Pack flat field stand

[Nifty 50]

Following on from Dai Fledermaus & Phil 9's field stand threads, I thought I'd show you my version. This can be put up & taken down with one hand & fits in the car boot.

It started life as an adjustable trestle:

Unbolt & remove the top cross bar. Make two wooden cradles (my case marine ply) and bolt one to each upright. I tie-wrapped soft foam pipe insulation to the cradles. Glue might have been a better idea.

Make the shelf (marine ply again) the length of the lower cross bar & as wide as you want. I put a lip around the shelf to stop things falling off.

Cut two battens that are the same distance apart as the width of the lower cross bar

Glue & screw them to the shelf underside. I varnished all the woodwork.

Push the shelf onto the cross bar, it should be a snug fit so it won't rock.

Packing the stand away is simple, take the shelf off, unpin & lift out the uprights, turn them through 90 degress and put them back in, undo the locking slats at each end then push the stand flat.

I made this as I went along, if anyone would like the dimensions then I can send them over.

[Geoff S]

You've made a fine job of that. My Great Mate model stand is one of my best purchases. It not only always goes to the field with me ot serves as useful building aid in the worshop.

Geoff

[Nifty 50]

Thanks Geoff, that is what I was doing when I stopped to take the photos. I have the main work bench against a wall in the garage, however I put this stand in the middle of the floor so that I can set/change working heights and can walk round the model, which is really useful when working with on setting the wings.

[SIMON CRAGG]

Many years ago I bought two "workmate" type benches for £10.00 each. One has been modified to carry a variety of models, and the other to carry flight box, tx etc. With a bit of jiggling, everything is to hand, no grovelling about in the mud and much safer and secure. Worth the effort 100%.

[Cuban8]

Available here **LINK**

Must have one for next season, fed up with grovelling about on the floor. Thanks for the idea.

[Martyn K]

I did almost exactly the same thing a couple of years ago. A word of warning though. You need to tie/peg down the rear of the stand if you are running a motor greater than (say) a .30. My OS70FS in my Ballerina pulled the stand over after starting so quickly.

[Nigel R]

It's a bit spendy, bit this table from SLEC is very good, my dad has used one for ages. The average glow flight box is plenty to keep it restrained.

 

edit: good job on the trestle, N50

Edited By Nigel R on 13/11/2018 13:52:16

[Phil 9]

looks good

[Phil 9]

Posted by Nigel R on 13/11/2018 13:26:14:

It's a bit spendy, bit this table from SLEC is very good, my dad has used one for ages. The average glow flight box is plenty to keep it restrained.

edit: good job on the trestle, N50

Edited By Nigel R on 13/11/2018 13:52:16

I had one of these but it did not last. Older versions were made from wood but buy one now and it is all MDF. the MDF can start to peel apart if you are not careful with it

[Bob Cotsford]

I gave my SLEC stand a couple of coats of paint topped off with poly varnish. Now I'm all electric it's a bit over the top so I've got a Turnigy stand £32 in the sales that takes up less space in the car, weighs less and is easier to carry. It's fine for assembling models and fitting batteries. Now, what am I bid for a Slec model stand?

Edited By Bob Cotsford on 13/11/2018 15:20:21

[Nigel R]

Oh, poor show, SLEC. My dad's is timber throughout, nice and solid.

On my bucket list of "to do one day" is this:

**LINK**

which is very similar in design to the SLEC one.

[Old Geezer]

One of our club members has a Turnigy stand, as above, OK for setting up, battery changes etc. but the stand is not terribly stable laterally, the 'feet' aren't that long and need to be securely pegged down even if it's not terribly windy. Certainly not really stable enough for starting and running up an i/c model - proud owner of the Tgy Stand in our club has defaulted to his solid, stable home brewed stand for his i/c planes.

[Steve Colman]

Posted by Nigel R on 13/11/2018 15:36:48:

Oh, poor show, SLEC. My dad's is timber throughout, nice and solid.

On my bucket list of "to do one day" is this:

**LINK**

which is very similar in design to the SLEC one.

Nigel, I think I'll add that to my list too!

[Bob Cotsford]

Posted by Old Geezer on 13/11/2018 17:58:54:

One of our club members has a Turnigy stand, as above, OK for setting up, battery changes etc. but the stand is not terribly stable laterally, the 'feet' aren't that long and need to be securely pegged down even if it's not terribly windy. Certainly not really stable enough for starting and running up an i/c model - proud owner of the Tgy Stand in our club has defaulted to his solid, stable home brewed stand for his i/c planes.

Absolutely correct, it's a setup or workstand only, nowhere near sturdy enough for IC. It was perfect for assembling and loading batteries into models up to a WotsWot today though, despite the breeze. I found the feet wide enough on our grass field, I take it he has got it the right way up? It helps if you can point the stand so it's not crosswind, though that applies to a fair few other stands unless you strap the model to them.

