Packing Equipment/Making A Custom Interior Help

This is kind of a hybrid question about customizing a case for transporting expensive gear. The idea is to make the interior for a reasonably priced outer shell from custom foam, but I've never done that and getting information seems harder than it should be (perhaps I'm not using the correct terms in my searches).

We're planning a trip up to Monterey for big surf/coastal pictures and to take a much needed vacation. We are also planning on busking along the way with our band members who will be going with on the trip.

First for camera bodies 5DM4 and lenses 15-30, 24-70, 70-200, 100-400 mk2 (all I have now are soft cases Temba Messenger bag, ThinkTank Streetwalker Pro backpack),

Second for my handheld percussion items such as cowbells, maracas, wood block, triangle and various other items.

So what is the actual question.... are you looking for suggestions on materials to use or is it that you need help working with a particular (already chosen) material?

You can cut up a high density foam sleeping pad (you can get it in camping/hiking gear part of the store), and then you can hot glue partitions sized for your equipment inside the outside surround.

I did that to customize an ordinary day pack whose appearance did not scream "Steal me", to take a medium format SLR kit on a long trip to Chile during a sabbatical year off work.

Dan Marchant wrote in post #19137948
So what is the actual question.... are you looking for suggestions on materials to use or is it that you need help working with a particular (already chosen) material?

I wasn't actually sure of the whole thing but yes materials, and actually how to cut and shape that material to secure the valuables. And yes, as Wilt stated, using a container that didn't advertise the contents of the case.

I spent time haunting eBay for used hard plastic commercial cases. I was specifically looking for cases that were wheeled and hinged. I go to the Business & Industrial category (very important to start in that category) and search for "hinged wheeled hard plastic shipping case." Shipping charges are usually hefty, so pay attention to those as part of the total price. Here is an example of what I'd want to find:

https://www.ebay.com …2f7d95:g:5hoAAO​SwdIFXzggy

Then I'll need to put foam in them. I've tried Kiezen foam, but found it wasn't really satisfactory in the long term. I've gone back to using layered conventional extra-firm charcoal foam. I've bought a good amount of foam over the years from:

foamonline.com

goalerjones wrote in post #19138110
I wasn't actually sure of the whole thing but yes materials, and actually how to cut and shape that material to secure the valuables. And yes, as Wilt stated, using a container that didn't advertise the contents of the case.

Real thieves will figure out whether you're carrying something worth stealing by how you treat it.

I've just done all of this. I got my case from Harbor Freight. I bought 4 of these.

https://www.harborfrei​ght.com …-x-large-black-64250.html

NEVER pay that price, $59.99, there is always 20% coupons available. I paid $48 each! Which means I got 4 at about the cost of 1 Pelican case.

Now, for the pluck & peel foam. Bottom line is the slower you go the better it will come out & the longer it will last. After all my cutting was complete, I glued the 3 pieces of foam together (not necessary, just makes more robust. I have 1 not glued because I have things in the second layer of foam) then the foam gets sprayed with Plasti-Dip. Go to YouTube, many videos of people using it to secure the foam. Have any questions feel free to ask.


BTW: They have the bright orange & yellow cases if needed (also black, green, & tan). Yes, they will help you spot them if they go missing but they also stick out to thieves.

I put my flash & triggers/receivers in a tan one, my macro rig in a green one, then my cameras/lenses split between 2 black cases. Here is the tan one. Notice the foam is black? The foam is gray, I used black plasti-dip. Also how clean the foam looks. This is because I took my time. Very easy to destroy the foam while making cut-outs. I still use a utility knife to cut the foam even though the whole selling point of the peel & pluck foam is that you don't need a knife.

They also sell replacement foam for this case (all 3 layers) when the foam eventually does need replaced, $20.

RDKirk wrote in post #19138178
I spent time haunting eBay for used hard plastic commercial cases. I was specifically looking for cases that were wheeled and hinged. I go to the Business & Industrial category (very important to start in that category) and search for "hinged wheeled hard plastic shipping case." Shipping charges are usually hefty, so pay attention to those as part of the total price. Here is an example of what I'd want to find:

https://www.ebay.com …2f7d95:g:5hoAAO​SwdIFXzggy

Then I'll need to put foam in them. I've tried Kiezen foam, but found it wasn't really satisfactory in the long term. I've gone back to using layered conventional extra-firm charcoal foam. I've bought a good amount of foam over the years from:

foamonline.com

You might want to look into this guys goods.

https://fortmyers.crai​gslist.org …zes-30-up/7195938131.html

He doesn't want to ship but might if offered a fair amount to do so, or find a nearby UPS store that can pick it up and ship it to you.

Pigpen101 wrote in post #19138182
I've just done all of this. I got my case from Harbor Freight. I bought 4 of these.

https://www.harborfrei​ght.com …-x-large-black-64250.html

NEVER pay that price, $59.99, there is always 20% coupons available. I paid $48 each! Which means I got 4 at about the cost of 1 Pelican case.

Now, for the pluck & peel foam. Bottom line is the slower you go the better it will come out & the longer it will last. After all my cutting was complete, I glued the 3 pieces of foam together (not necessary, just makes more robust. I have 1 not glued because I have things in the second layer of foam) then the foam gets sprayed with Plasti-Dip. Go to YouTube, many videos of people using it to secure the foam. Have any questions feel free to ask.


BTW: They have the bright orange & yellow cases if needed (also black, green, & tan). Yes, they will help you spot them if they go missing but they also stick out to thieves.

I use bright orange cases, they really stand out and are easy to see if someone should try to walk off with one.