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[AlisterL]

Greetings to all,

Nearly two months ago now, as I mentioned in my Hibbard build thread, I was transporting two models (the Hibbard and my Zwarte Zee) to the club's annual static competition. Unfortunately during the course of the journey the ZZ slid around in the boot, tipped over, headed mast-first for the Hibbard, which received a nice dent in the hull (about 3 x 3mm) before the mast itself broke off, along with several other items on the ZZ. I have transported the models any number of times previously without a problem, but this was the first time that I had done so without the fitted mat in the boot. It didn't occur to me that this would happen - live and learn I guess.
Anyway, I resolved that I would prevent this from happening again and so decided to build boxes for my boats.

Having never built a box like this before, I went searching for ideas and couldn't really find any - even on this forum (which kind of surprised me!).
I spoke to my father about it - he being a man well versed in all things practical including wood working - and he suggested some 4mm or so 3-ply with a wood frame inside it etc. So that is what I went with.

Design considerations:
Must be strong enough to carry the boat.
Must protect the boat from all sides.
Should be stackable. so all boxes should be same length.
Ideally the box would not allow slip in transit
The model should be secured reasonably well such that it doesn't move around too much in the box, is cushioned if it does and any big bounces will not cause the model to come out of the stand.

My shopping list was something like:
4mm 3-ply - I found some Meranti 3-ply @ NZ$24 per 1200 x 2550mm sheet. 2 purchased. An additional NZ$23 (total) for delivery however.
18mm sq. pine for framing @ NZ$6~ per 2.4m. 6 purchased.
12mm sq. pine for the frame for the lid/top of the box, which is to be removable. NZ$5~ per 2.4m. 4 purchased.
90 x 19 x 1.5m knotty pine board for the stand within the box. About NZ$10~, 1 purchased.
25mm wooden broom handle, for the boat stand, left over from another task, 1.3m about NZ$5~ or so.
Miscellaneous screws: 6g x 16, 8g x 25, 8g x 40, about NZ$10~ per box of 200 or so.

Dads suggestion was that I don't cut the ply to accurate dimensions initially, but leave overhang to be removed later - given my wood working skill and inability to drive a skill saw in a straight line this was a good idea.
3 boxes are intended, and the following is about the first box. All boxes are 1m long internally, but vary on width and height (trust me on the stacking here...).
I don't claim this this is only way (hardly!) or even the best way to do this (hardly!), but I am confident that it will work and have decided to post in the hope that someone might find this useful.

This is probably in the wrong section, so I'm expecting Martin or his deputies to move this :)

[AlisterL]

So the first task was to cut the ply for the base of the box. I did actually cut all three three bases at the same time, just to make it easier.
The next step was to mark out in pencil the centre, edge and the other lines required, making sure it was all square. The first base is the easiest as I knew that the original edge of the play was straight and that edge was square to this, so I had a starting point.
Having identified the lines I cut an 18mm sq piece out of each of the 4 corners - no I'm not mad all will be revealled. I then glued and screwed the first bits of framing down.



In this shot you can see that I added a square of pine to reinforce each corner.
This all went together really well, given my meagre skill and I was pleased.

I then added the vertical frames at each corner and, as you can see braced each one:



My first mistake (or maybe something I could have done better) is that I screwed the bracing in through the brace, rather than through the frame. This meant that when the screw went in, it tended to pull the brace along and push the vertical piece out of square - I had to release the screw, push the piece of framing back to square and tighten the screw. The end result was pretty damn good - a blind man would have been pleased to see it...

Another point: Each of the vertical frames at the corner extend below the bottom of the ply base by about 4mm. This (hopefully) means that the framing will push into whatever surface is in the back of the car and prevent slippage! This is also how the boxes will stack.

Another snap:



Now you may think that the brace shown at the right here has no screw in the top - it does, just from the other side. This was where I figured out which side to screw the braces from...

[AlisterL]

Next step was to put the framing on at the top of the box. I did not do this particularly well, but it has worked. Having cut the framing to length, I cut a 45 degree at each end so they would fit nicely, but neglected to think about, prior to the cuts, how I would secure the frame to the vertical corners. I rang Dad, explained the situation and asked the question, suggesting a supporting block at each side of the vertical corners. Dad had a number of suggestions, none of which I was prepared to attempt (sorry Dad!), so I went with the supporting block idea, and ended up with this:



I also added a supporting vertical frame at the mid point of the sides as seen in the photo above. This is not braced, it doesn't seem necessary. Yes I know I've only done one side - I have left the other side to make it easier to do the boat stand.
Also in the picture above are some block being weighed down by the batteries for my cordless drill. These are the start of the blocks that will locate the boat stand. Originally this was going to be fixed into the box, but then I realised that if I wanted to work on the boat at the pool then a removable stand that could be put on the box would be a good idea. That meant figuring out how to hold the stand in tightly enough to keep it secure, but not so tight it couldn't easily be removed. I appear to have succeeded, so far anyway.

A shot of the locating blocks:



Sorry the image hasn't rotated...

[AlisterL]

Here's how the boat stand fits in:



and



The idea is that the blocks in the centre stop fore and aft movement of the stand and also clamp it enough to stop vertical movement. The block at each side of the stand stop sideways movement and add a little clamping force too.

The whole stand in the box:

[JB]

Is this OK...!
Looking good...

