THE FIELD BOX FROM HELL! aka The Ultimate Field box!
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RE: THE FIELD BOX FROM HELL! aka The Ultimate Field box!
I just bought the Stanley Fat Max tool box for my field equipment. Can't decide on using a deep cycle marine battery or a jumpstarter for charing my LiPo batteries( 3S 4000mah & some 5S 5000mah). The weight of the marine battery worries me as far as the box holding up to constant use. Are jumpstarters sufficient for what I want to charge. I know they are only 18-22Ahr but they weigh less & have built in charger to replenish the battery & the marine battery would probably be 50-75Ahr. What do you guys use in your boxes & are you concerned about the tool box holding up. I'm using a Triton2 & icharger 208B for chrarging my batteries. Really need your advice guys.
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RE: THE FIELD BOX FROM HELL! aka The Ultimate Field box!
Picked up a deep cycle marine battery 115Ahr to recharge my batteries at the field. Figure its big enough for some 3S & 5S batteries. Got a Battery Tender also to keep it fully charged & in tip top shape.
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RE: THE FIELD BOX FROM HELL! aka The Ultimate Field box!
I used to buy bigger and bigger flight boxes as time passed on, being prepared for anything. There were draw backs, like somehow everyone got used to "borrowing" my glow plugs, props, screws, wing bolts, clevis's, etc. just about every weekend. Is that borrow? If I have to hit the brakes harder in transit, I feared the box would slide into a plane, again.
In spite of carrying so much with me, somehow some little thing would eventually keep me from flying anyway.
The same box grew so much, it substituted for a tool box on my building bench.
One day I hurt my back, didn't want to lift 40 lbs anymore to go fly. I got a nicad glow igniter, manual fuel pump hanging by the fuel line off my fuel cap, and an electric starter with build in 12v battery if my stick didn't get it in 4 or 5 flips. It all lays nicely on the passenger floor behind my drivers seat, and I never went back to the big box theory.
If I have a problem I need a tool for, I just go home and fix it for the next day out, and just make sure I brought a back up plane.
I don't have a field box for electric stuff either, I use the whole dining room table for a charging station with iron skillet to hold my charge bag, and just carry out what I need. I keep my radio in an aluminum case. I don't even have a screwdriver, my wings are attached already and stored that way, and they're carried in a 8' truck bed. I usually can bring 2 or 3 planes, strapped down.
If I get into a pinch, get forgetful with any necessities to get airborne, I finally get to borrow back my own stuff.
In spite of carrying so much with me, somehow some little thing would eventually keep me from flying anyway.
The same box grew so much, it substituted for a tool box on my building bench.
One day I hurt my back, didn't want to lift 40 lbs anymore to go fly. I got a nicad glow igniter, manual fuel pump hanging by the fuel line off my fuel cap, and an electric starter with build in 12v battery if my stick didn't get it in 4 or 5 flips. It all lays nicely on the passenger floor behind my drivers seat, and I never went back to the big box theory.
If I have a problem I need a tool for, I just go home and fix it for the next day out, and just make sure I brought a back up plane.
I don't have a field box for electric stuff either, I use the whole dining room table for a charging station with iron skillet to hold my charge bag, and just carry out what I need. I keep my radio in an aluminum case. I don't even have a screwdriver, my wings are attached already and stored that way, and they're carried in a 8' truck bed. I usually can bring 2 or 3 planes, strapped down.
If I get into a pinch, get forgetful with any necessities to get airborne, I finally get to borrow back my own stuff.
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RE: THE FIELD BOX FROM HELL! aka The Ultimate Field box!
What a cool thread from 2002!I want to thank Billy Hell for the idea and all the others who have contributed to this thread. I am new to the sport and I finally finished my ultimate field box. I bought the box last summer at Home Depot for $30 you can see pictures of the box when I bought it in my previous thread back on page 22 or 23. I wanted my power panel in the upper box so it would be easier to reach, but I wanted my battery in the lower section to keep the weight down low so the box wouldn't want to tip so easy. My solution was to use the banana plugs and some test leads from Radio Shack to connect the power from the bottom section to the top box on the left side. I also installed a power switch so I could kill the power when I wasn't using the panel or when I needed to separate the two boxes. I also added a set of banana plugs on the front. This allows me to charge the battery directly from these plugs without having to run through the panel. I can also connect my starter to these plugs and have a direct connection to the battery with heavier wire than the panel had. Next I wanted my fuel pump on the front because I don't like the idea of having it inside with the fuel but I wanted to be able to control the pump from the panel. So I used another set of banana plugs on the right side and then soldered the wire to the back of the power panel so I didn't have to plug directly into the front of the panel to use my pump. I originally wanted to use the fuel jug that the fuel comes in but it was too tall so I used my Dave Brown fuel can which is shorter and already had the ports for the fuel line built in. I had enough room to leave my Dave Brown six shooter manual pump attached to the can so if my electric pump quits then I still have my manual pump with me. This was a fun project and I am really pleased with the results. I think this will serve me well for some time.
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RE: THE FIELD BOX FROM HELL! aka The Ultimate Field box!
Lets go ahead and revive this old thread because it's a good one.
Read through this and it gave me some good ideas. I measured my car and measured some boxes. The good one I wanted wouldn't fit on the floor board behind the passenger seat. The ones that would were just not right. I won a $50 Home Depot gift card as a door prize so I decided to go there and make something work. This is what I came up with.
It has my 12v battery, power panel, 1 gal fuel jug with electric pump, squirt bottle of cleaner, tools, some containers for small parts etc....... This allows me to just grab the field box, Tx and planes and I'm good to go without having to inventory everything to make sure I didn't forget anything. I've taken it to the field 3 or 4 times now and couldn't be happier.
