New Prototype Guide Rail / Track Transport Cases

[caseman]

This is a prototype guide rail/track case I'm considering offering if there is sufficient interest.  We build ATA (Airline Transportation Association) cases for high end optics, telescopes and astronomy gear and have done so for the past 15 years.

http://www.scopeguard.com

This case is designed to house four FS-1400 and/or Holey rails.  There is also room adjacent to the tracks for Festool Quick and Screw Clamps.  The tracks fit into a U channel aluminum extrusion with a 12mm width, the integrated splinter guard facing up.  tOn top the tracks are separated by two blocks of grooved foam.  The case is lined in a heavy duty carpet such as used on speaker enclosures.  The aluminum extrusion is all tongue and groove, riveted through.  The extrusion is integral to the construction of the case not just applied to the exterior.  The case material is Baltic Birch type plywood with the Neon Green exterior ABS.

I'm gauging interest from the forum as to a group purchase or possibly individual cases if there is not enough group interest.  As I stated this is a prototype and the design will evolve.  We will offer the same accessories locking latches, corner casters, etc.

The case dimensions are approximately 57.50"L x 7.25"W x 9.00"H or 1460mm L x 185mm W x 230mm D, weight is 25 lb.  The case in this configuration is $400.00 plus $10.00 packaging and actual shipping.  I know $400.00 is not for everyone, maybe for no one, but I'm gauging interest if any.

I would like to get your feedback, comments, criticism, etc.

Regards,
Don

 

[Wooden Skye]

Good idea.  However as someone that rarely transports rails, I think it would take up to much space in a car/truck or trailer.  Maybe developing something where the rail is oriented horizontally rather than vertical.  I don't think the rails touching would be an issue.  Weight could also be an issue, but don't have other suggestions.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[nclemmons]

Good start and certainly looks to be sturdy. 

I'd suggest you consider including space for the parallel guides, perhaps by nesting the rails against each other.
Those are a common request for transport and they certainly go with the guides.

It may also be a consideration to think about a longer case.  I believe the TS-75 comes with a 1900 mm guiderail.

 

[Tayler_mann]

I love the idea of the case. I hate hanging my rails up I feel like for some reason I'm going to introduce warpage possibly. I would actually make a shelf near my Mft to store it. Maybe come up with an idea for quick and ease of acces in a shelf? However, I completely understand and can see the amount of work that has gone into these cases, but they are too expensive for me. I have actually contemplated making a shelf/ case of 3/4 baltic birch. Basically in the same orientation you have your case. Remember I can buy and make that for about a $50 sheet. I'm not saying I wouldn't want one because they do look pretty mean but I won't pay $400 for it. I would rather spend a little more and get a PDC or 18v CXS. Remember that when making these and see if you can make a case that offers the same protection but somehow make it cheaper. For me I have to look at it from a business point of view, but a hobbiest might think it's s great purchase. Do a little more market research and see what you come up with. That is a very nice case though.

 

[teocaf]

It seems overkill to me.  I hang my rails down vertically on a slat wall hook, several on the same hook, which I find neat and efficient.  With the exception of the long one which I store flat horizontally on a top shelf in the thin wooden crate it was shipped in. I'm not sure I follow the warpage concern argument, unless these fairly stout aluminum extrusions, that they are, were cantilevered or offset in some unbalanced strained way.  Introducing a very heavy and bulky case like this seems ungainly, unless some rock musician wanted to take his festool kit on tour with him.  For offsite jobbers, I think the festool-made soft bag would be more than ample. For shop use, I also liked the suggestion that someone had on here ages ago, and that was to hang rails on the inside of the garage door.

I do like these type of heavy duty cases though, especially if they can be custom sized, but for what exactly, festool or other tool related, I just don't know yet.  For that, I will have to take my critic's cap off and find my thinking cap and let things percolate in the ol' noggin for a while.  I do appreciate the OP introducing this type of case option to the FOG.

 

[caseman]

Good idea.  However as someone that rarely transports rails, I think it would take up to much space in a car/truck or trailer.  Maybe developing something where the rail is oriented horizontally rather than vertical.  I don't think the rails touching would be an issue.  Weight could also be an issue, but don't have other suggestions.

Just my 2 cents.

