Turning a Pelican case into a flight case

[Floridatrombonekenneth]

Hello Everyone!

I have been doing some research into the pelican brand of cases. It looks like either the 740 or 730 could be adapted into a TANK style double trombone flight case. I was just curious if anyone on here had any experience with this type of project, wether with pelicans or other brands of cases. The 1730 would definitely work, I just worry about ease of transportation once I am relying on an UBER/ friend ect.

https://www.pelican.com/us/en/product/c ... ector/1740

https://www.pelican.com/us/en/product/c ... ector/1730

Thanks in advance!

Kenneth

Kennethjohnsontrombone.com

[harrisonreed]

viewtopic.php?p=207793&hilit=Pelican#p207793

[Floridatrombonekenneth]

Thanks! I saw that and thought it looked awesome. I was specifically looking for info on a double case. I wish I had a cut bell for this project, there are a ton of rifle and bow cases for sale even on my local Craigslist.

But I should specify, this would be two non cut trombones, the idea is to have a case that I could use for my tenor and bass or (with extra foam) tenor and alto. And what I am asking is, if anyone has done this with the 1730 or 1740, or a different case.

Thanks!

[jchiang9]

I've done exactly this project using a 1740. I must have posted about it on the old forum, can't find the thread here and I can't find the pictures (it's loaned out right now so I can't take new pictures).

I had it set up so that the bells stack with a piece of foam in between and then 2 slides. I had this set up for a bass and large tenor. I've also flown with small tenor, large tenor, and 3 slides. Also a good option to take out the foam and drop the horns with their own cases into it. This case has flown all over North America and to Singapore without issue. Still going strong! The case is 10 years old this year.

I will say, it's a pain in the butt to get in and out of small vehicles.

[harrisonreed]

Dimension wise, it should work but it will be tight. I'd stack the bells sideways with the flares opposite each other, and then stack the slides on one side.

I don't know how good the foam is. One of the nice things about the tank case is that the bells are flat, not on their sides, and they sit on memory foam around the valve sections. This way, they literally cannot move with the case closed. I wonder if you could sneak in some memory foam into the pelican case design.

[heldenbone]

Curiously, the foam included with my Pelican case was intentionally of multiple densities. The individual sheets were seperable and not cubed. It was easy to choose which layer should go where, five layers in all.

[Floridatrombonekenneth]

Dimension wise, it should work but it will be tight. I'd stack the bells sideways with the flares opposite each other, and then stack the slides on one side.

I don't know how good the foam is. One of the nice things about the tank case is that the bells are flat, not on their sides, and they sit on memory foam around the valve sections. This way, they literally cannot move with the case closed. I wonder if you could sneak in some memory foam into the pelican case design.

Thanks for the great info, I hadn't though of using memory foam for the valve sections. A very cool idea! Thanks!

[Floridatrombonekenneth]

Curiously, the foam included with my Pelican case was intentionally of multiple densities. The individual sheets were seperable and not cubed. It was easy to choose which layer should go where, five layers in all.

Thanks for the heads up, your case was really helpful/ inspiring when thinking about this project.

I found one without foam for a really good deal (150) on marketplace, and was planning on cutting larger sheets of foam from pick and pluck/ memory foam(Thanks to the other post on this topic) from a home improvement store/ hardware store. Do you think the foam that comes with the case is worth just buying straight from pelican?

[harrisonreed]

The one caveat with the memory foam is that it sandwiches the valve section as you close the case (tank case). I don't know how this would work with the bells on their sides.

[heldenbone]

Thanks for the heads up, your case was really helpful/ inspiring when thinking about this project.
I found one without foam for a really good deal (150) on marketplace, and was planning on cutting larger sheets of foam from pick and pluck/ memory foam(Thanks to the other post on this topic) from a home improvement store/ hardware store. Do you think the foam that comes with the case is worth just buying straight from pelican?

It depends on your foam and how you lay it out. Nothing says you have to surround your bells with the same sort of foam as your valve sections if you are buying and cutting it to suit your own purpose. I put the stiffer foam nearer the outer shell, and the more compliant foam over it. That way I could (I hope) avoid percussive bumps against the hard shell due to full compression of the inner foam surround. I think that is the way Pelican originally installed it anyway.

You will find it an entertaining project that is never *quite* finished. I added the rollers, then added D rings for a shoulder strap. Then, I put in straps to restrain the lid from flopping over flat when the case is opened. I've considered adding the rings needed for backpack straps.

Jesse (traveling Edwards rep) looked it over in its current state. He said Edwards probably wouldn't ever make a flight case, but if they did make something like it, they would charge roughly $1000. He was smiling at the time, so probably he was just having some fun with me.

Just imagine how much money you are saving yourself building a double.