Recommend a hard case for eyepieces ?

[va1erian]

At the moment, my eyepieces (4 of them), reticule eyepiece, Barlow lens, and filters are located in one of the cardboard box they were shipped in. I am carrying this box from home to my yard and back. It's uncomfortable. I started to think about getting a hard case for the eyepieces.

Andrews Comm is selling a "Medium sized aluminium eyepiece case" which "Will comfortably hold about 9 eyepieces", for $49. In the picture, the case is filled with foam which could or could not be pluckable,
http://www.andrewscom.com.au/images/...ies/HB6355.bmp

The same case is sold in "Cheap as chips" for $20. It does not have a foam insert, instead it has insertable partitions. The Andrews Comm's and the Cheap as chips' case look the same. It has plastic corners.

Bintel sells a smaller, but a similarly looking case for $59. The description has the following claim about the base foam: "Dice pre-cut and eyepiece foam for 9 1.25" eyepieces". I interpret it that 9 holes are plucked out of the foam",
http://www.bintel.com.au/Accessories...oductview.aspx

The description claims that the corners are made of steel. The pictures shows what looks like steel corners.

So, what is the best case ? I could get the $20 one from Cheap as chips, but I do not know where to get the pluckable foam... which will cost extra, anyway. Should I splurge for the steel corners of the Bintel case ? In the Bintel case, the eyepieces are standing (limited to a 100 mm height), while in the Andrews/Chips case the eyepeices could be laying on the side.

[OzEclipse (Joe Cali)]

I've kept my 1.25" eyepieces in one of those plastic organizer cases you buy from the hardware for many years. I line each compartment with foam rubber and put two eyepieces in the bigger compartments separated by a piece of foam.

There is a post in another forum where the guy ran over his eyepiece case with his car. These won't withstand that sort of treatment. But if you aren't planning to drive over your eyepieces, the organizers or a small plastic tool box work well.

Go to a rubber merchant and buy some high density foam or try the deliveries room at your work.

I saw a storage box at Bunnings last weekend that was about the size of a beer carton and had an organizer for a lid. You could store bigger things in the box and eyepieces up top in the organizer lid. Looked like the organizer detaches.

Joe

[madwayne (Wayne)]

Hi

Keep an eye out the next time you are in Bunnings. They have Pelican look a like cases pretty cheap with pick and pluck foam in them. They're not waterproof but you are hardly likely to be out in the rain or throw them in a puddle to test it. If you're wondering whether a hard case is worth the investment have a look in the equipment thread at what one of the pony club regulars did. Drove over his eyepiece case after it fell out of his van, everything survived case is a write off.

Wayne

[barx1963 (Malcolm)]

I have 3 of the Large Bintel case, 1 for the eyepieces, 1 for collimation gear and the Argo Navis and associated bits and pieces and one for various other bits and pieces to do with other scopes.
Work well and quite rugged, I know there are cheaper alternatives but hard to buy here in the country and I know what I get with the Bintel ones.

Malcolm

[inertia8 (Australia)]

I use a Kincrome safe case for my radio control transmitter and associated gear and would think it would hold up similarly if not better to being run over!

The medium case is $62 from bunnings, perhaps if you can find one on sale somewhere it'd be a viable option.

[louie_the_fly (Stew)]

I bought my eyepiece case, and 2 larger ones for HEQ5PRO mount and bits and pieces, from Cheap As Chips. This one was $20 and the larger ones $25. I got the pluck foam from Clark Rubber.

[louie_the_fly (Stew)]

Here is the eyepiece case