How do you store your models?

[startazz]

My hanger is at bursting point,no more room for any more models and rather than putting any of them up in the loft i need a new way to store them all,so i can put a few more in the hanger,i've got about sixteen hanging from the ceiling on the walls well all over,so i need a new method of storing them so i can fit more in,i need your help please.

Any good suggestions and photos would be appreciated and if you know of a thread that has this info would also be helpful.

[dahawk]

Star,

I'm in the same boat. Just trying to keep wife off my back. It's so fricking hot here in Texas, I hate storing them all in the garage. It's like a hot house in there and it has an ill affect on the glue. I keep some of them in my office. One sits on the top of my docking station, two on a chair, another on top of the printer, another on top of a pole lamp. A sight to behold ! Basically, the small planes stay inside. The rest of the squadron must survice the elements.

She doesn't want me hanging them like an ornament but I may have to do just that. Maybe just mount them like a picture.

-Hawk

[matiac]

Too bad you can't configure some sort of rack for them. Can't remember what forum, but the guy had one he made out of that PVC pipe, and he had like 5 or 6 planes on it in his closet, don't know how many planes you have, or their size, but you could at least "rack" some of them that way. I always worry my big one's gonna fall off my amp if I have it turned up too loud...

[walter3]

i just have the one now. but more to follow i hope.i have seen a sweet pvc pipe holder from a member on here that is the way to go! very nice system hanging on a wall.

[mclarkson]

Saw this video recently:

YouTube Video

[pmullen503]

Here's my system. I wanted something adjustable and cheap so I use PVC pipe and fittings.

1. Drill out a bunch of PVC tees so they just fit over PVC pipe. Clamp the tee in a vice to hold it straight. Don't try to hold it with your hand and use a drill press. I didn't drill all the way through; I left about a 1/16" rim on one end. The tee will slide over the pipe yet not rock at that end. Leave the middle part of the tee undrilled.

2. Make a couple relief cuts in one of the drilled ends so the clamp can squeeze it tight over the pipe.

3. Slide the tee(s) over the pipe and put a hose clamp on. Tighten it enough so the tee can be slid into position but doesn't fall by it's own weight.

4. Construct a frame of the same sized PVC and attach it to the wall. The lower bar is set off the wall farther than the top so the bars will angle up a bit so the models slide towards the wall and not off the bars.

5. Stick short PVC bars into the tees, adjust the position of the tees and tighten the clamp to lock it into place.

There are lots of variations on this theme. You can make the bars short or long. They don't have to be at a 90 degree angle from the wall (handy for delta wings). The frame can be larger (you could use the same system to make the verticals adjustable too).

I have a similar set up bolted to a small folding table that fits flat in the back of my van for hauling planes around and for use as a field work table.

The rack pictured used 1/2" pipe which is fine for unassembled planes. For assembled planes I'd use something heavier; 3/4" or 1" pipe.

[startazz]

Thanks for the comments boys and the video that shows the PVC piping is the sort of thing i was looking for,i too have seen this sort of thing on another thread and i couldn't think for the life of me where it was,so i'll be storing my planes that way from now on,so thanks for that mclarkson and i'll be hitting the thank you button on your post.

pmullen503 i would of gone for you idea as thats the sort of thing i saw too,in the video i should be able to store a lot more that way but thanks a lot for the great post mate and i'll thank you too.

Now i just have to tell my other half that i will be able to store a lot more planes in my hanger,which was our spear bed room.

I can see that the sixteen planes i already have will soon double now,better not tell the Mrs that though.

Thanks again for the replies it's appreciated.

[Bill G]

High strength CL string hung from the ceiling. Remember that if you do have to use hangars, multiple planes can be hung from one set of hangars, granted they are well attached to the ceiling. This is an old pic, and there's far more planes hanging from there now.

[matiac]

Izzat an SBD in there with all them Germans??

[crxmanpat]

I have a bunch of small planes (all my Mini pushers that I sell) and a bunch of 50mm jets, plus a few other things. I have a large 8x10 section of pegboard on the wall in the garage, and I use the longest arms they sell and can hang at least 3 planes from each set or arms.

Right now I have about 25 planes hung up on the board.

[startazz]

Originally Posted by Bill G

High strength CL string hung from the ceiling. Remember that if you do have to use hangars, multiple planes can be hung from one set of hangars, granted they are well attached to the ceiling. This is an old pic, and there's far more planes hanging from there now.

Thats what my hanger/room looks like now so i wanted a better way of storing them,or at least so i could store more in there than i have now so i'll be going with what the video show.

[garycrump]

I would like to know if foam wings have a tendency to warp if they are supporting the entire plane. Also, I would like to say that the PVC method is quite inventive as well as impressive!

[pmullen503]

Originally Posted by garycrump

I would like to know if foam wings have a tendency to warp if they are supporting the entire plane. Also, I would like to say that the PVC method is quite inventive as well as impressive!

Yes! If you are trying to support all the weight out by the tips. If you are going to store assembled models for long periods of time, hang them by the tail, landing gear, prop, or support the wings as close to the fuse as possible.

I store mine disassembled to save space. I'll taken to hanging one piece foamies by the tail or prop.

[Azarr]

Originally Posted by garycrump

I would like to know if foam wings have a tendency to warp if they are supporting the entire plane. Also, I would like to say that the PVC method is quite inventive as well as impressive!

Yes, here's my solution. It's a cheap clothes rack from Kmart ~ $15. I like this because it's portable. It would also be a good solution for someone in an apartment where you couldn't fix something to the walls. A friend mounted a curtain rod to his ceiling and hangs his from there.

Azarr

[Arbo]

Perhaps a better method is to get all those airplanes that don't fit in your storage locations in the mail to people that don't have that issue.

[wbuttry]

Well i got to locations I keep mine in the ones i fly all the time. I keep in a spare room that we got and they are put together and ready to fly. And the one i very seldom fly. I rented a storage unit to keep those in with some extra stuff to make the rental worth while my models sit on theyre nose aginst the wall tails up wings off if they detatch and the wings in a stackaginst the wall. And since i only fly electric now dont have a fuel mess no more on the floors..