[AlisterL]

Haha - I hit post instead of preview...

The dimension for the stand are copied from the original I made - this one is for my Dumas PT-109 (the #1233 kit BTW - I forgot to mention that earlier!).
The broom handle (or dowel maybe) extends past the end of the boat stand so that I have something to pick it up with.

The stand will need to have some foam put on it to cushion the areas where the PT touches it, and I extended the sides vertically to prevent sideways movement of the model.
Also, there is a 40mm screw in the bottom of the stand to secure the frames to the handle (dowell). Need I say that everything is glued and screwed? Even where It meant I had to undo a screw to get the glue in 'cos I forgot... PVA BTW.

A shot of the stand:



And of the PT on the stand in the box:



And that's where we are today.

I'm still considering whether or not I need to paint or varnish the stand, but I will almost certainly paint the box.
I've also realised that I centred the stand in the box, but the PT isn't centred on the stand - so the PT sits forward in the box...

More as it happens.

[HS93 (RIP)]

what size boats are they ? I got hold of a helicopter box for my small fire boat , nice and light you can get quite big ones now My mate has got one to fit his 42" huntsman and another for his big 46" fire boat , they are fiddly if you want to tailor them to the exact size you want.
Peter

[AlisterL]

JB - Yes that is OK!
Peter - I guess the heli boxes could be a good option depending on their cost. I haven't seen those available in NZ.

A good plan doesn't survive contact with the enemy - or so I've heard. In my case (pun not intended...), the measurements for the height of the box were taken using the original stand and the replacement was somewhat lower. This meant that the box was going to be way too tall. Adjustments are underway...

[Circlip]

Do you have any manufacturers In NZ? :- http://www.theelectronicsshop.co.uk/sound-light/Products/Hardware.htm


    Regards   Ian.

[Philipsparker]

Here's some pictures of my boat boxes under construction:

http://philsworkbench.blogspot.com/2009/08/more-boat-boxes.html

Bacially - plywwod is king !

Phil

[AlisterL]

Isn't his forum great - more ideas come out of the woodwork (so to speak...)! Thanks Ian and Phil. And Ian, I think I know a place that might have that stuff - I never even gave it a thought...

Adjustments are completed. 45mm taken off all around and now a much more height appropriate box:



I added an extra support at each end to allow for the stacking too.

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

Nice build up on your box.

Here was an older thread showing different approaches.

http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=12221.0

 

[AlisterL]

Thanks Umi,

I did search, just didn't find anything... Go figure...



As you can see, we now have the sides on. You might just make out the framing for the top cover is in place - I have cut it just prior to this photo.

The Meranti ply is nice, but not wonderful. It is very splintery and has quite a grain to it as well. On the other hand it does look quite good :)

[AlisterL]

So... 109 in her new home:



Not a wonderful quality photo, but you get the idea. Note the small piece of foam padding at the bow. Not required at the stern as it a fair way from the end of the box and also because the shape of the stand prevents it from moving too far back anyway. Plus the foam seems to grab it quite well.

And a shot of the box with top on:



Cut-outs on top for opening and rope handles for transport. Oh - not that you can see the handles in this shot...

Not quite 100% finished - the top still needs final trimming and also the stacking work needs to be done.

The box for the Hibbard is underway and I wont bore you with details of that, but the plan is to have all three boxes done in time to go away for a long weekend of sailing in Hawera (5 or so hours drive away) for Labour weekend the 22nd, 23rd and 24th.

[irishcarguy]

Hi Alister, don't forget a nice brass plaque on top with the model name etc. After all you would want them to know what they are stealing. Joking aside you have made an excellent job of the box. Mick B.

[cuppa]

Not as strong as a wooden box but for slope soaring we used to carry models 'up the mountain' in boxes made of 'Correx' corrugated plastic held together with duct tape. Could be a viable transport box for smaller and lighter boats if you have any distance to walk with the model.

[AlisterL]

Ha ha - yeah a plaque would be a good idea.
The scales say the box weighs in at 5.8Kg! I'm stunned - it doesn't seem that much when I pick it up and not much more with the boat in... Go figure.

Box #2 nearly done.

[AlisterL]

So Box 2 is all complete and Box 3 (for the Zwarte Zee) is underway, but will not get finished in time to go away. However it will still do for safely transporting the ZZ.

I mentioned that I wanted the boxes to be stackable. My solution to this was to extend the vertical frame at each corner of the box below the bottom of the box and the ply by 4mm (4mm being the thickness of the ply). The idea being that the frames on the top box would interlock with the lid on the bottom box.
 


Hopefully it's obvious that the box is actually upside down and the lid of the first box is on the top...

Anyway, a close shot of the interlocking:



This is a tight fit and the theory is that everything sits together and nothing topples over. I might supplement it with some other way to hold them in place as well. We'll see how it goes.

And finally a shot of the ZZ in her new box (incomplete!) and on her new stand. If it looks like the box is too high, it is - but only 'cos I need to get the superstructure in there too. Rather than sitting in the proper place on the deck (which would require a box of 450mm high - half as high again as I have made), the SS will sit in some foam blocks, that I have cut to shape, at the stern.



TTFN...

[Circlip]

Just picked this link up for the uk :- http://www.freeflightsupplies.co.uk/

  Pick "Boxes" on LH listings.

  "ABS" case manufacturer.

  Regards  Ian.