How Do You Store Your Gear?

[Dan05 (Daniel)]

hi guys,

just as the title says.

i have a refractor and there is a lot to it. weights, tripod etc. what does everyone store their pride and joy in and where?

Im looking to buy proper bags etc and want to get the right ones from the start.

any help is much appreciated.


thanks all.

[rally]

Pelican cases with cut foam and with dessicant
Moisture proof, dust proof, impact proof, stackable, easy to carry.
Store weights and tripod separately.

[The Mekon (John Briggs)]

most of the time my refractor tube sits on the garage bench with ring cradle, finder etc all attached. I cover it with an old sheet. I like to keep it ready for use, and to fit in the case I have to strip it down. I never put it away in the case and close up after an observing session.

[skysailor (Peter)]

Tripod and weights in a padded duffle type bag, mount and scope in their own "Pelican" cases, I paid a lot for my scope so why scimp on the case it lives/travels in...
I take my gear up to my mates place near Mansfield quite a bit, so good cases are a "must".
cheers

[Atmos (Colin)]

Telescope goes back into hard case, tripod sits in corner, mount lays on floor with the weights stacked next to it. All sits in a corner of a room.

[RB (Andrew)]

Originally Posted by skysailor

Tripod and weights in a padded duffle type bag, mount and scope in their own "Pelican" cases, I paid a lot for my scope so why scimp on the case it lives/travels in...
I take my gear up to my mates place near Mansfield quite a bit, so good cases are a "must".
cheers

Originally Posted by rally

Pelican cases with cut foam and with dessicant
Moisture proof, dust proof, impact proof, stackable, easy to carry.
Store weights and tripod separately.

This.

[glend (Glen)]

The Bunnings hard cases are very cost effective compared to Pelican, I think they are Craft right. There are two sizes and the larger one takes my NEQ6 mount head with no trouble, smaller one for finder scope, guide scope, etc. I have a nice aluminium foam padded eye piece case as well. Get cases that can grow with your gear because you will go bigger, or more, as everyone does.

Never pack up a scope or any gear when it is wet. At my dark site I put my scopes in the car for security and to keep them dry after a long night imaging. A good chamois is necessary to dry things off.

[csb (Craig)]

I leave my Celestron 8" SCT on eq mount setup in a corner of the loungeroom - the room is 6m x 4m so plenty of space. A telescope sitting on the mount is very interesting and pleasing to look at.

[Bombardon (Eugene)]

With my new scope, I roll it into shed on a trolley and place the lot into an Aldi zip up cheap plastic green house. However, zips are failing and am on the look out of a small toilet tent(!) at a camping shop when the mad camping season ends and you can buy one for under $100. That way the lot is dust free and you just unzip the front panel, roll out of the tent, out the garage door on to the lawn. I can be viewing in 4 minutes!

[casstony]

Most importantly you need to store the telescope and eyepieces in a low to normal humidity environment. High humidity invites mould growth.
My scopes are stored in the house covered by towels to keep dust off and humidity is controlled by normal use of gas heating or air conditioning. You could also store optics in an airtight box with rechargeable dessicant.

For transport anything from professionally built cases to plastic boxes with foam or just a blanket wrapped around a tripod will do.

[rocco57au (Rocky)]

Great idea Eugene!!!...
You can find them on ebay from under $30

Originally Posted by Bombardon

With my new scope, I roll it into shed on a trolley and place the lot into an Aldi zip up cheap plastic green house. However, zips are failing and am on the look out of a small toilet tent(!) at a camping shop when the mad camping season ends and you can buy one for under $100. That way the lot is dust free and you just unzip the front panel, roll out of the tent, out the garage door on to the lawn. I can be viewing in 4 minutes!

[Wavytone]

Mine sits openly in my storage cage with a piece of linen over it to keep the dust off. Where the cage is located in the building basement the humidity is low. Scopes left in a box - even cardboard - are more likely to grow fungus on the optics.

After observing, I also leave my eyepiece case open for a week or so to make sure any moisture accumulated will dissipate.

The other thing I do occasionally is put the OTA outside in full sun and let it get quite hot - the heat and the UV in particular are good at killing any fungus.

[acropolite (Phil)]

Bunnings Pelican style cases for the LX90 and EQ, long toolbox (also bunnings) for the ED80.
Eyepieces and some other stuff in a waterproof fishing tackle soft case from BCF.
Weights in a waterproof power enclosure (DSE) which I use for dew proofing my 240v connections.
Misc stuff dew heater etc in a plastic toolbox from supercheap.

[brian nordstrom (As avatar)]

Bunnings again for my mounts and eyepieces' , C9.25 in soft case , refractor,s in cases from super cheap , counterweights in Bunning's toolbox , tripods in tent pole carry canvis bags from Ray,s camping.
Brian.

[astro_nutt]

My darling wife made a custom cotton sleeve for the 12" dob. All the EP's etc are stored, (with a few bags of Silica gel), in a Craftright cantilever compartment toolbox from Bunnings. Everything stays in the study.

[The_bluester (Paul)]

My C925 and mount stay set up in a garage that we use as a storage room, I just throw a sheet over the lot to keep the dust off. My eyepiece case I leave open for a day or so after use to allow any moisture to dry off before sealing it up.

[Dan05 (Daniel)]

nice thanks guys. i ended up using a tent bag for the tripod that i had in the garage, a backpack for the mounts etc and a hard case from bunnings for the scope. made foam inserts and made a foam inserty for a small hip bag for lenses etc

[AEAJR (Ed)]

I store my telescopes and accessories in an unheated garage. The 80 mm Meade ETX 80 is quick and light to set-up. My 8" Dobsonian lives on a cart that I roll out to my viewing area in front of my house.

No warm up or cool down required.

[DanielR (Daniel)]

Meade 8" LX90 sits in a cupboard on its tripod. I carry it outside when I need to. It seems to be gaining weight as a I get older.