Field Stand

[Masher]

An ironing board makes a good substitute - if you can smuggle it out!

[Phil 9]

Just an update about my comments on the SLEC stand.

the website is now updated and the stand now pictured on the site is the same design as the one I Have. But mine was plain MDF not white as shown. It is a good design and works well. I needed to replace the supplied nails and I used screws to hold it together and this made it much stronger. I also needed to waterproof/fuel proof the MDF. (the SLEC website now states new waterproof MDF material.

I still have mine and it works well as a stand and folds flat when not in use.

When I bought mine SLEC pictured a different stand and it was that one I was expecting and nailing it together split some of the MDF

[jolliffee]

Posted by Masher on 06/03/2014 18:51:28:

An ironing board makes a good substitute - if you can smuggle it out!

Too late I got caught using IT as a surfboard so no chance now.

This one looks OK but would cost too much to import it- LINK

[cymaz]

I have a table...large piece of mdf, old fold up legs from a picnic table and some wooden batons for a couple of restraints, simples

[Max50]

I use the Seagull field box. It raises the model up for assembling and fuelling, but then i still use a restraint on the ground to start the model.You have to epoxy the drawer fronts,as two of mine pulled off. Easy to transport, and works well.

I do have a GreatMate which i bought for Heli use, and it was ideal, but i never used it for planes, only once. By the time you assembled all the kit that came with it, plus i had to carry an extra bag in the car with all the bits; i,d rather be in the air flying . Took a lot of space and too much trouble.Better to have an extra plane in the car, than the stand. Use it now; at home , mainly as a model work table and a help in building and assembling models. Every time you went flying, it was like you were going on holiday. That's why i went with the Seagull. Keep it simple.

[jolliffee]

Posted by Max50 on 07/03/2014 07:43:02:

I use the Seagull field box. It raises the model up for assembling and fuelling, but then i still use a restraint on the ground to start the model.You have to epoxy the drawer fronts,as two of mine pulled off. Easy to transport, and works well.

Could you tell me how high it raises the model off the ground and is it stable - thanks

[John F]

This is one plan I found a while back and intend to build as soon as I have finished the Tinker Major. **LINK**

I will be changing it a little as I want a tray on the bottom rungs but it will be easy enough to do. It's very lightweight too, which will be a bonus.

[cymaz]

Found some photos of my table which I use at the field and at home. The legs fold down flat and are telescopic they came off a picnic table.

The top is 2'x4' mdf. At the table rear the restraints are threaded rod covered in hosepipe and pipe insulator and are attached by nuts under the table. At the front are wooden batons that stop the wheels sliding off the edge. There is a bungee that wraps around the rear leg brackets and simply hooks over the tail to the other leg.

It takes 5-10 secs to unfold and pull the legs out. The rear feet have angled holes through which tent pegs are driven into the ground for extra security.

Hope this gives some ideas.

[jolliffee]

Looks like there are other options so I had a google on workbench and found ScrewFix had a couple of possibilities

Keter Folding Workbench and this Lighter cheaper one

Edited By jolliffee on 07/03/2014 12:38:38

[John Roberts 9]

Hello

Thanks for all the replies and additional information .

Some very interesting ideas. It is now a question of deciding which of the various solutions offers just the right blend of portability, weight, strength and ease of use.

Thanks again for all the helpful contributions.

Cheers,

John

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

take a look at fishing platforms

may be something there you could use, lots made from aluminium with removable legs which you can level and adjust height with

[cymaz]

Couple of our members have one of these

[crispin church]

done some photos of mine at the patch today

[Stevo]

John F.. I like that one, really quite simple and not over engineered! However trying to fit it in with the squadron in the car...

"An ironing board makes a good substitute - if you can smuggle it out!"

An ironing B.. boa.. What's one of those?

[Max50]

The Seagull fieldbox raised the plane around 1ft 7in and it's 10.25 inches wide. Stable enough, and high enough for me. Good height for refuelling, and i can get it easily in the car.Holds all my tools,fuel,starter,cables and charger.You can see it on theJPerkins site. As i've said, they've been a bit mean with the glue on the drawers. I've put extra on mine and they have now held on.At the moment, i'm happy with mine.Had it for 6 months, but i dont start the plane on the fieldbox.I just use it to work on, and assemble the plane, plus refuelling.