Bryan,

Thanks for the feedback.
Don

 

[caseman]

Good start and certainly looks to be sturdy. 

I'd suggest you consider including space for the parallel guides, perhaps by nesting the rails against each other.
Those are a common request for transport and they certainly go with the guides.

It may also be a consideration to think about a longer case.  I believe the TS-75 comes with a 1900 mm guiderail.

Thanks Neil!

 

[caseman]

It seems overkill to me.  I hang my rails down vertically on a slat wall hook, several on the same hook, which I find neat and efficient.  With the exception of the long one which I store flat horizontally on a top shelf in the thin wooden crate it was shipped in. I'm not sure I follow the warpage concern argument, unless these fairly stout aluminum extrusions, that they are, were cantilevered or offset in some unbalanced strained way.  Introducing a very heavy and bulky case like this seems ungainly, unless some rock musician wanted to take his festool kit on tour with him.  For offsite jobbers, I think the festool-made soft bag would be more than ample. For shop use, I also liked the suggestion that someone had on here ages ago, and that was to hang rails on the inside of the garage door.

I do like these type of heavy duty cases though, especially if they can be custom sized, but for what exactly, festool or other tool related, I just don't know yet.  For that, I will have to take my critic's cap off and find my thinking cap and let things percolate in the ol' noggin for a while.  I do appreciate the OP introducing this type of case option to the FOG.

Thanks teocaf

 

[caseman]

I love the idea of the case. I hate hanging my rails up I feel like for some reason I'm going to introduce warpage possibly. I would actually make a shelf near my Mft to store it. Maybe come up with an idea for quick and ease of acces in a shelf? However, I completely understand and can see the amount of work that has gone into these cases, but they are too expensive for me. I have actually contemplated making a shelf/ case of 3/4 baltic birch. Basically in the same orientation you have your case. Remember I can buy and make that for about a $50 sheet. I'm not saying I wouldn't want one because they do look pretty mean but I won't pay $400 for it. I would rather spend a little more and get a PDC or 18v CXS. Remember that when making these and see if you can make a case that offers the same protection but somehow make it cheaper. For me I have to look at it from a business point of view, but a hobbiest might think it's s great purchase. Do a little more market research and see what you come up with. That is a very nice case though.

Thanks Tayler,

I appreciate the feedback.  I've been in the case business for 15 years, sold thousands of cases, so I have plenty of market info.  My usual market is to a high end optics market protecting and transporting gear worth up to $50k.  I thought I would give this a shot on the FOG.  I feel the pro users are likely split on transporting or using the rails in their own shop and there seems to be a large group of hobbyist on the forum.  All of FOG members are most lil;ey able to build their own box or method of transporting rails/tracks.

Early feedback on the case is positive as to the product but price wise not so much.  I have no means to build a more economical, lighter case and cardboard boxes are plentiful.

Thank you for the suggestions and feed back.

Regards,
Don     

 

[Kev]

From my perspective I think this is a "case is worth more than the contents" situation. Don't get me wrong, lovely cases!!

I don't transport my rails, but to me the use case is transporting rails to/from a site in a personal vehicle without crushing them. These cases look like they'd still be about with the cockroaches after a nuclear war [eek]

Realistically, someone wanting to store this sort of stuff would want a lighter case, but more modular, possibly to also store parallel guides and MFT/3 accessories.

As it gets bigger and heavier I could see it needing wheels on one end too.

Lastly, if this format did catch on, having wall hooks that allow you to store it in your shop open and fully accessible could be cool. If it was 50% lid, 50% base you'd see your rails in slots exposed in the lower portion (folded down) and all of the accessories in the top (effectively the base). Obviously the rails would need retention straps for transport.

Heck, now I'm building one in my head out of 80/20 [embarassed]

Kev.

 

[canadamike]

I like the idea of having a case to protect the rails. My first thought, even before I opened the thread, was that it needs to be compact. As one of the other guys said, the rails could be nested together. Another design thought is that the case could be mounted easily on the wall to store the rails while in the shop. Maybe the lid is fully removable, ie no hinges. Not sure how it would work, but maybe add this as a design criteria. If rails were nested together, the case would be thinner...could you drive some of the cost out of it this way? Mike