samsound Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 I am going to build a flight case as it seems cheaper to buy one..... to put cables in!what the best way to build one I dont need one that big just a handy one to use when doing shows... cheeers Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
savage1 Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 building one seems cheaper but most of the time you'll end up spending a lot more time, needing more tools and in many cases spending more money. You could probably find a second hand one of something from thomann's cheap range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shez Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 Seconded. Once you add up the cost of all the aluminium extrusions, corner pieces, catches, hinges, edges plus the wood, paint / laminate PLUS a lot more of your time than you expect, it's cheaper to buy. And the bought one will look and function better than the first one you build. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieH Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 I almost built one last year, but in the end decided my DIY skills weren't up to it and bought one. I bought a small cable trunk from Lumatech Ltd, and have been thoroughly impressed by both the quality of the case, the level of service I received, and the cost. Granted I did get a student discount, but the final invoice (inc. delivery and VAT) came to under £120 http://www.blue-room.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif Would thoroughly recommend them to anyone looking for smaller flight cases! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timsabre Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 I agree with the others, I have built a few and am always disappointed by the results despite my best efforts. Anyway if you really want to build a cable bin yourself, here are my tips based on several painful experiences. If you are a master carpenter I apologise in advance. Get your boards cut by B&Q on their big saw. You'll never get them properly square and matching sizes if you try to cut them yourself.Glue together a complete box with no opening to start with, use ratchet straps to hold it together while it sets. Once the glue has set set saw round it using a circular saw to make the lid. This will make sure the lid matches the case.Then put the flightcase fittings on. Get one of those concertina pop-riveters or an electric one, if you use a squeezy squeezy one you'll be there forever and give yourself RSI.Finally survey the results of your 12 hours hard labour, noting the slightly offsquare corners and lid that still doesn't fit despite the above, and vow to buy one next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musht Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 For cables mebbe consider tea crates: http://www.blue-room.org.uk/index.php?showtopic=48297 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonfire Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 .....I bought a small cable trunk from Lumatech Ltd, and have been thoroughly impressed by both the quality of the case, the level of service I received, and the cost. Granted I did get a student discount, but the final invoice (inc. delivery and VAT) came to under £120 http://www.blue-room.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif Would thoroughly recommend them to anyone looking for smaller flight cases! Hi Charlie,Thanks for the recommendation! RegardsChris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tolley1466 Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 SSE have some of their tour cases up in the ex-hire section. Cheap too, maybe worth a look as they're built very well and are cheap! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brainwave-generator Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 For a cable trunk, I would rate checking out SWAN FLIGHT CASES on eBay. They're actually of decent quality (Better than Flightcase Warehouse / Spider Eng - one of which I have seen get reduced to splinters) and the big variety (1200x600x600) goes for about £175. Plus you get the options of foaming and adding side handles. That said, I DID make my own cases and got on well with it. I bought one big slap of properly thick plywood (18mm!!!) for the base, and installed 4 decent castors on it from Castors-Online (nice and cheap but good). http://www.castors-online.co.uk/acatalog/PLS80RNSWB_new.jpg And then built my box on top of the strong metal chassis. I used chunky ply and square finger joints, rather than aluminium extrusions. (There is no need to use aluminium extrusions. It's just trendy! Most speaker cabinets are as road-ready as flight cases and seldom have extrusion on the outside). As for the lid, my lid just sits flush inside the box top. Rather than making proper catches and what not, I just installed eye plates: http://www.clamp-products.co.nz/images/eyeplate.jpg On the sides. This allows me to use 2 hook-ended ratchet straps per case to firmly attach the lids when in transport, but means the lids can come right off when not in use and not have catches which then get damaged. Coming right off is my preference as people tend not to get their fingers trapped in them, and there's no possibility for an empty case to topple over backwards on the weight of the lid. I put 2 flyplates on one side, so you can choose whether the ratchet on the ratchet straps ends up on the side or on the top, depending on which way you're stacking. The sides are made of 12mm ply, and I have used guitar amp handles, as found on 4x12 cabinets etc: http://images.maplin.co.uk/300/lh11m.jpg These are easy to grab for both pulling up truck ramps and lifting. They do intrude into the box a bit, but as the cases are for cables & rigging hardware. this isn't really an issue as they're 'soft' goods and happily fit around the handles. If you were building a case for lights or something of a fixed shape and size, you'd be better off either making the case slightly oversize, or using a more conventional fold-out handle. Personally though, I do rate these handles better for lifting in a safe manner. Parts wise, it was:4x handles at £6 - £244x whees at £7.50 - £302x Ratchet Straps at £5 - £10About £40 worth of wood.About £20 worth of paint.About £10 worth of bolts and screws. So total cost about £150 including buying a mate lunch and some beers on the build. So yeah, quite literal when people say you can get a pre-built case for much the same money. Personally I prefer my design for the job it does, it's certainly a lot stronger, although I would like to work on the lid. If I get time I will go take some photos. If I build another I'll definitely do a photo diary for anybody who wants to take this on. I would say some woodworking experience is useful, as does owning DECENT tools (honestly, cheap tools are a false economy. They will break themselves, they will break your projects, and they will break you. And all in, it will cost you more than decent tools). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieH Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 Hi Charlie,Thanks for the recommendation! RegardsChrisOh, Hi Chris. Didn't you know were one of the BR clan http://www.blue-room.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete McCrea Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 Stay clear of the SSE ones with velcro lids. I don't know who's bight idea it was, but they'd obviously never tipped a heavy case full of Multicore and heard the thud as it shifts. Except when the lid's velcro'd on, the thud is accompanied by the sound of velcro coming undone. Followed by the sound of cables hitting the floor preceeded by the lid.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart91 Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 4x handles at £6 - £244x whees at £7.50 - £302x Ratchet Straps at £5 - £10About £40 worth of wood.About £20 worth of paint.About £10 worth of bolts and screws. So total cost about £150 including buying a mate lunch and some beers on the build. One thing to keep in mind is resale value. If your requirements change and you no longer have any use for the case, it's relatively easy to sell on a professionally built case. If you list on eBay for 50% of the new value you'll almost certainly get a quick sale. Any cases you build yourself won't sell for 50% of the material cost, never mind the time you invest in them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.