An AR6 or AR5 carrying case made easy!

Traveling with the AR-6 poses the unique challenge most large refractor owners face - where do I put the OTA when on the road? Some owners have used the case that TOW missiles are housed in - but at somewhere around 30 lbs, these can prove challenging to carry when you add in the 27 lbs of the AR-6 OTA. Orion sells a soft carrying case that will hold the OTA minus the dew cap, but the degree of protection afforded by a soft case is minimal.

Research led me to the ABS hard plastic cases commonly used to transport golf bags. A company in Southern California named SKB (www.skbsports.com) manufactures these cases. They are of very high quality, and will resist all manner of forces that could ding or dent your OTA (however, do not drive your car over one!). There are a number of outlets on the internet that carry these - if you do a search on 'skb golf bag case' you should get quite a few hits.

The model I ordered was the standard, 48" by 10" by 10" case. The model number is 4810WS. The price is around $90. The case weighs only 15 lbs. It has 3 latches - the center one locks. One end has small wheels, allowing you to pull it over smooth surfaces. It is black in color, with a carrying handle at the top, and another at the end opposite the wheels.

The case comes with 1" foam in the first 12" at one end. This makes for a perfect fit for the dew cap. The rest of the case is unlined. I ordered medium density Y37CH 1 1/2" packing foam from www.foamorder.com. I had them cut two 48" by 10" and two 10" by 10" pieces - the cost was under $20, including shipping. I cut the two long pieces of foam to fit into the unlined section of the case. The two smaller pieces were trimmed to fit against the unlined end. An electric carving knife makes clean cuts in foam.

I used heavy duty welders glue from WalMart to glue the foam to the inside of the case. Beware using this glue - the odor is very strong. Even my dog started acting strangely before I realized I needed to ventilate the room.

The end result is a very professional looking, solid carrying case. The AR-6 OTA and dew cap easily fit, not too tightly, but snug enough to prevent movement during transport. The finder has to be removed. There are larger cases that would probably accommodate the finder and other accessories.

Although this was made for an AR-6, it will work just as well for the AR-5. Slightly thicker foam, perhaps 2", would be needed.

If you have any questions, you can direct them to me at jkzimm@msn.com.

John Zimmerman