[Nifty 50]

Hi, thanks for your comments. I only have one good hand (left) so things need to be simple and I fly electric. Before this stand I used a pasting table in the pits, which was a little on the large size, then bought the SLEC table from them at Weston Park one year. It was MDF, a poor choice of materials 'cos the nails & screws split the MDF. The SLEC table was never used at the field as it needed two hands to put it up. Here is the Mark 3 field stand packed flat:

The stand is sturdy. I use it to build the plane in the garage and assembling the plane at the field. I only blip the motor during the pre-flight checks.

This is Mark 1 "stand" - the pasting table

[Bruce Collinson]

Nifty, very useful, as is your wingbag post. I can feel a trip to the Geordie Dating Agency coming on (see if Ken Anderson rises to that bait!) and another roll of rad/greenhouse insulant too, keep me away from cabin fever over Christmas.

BTC

PS keep these tips coming!

[Bruce Collinson]

Nifty,

Notwithstanding the overwhelming response I was overcome by online retail therapy and collect my trestle from Screwyfix (no sound from Ken Anderson.....NE1....gratuitous Geordie Jokes dept.) and fear that radiator insulation will be winking at me in the morning. I have been using Homebase greenhouse insulation which is bubble wrap with aluminium foil but it’s a bit “snaggy “ on horns etc and I’ll try yours from the other post.

Anyway, back to this post, I’d appreciate the dimensions offered above; save me doing it twice...also, if you made another one, apart from gluing the pipe wrap, would you modify the Mk 1?

Flash of inspiration this pm, bought a quilt/duvet online for £6 delivered to pack planes in the boot of the wife’s car. Less gravel rash.

BTC

[Jon Laughton]

Is it me or isn’t this exactly the kind of excellent idea that should be in the mag rather than just the forum? It is power train agnostic and caters for the age groups most prevalent in our sport/hobby?

Well done Nifty

[Bruce Collinson]

Jon,

Agree. In fact you can win a small charger if they print it.

The trestle comes dismantled, about 100mm sq package so it goes in the car boot (my car, the wife's is used for flying and is a lot bigger) with no problems. Tomorrow flyable so another project deferred ....

BTC

[Bruce Collinson]

PS try Pollyfilla Advanced for all those little sanding block/razor saw/Swann Morton mishaps; massively better than specialist balsa filler; sticks, is light, easy to get a no-sand finish but sands easily, handy 200 ml tube from B&Q although mine won't last long at this rate. Homebase have it in tubs too.

Not my idea, I read it on the interweb so I knew it would be true.

BTC

[Nifty 50]

Hi Bruce,

I will get the measuring stick out at the weekend and send a sketch over to you.

Modifications? The gap in the cradles is too wide for most of my models. This is because I have sized it for my Maxford Antonov An-2 model (still in the box) - she is wide, however additional lengths of pipe wrap will close the gap nicely (I haven't worked on sorting adjustable sliders that can be used one-handed - yet).

I would make the shelf a little narrower on the width, this is to stop it fouling the neck doubling plates when packing it flat (this will be included in the sketch I will send over).

Other than these mods, I am happy with the design. I fly electric, so I only treat the wood with yacht varnish(no need for fuel-proofing) and I don't run up the motor, just blip it for pre-flight checks. Each cradle can be set to a different height, so planes like the Super Scorpion can still be level for putting the wings on.

It doesn't take long to modify the trestle, have fun.

[Bruce Collinson]

Good morning Nifty,

Thanks for your response. I assembled mine last night after charging batteries. Your mods sound very sensible now it’s in the flesh. I may make the cradles narrower, to just fit my widest fuselages, maybe with a slight taper.

Forgive any apparent stupidity but is there a persuasive reason to omit the top rail?

I thought I’d add a restraining strap and ground anchor, for 20 cc petrol tuning, and probably straps over the fus to hold down. Most of the various stands and cradles in use at the club have ground anchors, usually handily placed to guarantee one trip per session!

A hidden benefit of this forum is I find it clarifies matters even as I post. I’m going to need a second one for the upstairs man cave. Foam cradles are ok for light planes but a bit risky for anything substantial. I believe waterbased polyurethane Floor varnish is fuelproof and will try that, and possibly use slightly thinner ply for the shelf if it’s going to be narrower. Magnetic patch in one corner; maybe adapt a magnetic dish ( I have about half a dozen of those, very useful) but then again I could fit a tool rack and a cup holder too. Am I in danger of over engineering it?

BTC

[Steve Dunne]

Hi Bruce,

Don't forget to build in a holder for fat rascals...

Oh - and a humidor .

Steve .

[Tom Gaskin 1]

I've been using the SLEC foldable flight mate over this season.

I can thoroughly recommend it as a saver of knees!

Tom

[Nifty 50]

Hi Bruce, the top cross bar is where the plane is going to be. I used the cross bar mounting holes as the mounting holes for the cradle. You got me thinking about the adjustable cradle gap and I have an idea. I will try it first then let you know if it works.

Below are a couple of photos to show why I want the shelf to be a bit narrower, the corners foul the neck doubling plates.

You can never over-engineer something like this - 240V extension socket for power tools, radio (R2 of course), kettle then maybe a biscuit barrel (custard creams & suggestive digestive) on a lower shelf but I think the 24 carat gold leaf monogram could be a touch too much...