The GreatMate was good for the heli, but being 5ft 6in, starting the plane was a bit uncomfortable at my height, and i didn't like the idea of a prop spinning around at midrift point with other people walking around. Prefer it on the ground restrained.

Edited By Max50 on 08/03/2014 07:36:51

[Kevin Wilson]

Posted by John F on 07/03/2014 09:59:38:

This is one plan I found a while back and intend to build as soon as I have finished the Tinker Major. **LINK**

I will be changing it a little as I want a tray on the bottom rungs but it will be easy enough to do. It's very lightweight too, which will be a bonus.

That has to be the one for simplicity and lightness.

I fly electric for the grab and go simplicity. I will have to keep hold of this idea.

Thanks for the link John

Edited By Kevin Wilson on 08/03/2014 09:35:46

[Stevo]

The timber from B&Q cost me £18 (plus hardware). I'll get some photos up soon.

However, between negotiating with the Taliban or finding a straight piece of timber at B&Q, I would undoubtedly choose the former

[Stevo]

If anyone wants to know where to buy the stays... (so that the legs lock)

Get them here

B&Q have all the rest - 18mm nylon strapping @ 86p/m, bolts washers, dome nuts (no jokes). I'm using 15mm dowel, so I can put some pipe lagging over them (keeps it warm in winter).

Steve

 

Edited By Stevo on 08/03/2014 17:50:44

[Stevo]

Here we go... Nice 'n' simple. The dowels were 15mm, uprated from 12mm. Each joint with th eleg was reinforced with a 12mm ply plate. I used drawer stays ( see previous post) and you will need one RH and one LH to make it work. I made the stand 6" narrower as the nylon straps were too far apart to hold the aircraft properly. I put a 6mm tray on the dowels - underneath the tray are two small strips of timber so it does not slide off. That way I can put some tools on there! Varnished with polyeurethane.

And the dowel reinforcement : -

[jolliffee]

Very Nice too. I very good stand it is - thanks for the pictures it makes it a lot clearer,

[John F]

This is my version. The plans asked for dowel to be used but I elected to use cut down broom handles as they seemed more sturdy as well as acting as the stay and, to be honest, I had them to hand so thought I didn't need to buy dowels. I opted to add a table at the bottom so I did not put kit down on the floor and would hold things in a clean environment.

Firstly the frame was made which was simply two crosses and then I thought about the table at the bottom. If I could hinge it so it would slot down and hold the opposite dowel I would not need a stay. So I fashioned a table with MDF and a framework of pine batten, the thicker on for the hinges.

Next was the hinges so I cut a piece of 22 mm copper pipe lengthways then hammered gently to shape

Fitted to the table with two angles bent to accept the opposite dowel. These hold the x frame in shape.

[John F]

This is the finished article with pipe insulation foam to protect models if I bash them against the dowels.

Elastic was added to a hook to hold the table when folded

[Area 51]

Excellent bit of work there, thanks for sharing, I shall be making a local version ASAP!

Thnx again

[Stevo]

Nice!

The only reason that I put my table that high was that I have a dodgy back and hate bending down - OUCH!

You may want to look at putting some edges to the table to stop those hard-to-find screws rolling off into the grass.

The irony here is that I spent a couple of days building mine, and while the varnish was drying, I visited the field after a lay off (see first sentence!). What have they done? Put up permanent tables for us to assemble our planes on... These are for electrics only, and behind the camera are two converted picnic tables for IC, along with built in model restraints...

(Note: the horizon is the Thames  - the Dartford crossing is to the right. The 'caged' area is the pits... Our club believe in hi-tech solutions. The green bit of string attached to the post wafting in the breeze is our windsock)

 

Edited By Stevo on 30/03/2014 10:50:19

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

At our club we have permanent fixed tables, for the older folks

and for members who have problems working on the floor

(I don't use them myself only 59 years old)

made out of angle iron and outdoor decking, didn't cost a lot

if your field allows it have a word with your committee

are that popular we are building more