[Jim!]

ha! ruddy tell me about it!! the only case I can find to fit my scope is from casemarket, at £267 with foam lining.... and still striving to find a better quote... *sigh*

Yikes!

As a budget solution, have a look at those big wheely suitcases

especially if you can get a hard shell one. I saw 3 soft shells, like Russian Dolls one inside the other, in Tesco for £25

(possibly ASDA... almost certain its ASDA but I can't remember)

You can then get plywood (5mm thick should do) cut to size from B&Q or somewhere similar, stuff it between the inner and the outer skin, then sew it up.

Fill full of padding of choice.

I was originally going to do this, but the biggest cases were 2" too small

Hope this saves some pennies!

[toilandtrouble123]

its sounds relatively easy but I know thats just way out of my capability. well flightcase-warehouse have just got back to me, and they say for a "7mm hexa board flightcase" foam lined and built to my specified internal dimensions, it'll be about £135 incl. vat and shipping- its btter than casemarket but is it still a rip off??

[Jim!]

That sounds like a pretty good deal to me. Is that the shop that sells on Ebay?

I'm sure there is a few people on SGL that need something like that.

Maybe get a few together and place a bigger order, may save some ££!

[toilandtrouble123]

I've never used ebay, so i dont know, as for getting a few together to reduce the cost, i doubt that'll work cos we'd all need cases made to different dimensions...

[Jim!]

as for getting a few together to reduce the cost, i doubt that'll work cos we'd all need cases made to different dimensions...

Doh! Of course.

[toilandtrouble123]

lolz!! blonde moment jim??

[AndyH]

its sounds relatively easy but I know thats just way out of my capability. well flightcase-warehouse have just got back to me, and they say for a "7mm hexa board flightcase" foam lined and built to my specified internal dimensions, it'll be about £135 incl. vat and shipping- its btter than casemarket but is it still a rip off??

Have you thought of a soft padded carry case, or would you rather have a solid one

Cheers,

Andy.