Read through this and it gave me some good ideas. I measured my car and measured some boxes. The good one I wanted wouldn't fit on the floor board behind the passenger seat. The ones that would were just not right. I won a $50 Home Depot gift card as a door prize so I decided to go there and make something work. This is what I came up with.
It has my 12v battery, power panel, 1 gal fuel jug with electric pump, squirt bottle of cleaner, tools, some containers for small parts etc....... This allows me to just grab the field box, Tx and planes and I'm good to go without having to inventory everything to make sure I didn't forget anything. I've taken it to the field 3 or 4 times now and couldn't be happier.
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RE: THE FIELD BOX FROM HELL! aka The Ultimate Field box!
For you folks that have the plastic Stanley tool boxes (or any plastic field box for that matter), is there a trick to cutting the plastic out of the side panel to put the power panel in? I'm just wondering how you guys are cutting the panel out. Do i just use a sharp knife?
Thanks!
Realbass1
Thanks!
Realbass1
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RE: THE FIELD BOX FROM HELL! aka The Ultimate Field box!
I used a new blade in a utility knife. Drill holes at each corner to run the cut into. You can also use a dremel with a cut off wheel but you will get melted plastic that has to be cleaned up.
jim
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RE: THE FIELD BOX FROM HELL! aka The Ultimate Field box!
ORIGINAL: jsevey
I used a new blade in a utility knife. Drill holes at each corner to run the cut into. You can also use a dremel with a cut off wheel but you will get melted plastic that has to be cleaned up.
I used a new blade in a utility knife. Drill holes at each corner to run the cut into. You can also use a dremel with a cut off wheel but you will get melted plastic that has to be cleaned up.
jim
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RE: THE FIELD BOX FROM HELL! aka The Ultimate Field box!
ORIGINAL: ckreef
Lets go ahead and revive this old thread because it's a good one.
Read through this and it gave me some good ideas. I measured my car and measured some boxes. The good one I wanted wouldn't fit on the floor board behind the passenger seat. The ones that would were just not right. I won a $50 Home Depot gift card as a door prize so I decided to go there and make something work. This is what I came up with.
It has my 12v battery, power panel, 1 gal fuel jug with electric pump, squirt bottle of cleaner, tools, some containers for small parts etc....... This allows me to just grab the field box, Tx and planes and I'm good to go without having to inventory everything to make sure I didn't forget anything. I've taken it to the field 3 or 4 times now and couldn't be happier.
Lets go ahead and revive this old thread because it's a good one.
Read through this and it gave me some good ideas. I measured my car and measured some boxes. The good one I wanted wouldn't fit on the floor board behind the passenger seat. The ones that would were just not right. I won a $50 Home Depot gift card as a door prize so I decided to go there and make something work. This is what I came up with.
It has my 12v battery, power panel, 1 gal fuel jug with electric pump, squirt bottle of cleaner, tools, some containers for small parts etc....... This allows me to just grab the field box, Tx and planes and I'm good to go without having to inventory everything to make sure I didn't forget anything. I've taken it to the field 3 or 4 times now and couldn't be happier.
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RE: THE FIELD BOX FROM HELL! aka The Ultimate Field box!
ORIGINAL: l82fly
Ckreef, I like all the plastic boxes but also want something more compact, I like the open bag design you created....Is that just a standard 1 gallon jug or did you purchase something that has a lower profile?
Ckreef, I like all the plastic boxes but also want something more compact, I like the open bag design you created....Is that just a standard 1 gallon jug or did you purchase something that has a lower profile?
That is a square, 1 gallon plastic jub that originally contained a cleaning product called "Simple Green". I have had nitro fuel in that jug for over 3 months now with no adverse problems. Ialso bought that at Home Depot in their cleaning products section.
#589
RE: THE FIELD BOX FROM HELL! aka The Ultimate Field box!
Hi
I've been reading this thread and decided to make my own FBFH but as I'm fairly new I need some help with the plumbing and fittings. I have a Prolux MKIII power panel which has a inbuilt pump (in and out feed). I also have 2 fuel cells for 2str and 4str. I don't know how to plumb it up and what easily bought fittings (I'm in the UK so any common type fittings) I need? I have seen so many variations in here (mainly with the number of pipes which go into the fuel cells). I thought to have one feed from each cell to the front of the field box, then a feed which can be switched from 2str to 4 str to the pump and then the feed from the pump to the carb. I don't know if this will work as I see alot of fuel cells with 2 tubes (I think maybe something to do with either a vent or one way valves?). I also don't know what fittings I need to make this work (the fittings for the fuel cells, the front of the field box and anything else I don't know of).
Hope someone can help.
Thanks
Rob
I've been reading this thread and decided to make my own FBFH but as I'm fairly new I need some help with the plumbing and fittings. I have a Prolux MKIII power panel which has a inbuilt pump (in and out feed). I also have 2 fuel cells for 2str and 4str. I don't know how to plumb it up and what easily bought fittings (I'm in the UK so any common type fittings) I need? I have seen so many variations in here (mainly with the number of pipes which go into the fuel cells). I thought to have one feed from each cell to the front of the field box, then a feed which can be switched from 2str to 4 str to the pump and then the feed from the pump to the carb. I don't know if this will work as I see alot of fuel cells with 2 tubes (I think maybe something to do with either a vent or one way valves?). I also don't know what fittings I need to make this work (the fittings for the fuel cells, the front of the field box and anything else I don't know of).
Hope someone can help.
Thanks
Rob