Pit space & pit boxes

[team burrito]

What do you guys bring to the track? I've seen pit boxes of all sizes, here's what I bring.



And here it is, fully layed out (I've been thrashing). I especially like my new pit light, 20 bucks from Fry's. Just enough space to get the job done, what's your pit space look like?

[wjdougherty]

How many cars for how many races determines what I bring.... Which is always too much....


wjd

[fxgeorge]

Folks, please take note of what Russ has in his pit space. I have learned a lot from him about the best tools to get, and he pretty much has figured out what you need and what you really don't need. This is a great photographic example of all you need to build slot cars at the raceway. All Russ needs to do next is figure out how not to fall off when he is on white and I am on red and we will all be very happy! : )

[team burrito]

All Russ needs to do next is figure out how not to fall off when he is on white and I am on red and we will all be very happy! : )

You want some cheese with that whine, Georgie?

[trickyvic3]

Russ,
Looks to me like you've got it down pat. I cant see that you would need much more than what you have there.

PS- I really like the looks of that pit light !! Just the right size.

Vic

[oldweirdherald]

Here's some pics of my "Port-A-Pit" - portable soldering station pit box.

It consists of a tool case available from Harbor Freight and/or Lowes at around $24, with an outlet strip, soldering iron holder, chassis jig, power supply, folding light, etc... all mounted on a piece of shelf board cut in half.

I race a lot of different scales & types of slot cars, so I have a different box of cars & parts for each different racing program (HO, 1/32, 1/24), with this "Port-A-Pit" box containing everything I need for soldering, building, & pitting. I keep the Hudy tire & comm truers in their own separate case, and get them out as needed. The purple travel soap box keeps the solder & acid flux, and the Dremel & bits, lighter fluid, calipers, Geezer Goggles, rag & other loose items just get neatly tossed in around the mounted tools.

It all lifts out of the case and sets up in a minute or two with just one plug to plug in... and after the race is easy to plop it all back in the case to store it away, or to take home for thrashing (especially when pit space is limited at home - such as my dinner table / computer desk / thrash pit table in my trailer!)

It would be even better if the box had more of a "trunk lid" front, so everything could just stay in the case... but at under $25 for such a nice tool case, it's not worth building one from scratch. I added a cabinet door handle to the left front to help lift it out of the case - the soldering iron holder (when cool) doubles as the right handle.

From walking in the door, to ready to thrash pits - faster then you can say "am I up yet?"









More pics in the OWH Tech Tips Photo Gallery:

Port-A-Pit Gallery

[HillbillyYart]

Nahhhhh,thatal will never fly!!!!! Wink Wink!!!!! Hillbilly

[team burrito]

I've been thinking of something similar, but I like yours better.

[jradford]

Surprised to see the head magnifier in the pit box and not on your head Paul. I thought I saw you driving the other day wearing those instead of your glasses.

[MantaRay]

I do not see any cars......lol

[oldweirdherald]

Manta Ray - read the post... don't just look at the pictures! The cars & parts are in my other box...

Jim - the geezer goggles are only in the pic when it is packed all up - they were on my head in the other pics!

[MentalKase]

I've been pondering this just recently, as I don't have anything close, but about 10 different ideas.
Russ:
Thanks for starting the thread. I'm sure we'll see all sorts of solutions here soon. What is the rough width of your area when setup? After seeing your iron out it is smaller than I initially imagined.

Paul
Very small footprint, well done!

[Terry Fautley]

Russ,
Is that a small steel rule just below the Voodoo. Ive been looking for one that size.

[trickyvic3]

Nice set up Paul
You managed to pack a good deal of tools and supplys into a pretty small case.

[team burrito]

What is the rough width of your area when setup? After seeing your iron out it is smaller than I initially imagined.

It's approx 30 inches, a lot smaller than most pit spaces. The iron is the same as the Wright Way; a 25 watt Hakko Dash, rated at 842 F. Very compact, but powerful iron. Terry, you can find this ruler at any hardware store in the small tool section.