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Hard Case Availability???

Ken
Ken Member ✭✭
edited November 2019 in Maestro
Back when all of us early adopters were purchasing our Maestros, Flex mentioned that a soft case and a hard case were in the works. I realize that cases are not very exciting to an electronics company, but has there been any progress on one being produced by or for Flex? I have already purchased the plastic cover that goes over the front panel, but I would like to replace my Tupperware container that houses the entire Maestro when I travel.

Answers

  • MarkN7MHB
    MarkN7MHB Member ✭✭
    edited November 2017
    Try harbor freight.  they have cases with pick and pluck foam.  good prices.  flex does have a soft case available.
  • Ria
    Ria Member ✭✭✭
    edited November 2019
    Pelican is the go to choice and what I use for carrying stuff around. Even my airline carry on is a Pelican. 

    If you want something else, check the sporting goods stores, Cabela's, etc and see what they have.  Sometimes Sam's and Costco have cases similar to Pelican. 
  • Tim - W4TME
    Tim - W4TME Administrator, FlexRadio Employee admin
    edited November 2017
    With the plethora of options available, we did not provide a custom case for sale.

    I use an Outdoor.Cases model 5000 for transporting my Maestro
    http://www.b-w-international.com/products/outdoor-cases/
  • Pete_K7LEE
    Pete_K7LEE Member ✭✭
    For what it's worth: I decided against buying a case. The stuff from Pelican is (unsurprisingly) expensive and there wasn't anything out there that suits my needs.

    This link is to an early draft of a custom enclosure design: https://www.icloud.com/iclouddrive/0X53QDFkqXzyb9VUw9zL-OpTA#v0

    Since all of my fabricator friends (and TIG welders) are busy, my current plans include the following elements:
    1) 3D print an exoskeleton frame using Colorfabb XT CF filament and an Ohlsson Ruby nozzle. Note: strongly advised to seal the CF structure in some sort of epoxy or varnish, like urethane boat hull coating: my fabricator friends have told me that carbon fiber splinters are either really annoying or potentially dangerous (e.g., skin infections).
    2) Same as previous, but for coax (and misc.) connector bulkhead, the front and back of which will probably use a fairly thick copper foil as part of grounding/bonding scheme.
    3) Use high strength automotive-type epoxy to bond powder-coated aluminum panels to the exoskeleton.
    4) Will probably use some sort of machined plate on the _outside_ for water cooling (see QST May 2021, page 38: solid state dummy load build). Similar in principle to what's done for gaming rigs, except I'm not risking having a leak in the cooling system that will drip all over the Flexradio (and transverter, etc.). Outside needs to stay outside!
  • Ronald Panetta
    Ronald Panetta Member ✭✭

    Cheap and effective solution. Think mine is a Stanley STST19005 with a bit of foam. See pictures of my solution below.


  • Neil D Friedman N3DF
    Neil D Friedman N3DF Member ✭✭✭✭

    Wrap mine with 2 polo shirts and stick inside a hard-sided suitcase filled with other clothes. After roughly 20 trips by air and car, no problems.

  • BH4AAD
    BH4AAD Member ✭✭
  • Ken
    Ken Member ✭✭

    How do I buy one of these?

  • BH4AAD
    BH4AAD Member ✭✭

    You can find local businesses that sell safety boxes to customize them

  • John KB4DU
    John KB4DU Member ✭✭✭✭

    Ken if you are n the US, Harbor Freight carries a few sizes that are similar to the top brand Pelican. They probably aren’t as durable as the pelican put adequate for ham use. If I were shipping it, or checking as baggage i would use Pelican. Pelican also has a larger variety of sizes than HF store.

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