Does anyone have any recommendations on a specific tackle box or toolbox or any other kind of storage/carrying box that you use to transport your stuff when you go to a raceway. I felt a bit trailer trashy when my girls and I showed up at Neil's Wheels in Plano toting a small cardboard priority shipping box with bubble wrap inside.

oh, and to add to the above, i use a metal toolbox to carry all my cars and tools in. I was told the other day that I can kill my magents by keep the cars in a metal toolbox. Is there any truth to this? I was under the impression magnets kinda kept their magnetism forever, but I've been wrong more than once!

Take the girls on a little outing to Dick's, Dunham's or other sporting goods store in your area. Plano and Flambeau have a nice variety of tacklboxes is many sizes, so you'll see a nice little one for your girls. If they want one in pink, lavender (or something like that), check out a craft store for a sewing box that would fit.

magnets DO lose their zip! that is why guys re mag (zap) them . lose the metal box. your cars will love you for it! (plus you will love them longer) :wave:

hell. thanks, I'll move back into a goold ol plastic tacklebox. LOL

Plano makes probably the biggest and best slot car boxes I ever saw. check Walmart in the fishing tackle box area.

I was told the other day that I can kill my magnets by keep the cars in a metal toolbox
Not true. Magnets should be stored in a way that allows the magnetic circuit to be completed, thereby eliminating free poles. The magnetic circuit is completed when both poles of one magnet have a magnetic circuit (like an iron bar) to the opposing poles of the other magnet. Storing magnet pairs in a ferrous metal container (or on a ferrous metal plate) is far better than storing them in a plastic container. Storing pairs of magnets stuck together is even better than storing them singly. The ideal storage method is as follows:

N ==== S
S ==== N

where '====' depicts an iron bar and the magnets are depicted vertically as N-S poles. For pancake motor magnets the best storage method would be to lay the magnets end to end facing the same direction with bars/plates of ferrous metal between the faces and the backs of the magnets:

=====
U U
=====

where the 'U' depicts the U-shaped magnets from a pancake motor. (Sorry for the crude graphics.)

Tackle boxes are an excellent choice for a pit box. I use a Plano 757 but the models are constantly evolving and there are a lot of great options out there for low prices, including modular cases with removable bins. Bring some of your car bodies with you that represent the longest and widest ones that you'll be using just to make sure the compartments will accomodate your cars.

AfxToo, thank you for the education! I had figured that since magnets power deminishes, it was from use. a metal box would be "use", right? That was my line of thinking anyway.
Will magnets IN cars get tired from just sitting if stored in plastic?

thanks very much AFXToo.

By far, the biggest causes of demagnetization for the kinds of magnets used in slot cars are high temperatures and mechanical shock. The demagnetization that occurs during storage due to free poles is far less than either of these two causes.

Removing the magnets from your motors and placing them individually on a ferrous metal bar or in pairs with the ferrous metal "keepers" like I previously described would reduce the demagnetization caused by free poles significantly. But this would be somewhat impractical unless you need to store them for a very long time, where the gradual loss will accumulate and become significant. I have 30+ year old slot cars with their original magnets and they still run quite well despite having been stored in the motor all of that time. I'm sure they have demagnetized somewhat but they still perform good enough for everyday use. I could remagnetize them to their original strength to use them for racing, but it's far easier or replace them with newer and stronger (JL) magnets since I don't have a magnet zapper.

The absolute worst thing you can do is to store magnet pairs such that they are opposing one another. This will demagnetize the magnets fairly quickly.

AFXTOO is right on the money. Heat and shock will kill a magnet. Cutting them can reduce magnetism also. (can also be dangerous with certain types of magnets; i.e.; magnetic dust) Even the early AFX/Tomy SG+ EX Imports came with a metal plate attached to the pit display boxes and the instructions told to store the car on the plate to preserve the magnets.

If you purchase a plastic tackle box for your cars, you can glue down banding metal strips in each compartment for the magnets.

One member in our club still has lures in half of his pit box! :p

http://www.supervipersystems.com/VargoSpeedway/PHOTOS/NASCARrace1101/NASCARracepics1124/pitboxes.jpg

I have heard that sewing boxes also offer great slot car storage case options. :o Try Hobby Lobby, Walmart, Target.

What's cool about the Hobby Talk BBS is it places links at the bottom of the thread to words/products we discuss in our topics. Right now there is a link to Plano Tackle boxes.

Here is a sweet box that is perfect for a slot pit box: ;)

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?p=WX2&i=63269&afsrc=1

The ones with drawers seem to be the better option. The one like mine on the left makes it hard to get to the back compartments when folded out.

-Scott

Go wander through sporting good stores, and dept stores. LOTS of choices.

That being said, I have a Plano 737. Mucho, mucho space. Think it was less than $30 at Wal-Mart.

another thread......

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=108463&highlight=plano

Keep your eye on ebay usually if you search scalextric they pop up.

Good luck, Timo



This is were i got mine from http://www.hotslots132.com/index.php?cPath=27

I've gotten two of these from Lowes.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=24981-000010203-VGC-5200&lpage=none

The small tool tray in the lid is removable and although they don't show it the bottom is filled with perforated foam so you can make cut-outs for the cars to lay on their sides. You can fit about 10 or 12 1/32nd scale cars in it. Slightly less if they are nascar and/or Carrera. They often have them on sale for $20!

Here's a pic!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/Mr.Stubbs/Slotbox.jpg

Thanks for all the suggestions. I ended up going with a Plano 7271. Here are some pics to give you a sense of capacity.

Great choice! Looks like plenty of capacity for tools, parts, and cars.