After purchasing my Nexstar Evolution 8, I realized that I needed a way of transporting it to star party events. Celestron offers a couple branded cases, but I felt the prices were a bit high for their capabilities.
The Husky 50 gallon mobile job box had been on my mind for quite a while as an ideal starting point. It's wheeled and heavy duty, for around $65, at Home Depot. It even has a built in lock, or latches for a padlock. The challenge of finding and fitting the interior cushioning was more difficult than I anticipated. Shopping around for foam was a daunting task. What kind, how thick, what color? And where do you buy it? Considering that manufacturers like Celestron put in their disposable packaging, I was certain I could find a reasonable deal somewhere. I settled on a full 48"x108" plank of 2" thick, 1.8lb Polyethylene foam. This closed-cell foam is lightweight, durable, and water = mildew resistant. Plus, I could get it in black. It had to be black. You can purchase a plank here. Total cost was $80, but nearly half of that was spent on shipping.
To save on shipping, it will arrive in four 24" x 54" pieces.
According to my plans, I would cut four 34" x 18" solid sheets plus have enough scraps to create 3 additional sheets. I used a heat gun to join the scraps together. It worked fine, but I think I would just use the adhesive next time, due to the resulting heat degradation of the surrounding foam.
To cut, I used a sharp knife with a sawing motion, plus a square to help create straight lines and true corners. Keeping the edges flat takes a bit of practice.
Measure the interior. (The box gradually gets larger as you move toward the top.)
Cut a piece with the correct size. Because the bottom of the box is not completely flat along the edges, cut a beveled edge around the bottom.
Cut notches in the side of the foam to accommodate the shape of the bottom. This will not be as critical on the next pieces.
Place the optical tube and base into the box to test the fit. Adjust the position of the side rail. (Mark that position on the rail, so that you can readjust in the future.) I chose this orientation for a few reasons. 1. The eyepiece can be left attached and in the proper orientation. 2. The majority of the weight is closest to my body when lifting. 3. The heavy base's handle is available on my right side (I'm right handed).
Measure and cut a second layer of foam. Carefully trace the shape of the telescope, keeping in mind that this layer will need to be slightly smaller than the actual size, due to the shape of the round tube and base.
Cut out the shape.
After test fitting the scope, trim and bevel the edges. This layer should be just large enough to keep the tube and base from rocking back and forth.
Cut a third layer, which will be nearly the full size of the entire assembly. Carefully trim the foam to fit.
The fourth layer will be precisely the size of the assembly. (Note that this layer will be visible when removing the cover, so choose a good looking piece!) Carefully trim the foam to fit.
I felt this would be a good place to store a few items: hand controller, finder scope, and camera adapter. Neatly cut those shapes in this layer.
This is what you'll see when opening the case. I was afraid if I built the bottom foam any higher, it would make removal more difficult. The next layers will be combined into the cover.
Cut another layer. Carefully trim the foam to fit.
Cut a couple notches under that layer to accommodate the tops of the accessories.
Cut another layer; this will be the top of the OTA/Base portion.
Because the optical tube and base are slightly taller than the pocket provided by the 4 central layers, you will need to carefully cut some notches so that the cover lies flat.
This is how the bottom of the cover will look when turned over.
Time to start gluing. I used 3M 90 spray adhesive, which is easy to apply and rated for polyethylene foam.
Apply liberally on the back of the bottom layer. Press into place and apply weight while it dries. (I used what was handy in the garage.) Repeat for the next 3 layers, pausing for 10 minutes or so each time.
Now, we start gluing the layers of the cover. Apply the glue to the TOP of the 5th layer and place inside.
Press the top layer onto the adhesive. Place your weighted objects evenly and let everything sit overnight.
For the top of the cover, I cut the pieces about 1.5" taller than the rim of the box, to compensate for the extra height that the box lid offers. This will ensure that there is pressure along the sides and middle of the telescope compartment while in transport. I also cut slots in each piece to serve as handles for lifting the cover out of the box.
It's difficult to see in these pictures, but I included a small notch through the bottom of each of the 3 smaller pieces. This will allow me to store my dew shield in the case. The compartments between the spacers will allow me to carry other items, including my eyepiece case.
Apply glue to the sides of the 3 middle spacers and arrange them appropriately. I used shims to apply pressure to the joints. Remove the shims after the glue has dried.
Apply glue to the bottom of the wide front and rear spacers. Shut the lid to apply pressure and leave overnight.
Here, you can see how to dew shield slides into the cover.
With the foam remnants, I made a two layer piece to hold small accessories like vibration pads, charger, flashlight, with room for more.
Now that the foam padding has been completed, I wanted to add some lighting. I imagined putting a red rope light inside the lid to help me pack up my gear at the end of a long evening at our local star parties. Since the lights needed to be battery powered, I settled on some red wire string LED lights for around $7.
Fit the lights (folded in half to concentrate the light) into 1/4" clear plastic tubing to make them more durable and water resistant.
See, now it's a rope light!
To help maximize the amount of light being directed down into the box, I added some strips of 3M reflective foil tape to the lid.
To hold the lights in place, drill holes near the top and side edges of the box cover.
Carefully feed the lights through the holes.
Here are the finished lights. I attached the battery compartment to the lid with velcro, for access to the batteries.
Here's what you would see at a dark sky site:
The top of the telescope compartment:
Due to the sturdiness of the box, I plan on using it as a seat, so I won't have to carry a separate chair.
Snug as a bug in a rug!
The box has a sturdy handle and will allow me to store in an upright position, and to pull it around at the event.
This project exceeded my expectations. It took a lot of time to make, but I ended up with something customized and highly durable, for a fraction of the cost of a name brand hard case.
Update: I had the opportunity to take it to my first star party event! It was a bit heavy as I pulled it up the hill, but far easier than making multiple trips. Setup and teardown was a breeze. The red lights were a little bright for the other attendees, but I will try to reduce the outward glare and direct it all downward for next time.
Comment below if you have any questions!
