[vcf-midatlantic] VCF Museum on Wheels!

[RETRO Innovations]

On 4/2/2021 7:44 AM, Bruce via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
> Jeff:
>
> Consider scaling back the idea.
>
> Instead of any sort of vehicle (the major cost, especially considering
> insurance, licensing, maintenance, storage, repairs, etc.), consider
> putting together some portable containers or crates, possibly modeled upon
> the ones used by professional musicians on road tours.
>
> There are lots of ways to do this, but one way would be to have two
> displays in one crate, connected by hinges on one side and clasps on the
> other.  (Putting this hardware on the corners would offset the displays by
> 90 degrees, should that matter.) Place the crates on folding tables,
> trestles, or intrinsic fold-out legs to raise them to a useful height.
>
> Now you just need a vehicle to carry them in, and if nobody in the club has
> one, rent it.  All the complications of a club owning a vehicle (and they
> may be considerable) are avoided this way.

I like the crate idea, as it's very portable and allows one to pick and 
choose which exhibits to bring.

If that idea is too small, there may be a middle ground that still 
supports Bruce's ideals (which, I agree with.  Even for personal use, 
maintaining a periodically used vehicle is a major hassle Ask any non 
full time Class A or Class C RV owner.). Consider a walk-in crate/box. 
The unit could be 8ft wide, tall enough to walk through, and loadable 
onto a flat trailer, as if the unit was a vehicle.  Again, rent the 
trailer if needed.  As for moving the unit to the trailer and off, I 
invite you to look at videos of electric truck camper jacks.  Happijac 
electric jacks can handle 2800# per jack, meaning a 11K# box with 
computers inside can be accommodated with 4 corner jacks, lifted onto 
and off a trailer, but constructed quickly with 2x4 construction and 
lightweight exterior sheeting, with a simple flat roof overhead. If 
there's a place to store the unit, full exterior weatherproofing need 
not be implemented.

If the jacks are scary, at least a trailer option (buy a cheap old 30ft 
travel trailer and just gut the interior) would be a easier to maintain 
than a vehicle.  There'd still be licensing, insurance, and maintenance 
costs, so that's not a win, but each of those costs is significantly 
cheaper than the vehicle route.

I like Bruce's smaller crate idea the best, though.

Jim