740 replies to this topic

[astro42]

Hello,

What is everyone using to store there eyepieces in?

I have looked at some of the cases made for eyepieces but find them a bit on the expensive side.

What would make a good case or box that others are using that could be modified or used as is?

 

Thanks!

Edited by astro42, 27 February 2019 - 03:24 PM.

[photoracer18]

I use a tool travel case for all my optical parts. Its one you can buy at Harbor Freight. Its the one with customizable dividers. I added foam in a few places. I took the small tool board that is in the top and use it to hold atlases and such in the lid. I keep all my eyepieces in either their OEM plastic cases or the screw together ones I got while working at Hands On Optics.

[Jeff Struve]

I had 2 of the Harbor Freights... they work great for a while... I didn't like the pluck foam, but more importantly, after a couple years the hinge started to get flaky, so I went with a Pelican... 3 yrs... no problem...

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[Tdesert63]

I know it's not the best out there, but for my $50.00 I went with the big Orion eyepiece case, enough room for ep's , Barlow's ,red lights, everything I need in one case

[Paul G]

Pelican cases.

[Jond105]

Was using boxes, took for ever to put it all away, now I use the HF Apache cases.

[Hawkdl2]

Pelican case.

[Barlowbill]

There are lots of fishing tackle boxes out there which are reasonably priced.  Cut some foam and you can make it to your liking.

[wrnchhead]

I use a Harbor Freight one also. Great quality, water and shock proof. I just painted TeleVue on the side so I feel like it's worth $450 instead of the $20 I paid. 

[erin]

I just picked up a Casematix AD 17. It has the hard plastic and pick pluck foam. You can buy from them direct or via Amazon and other vendors. 

[havasman]

I use a Pelican 1610. I prefer to have my ep's presented caps up instead of lying down in the case so that case will never be insufficient for holding all my ep's.

 

My experience is that Pelican cases are indestructible in any likely use. I have a 40 year-old P1520 I used for camera gear that took a fall down a Nevada desert mountainside and carried skydiving camera gear all over Texas for years after I gave up photography and it doesn't show ANY wear. I expect it and the P1610 will outlive whoever gets them after I'm long gone.

 

But they're pricey. There are many injection molded cases out there including some from Harbor Freight, Loews and a revolving series of on-line sellers that are very serviceable at MUCH more friendly prices. They are much more robust than all but the most expensive metal cases. Pick & pluck foam works but can be less robust over time. Kaizan foam is really good and not very expensive. MyCaseBuilder.com is pretty much the top end supplier of interior case foams.

Edited by havasman, 27 February 2019 - 05:31 PM.

[25585]

Aluminium cases with foam cut or plucked out. 

[Neptune]

Using a vintage aluminum case from Lowe's (no longer available) with Pick n Pluck. Then moved on to a custom foam from mycasebuilder.com  (love that place). Planning on a new larger case very soon from either Pelican or Seahorse.

[Migwan]

An old Dewalt drill case.  Hot knifed all partitions out except one and added foam.  The one partition left allows me keep filters, a couple allen wrenches, a bulb syringe and a twist out cosmetic brush handy.   jd

[AxelB]

Pelican case are expensive but last forever. They will protect your eyepieces very well.

Inside the case, plucked foam is convenient but is not as durable as a block of foam you cut once with a long sharp blade.

[Rick-T137]

I think my favourite one was a small poker chip case - I think I bought it at Walmart for like $12 including the chips and the cards. The dividers that hold the chips are the perfect size for 1.25" eyepieces.

 

Another item I've used in the past was a small fishing tackle box.

 

Currently, I'm using a black bag that is small that came with a Chinese tea set in it, similar to this one:

 

https://www.dx.com/p...98#.XHcVfC2ZNok

 

Right now I'm using some cloth to protect my eyepieces, but I plan on getting a block of pluck foam to fill it in. It's the perfect size to throw (place?) into my backpack that has my other accessories/books/etc.

 

I've even seen someone use a pencil case!

 

Good luck!

Edited by bbqediguana, 27 February 2019 - 05:58 PM.

[Napp]

Harbor Freight Apache cases.  They come in various sizes.  I use them for most anything that will fit in them. I recently bought the largest size to use as a case for my 60mm Coronado SolarMax II.  I also use Apache cases for my binoculars.  Just never buy one without a Harbor Freight coupon.  Saves you even more.  The low prices have allowed me to really organize my equipment.  Really helps prevent forgetting something.

[epee]

Camera bags, placed inside a Fat Max toolbox for travel.

[rustynpp]

DSLR backpack.

 

Also, check out this recent thread.

 

https://www.cloudyni...iece-carry-bag/

[vdog]

Harbor Freight Apache.  But one does have to upgrade the pluck foam somehow.

[tmaestro]

Someone on CN here makes these.  They are beautiful.

 

https://a-case-for-astronomy.webs.com

[gnowellsct]

Someone on CN here makes these.  They are beautiful.

 

https://a-case-for-astronomy.webs.com

They ARE beautiful.  But eyepieces are very heavy and I don't see the practicality of lugging them around in wood.  

 

I also don't like anything to do with foam.  GN

[havasman]

So this forum string has cost me some money now. I thought about it and ordered some Kaizan foam specific to the P1610, a tool for cutting fingerholes, a cutting tool and a marker that may be useful from something called The Pelican Store and I'm going to fabricate my own version of the high end case foam configuration. In case I need to adapt to future additions (I hope NOT), I will have the tools in hand. I'll probably check out hot knife foam cutters at craft/art supply/big box stores before the foam arrives just to get the best finish possible. Making is fun.

Of course, most of the cases we use are overkill for our eyepieces because even in the rugged cases we handle them gently.

[droid]

Apache cases from harbor freight, essentially pelican knock offs, but only 31 dollars 

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[Conaxian]

As my collection of optical accessories steadily grew, the original aluminum case I had just wouldn't hold it all. I would need a pick and pluck foot locker to hold all the stuff, more than half of which could be left inside on any given outing. I bought a Celestron 2" ep case and keep all the big ones in there. I also bought a soft case with a shoulder strap that I will pack with the night's most needed stuff, so I can leave the two hard cases in the house. It should hold two 2" eps, a big barlow and 3 or 4 standard eyepieces and whatnot. I removed a lot of the foam from it for added space.

I should thin out the collection but I like having all the options available. For me the gear is half the fun.  Having a single scope and three eyepieces would make things so simple...

 

 

naaaah, simplicity is over rated.