A case for my monorail (not lightware)?

[Josh Wand]

I'd like to take my new Calumet cc400 on location with me, but I can't seem to f ind a suitable case. I simply don't have the money to shell out for a Lightware or a Pelican. My camera has the 20-inch rail so I can't see fitting it into a br iefcase with the standards removed(plus the endcaps seem rather securely affixed ). I've thought about perhaps making my own bag from scratch, with cordura and n eoprene, but I thought I'd query here first to see if anyone has any clever hack s in this area. Thanks...

[Ellis Vener]

Have you contacted Calumet? http://www.calumetphoto.com or 1.800-CAL-UMET.

They make three view camera cases that are sized for your camera and range in pr ice from US$128 to $190.00, the products numbers are CZ4501; CZ3701 (the cheapest); and CY1000 (supposedly the best but I wouldn't make a habit of checki ng it on a commercial airliner).

[Paul Parker]

I faced this problem recently, but on my first trip to the local camera store for film, I found two used monorail cases for sale. I grabbed one of those, or else I likely would have bought used from Midwest Photo (mpex.com).

[josh_560]

B&H sells a case made by kalimar thats rather inexpensive and is big enough for the 20 inch rail.I use it for my cambo sc.

[John O'Connell]

I use an old, old case which may have been homemade. Any toploading box about 9x9x22 will work, it seems to me; just notch two wooden boards for the rail support, space them far enough apart, and you're good. I'd be hard pressed to spend $128 on a monorail case considering their limited usefulness (pack up rail, put in car, take out of car, put camera on tripod, put case back in car).

[Bob Eskridge]

Partially to keep the weight down, I found a suitable cardboard box (about 20 X 12 X 17) and glued cardboard supportsfor the monorail into the box simular to the commercially available monorail cases. With some suitable padding added (glued in) the box has served me well for carrying my monorail.

Recently, I have made another smaller box for my monorail. With this one I have reinforced the bottom, glued additional heavyduty cardboard to the bottom and covered the whole thing with contact paper and naugerhyde.

The first box is still in great shape. And neither box weighs over about 3 lbs.

[Robb Reed]

Josh,

I have a toyo with an 18 inch rail and built a case for it out of an old coleman cooler. i constructed two notched baffles and fastened them inside the cooler, first with epoxy, and then with small screws. The camera, on its rail, sits inverted in the cooler and I roll the whole deal around on a small truck. Theres enough space left over to carry pretty much anything else I might need.

good luck

[Josh Wand]

For the archives: I ended up using a cheap rolling suitcase lined with eggcrate foam. It was just the right size to hold the camera snungly, though I wouldn't really throw the case around or check the bag at the airport.