WE GET AROUND NETWORK WGAN-TV Live at 5 How to Custom Build a Case for Your Drone and/or DSLR Camera with My Case Builder Thursday, August 5, 2021
... if you’re going to carry [the case] on the side like a briefcase, you want your heaviest items on the bottom in the center. This way it’s not tilting you down forward or backwards. Try to get that heavy item in there and distribute the weight evenly on those sides.
WGAN-TV Guest
Steve Holand
President, Founder & Owner
Steve Holand
President, Founder and Owner, My Case Builder
www.MyCaseBuilder.com www.WGAN.INFO/mycasebuilder
WGAN-TV | How to Custom Build a Case for Your Drone + DSLR Camera | Thursday, 5 August 2021
WGAN-TV | How to Custom Build a Case for Your Drone + DSLR Camera | Guest: My Case Builder President, Founder and Owner Steve Holand | Episode Number: 114 | Aired: Thursday, 5 August 2021 www.MyCaseBuilder.com | www.WGAN.INFO/mycasebuilder
Dan Smigrod: Hi all. I’m Dan Smigrod, Founder of the We Get Around Network Forum. Dan Smigrod: Today is Thursday, August 5th, Dan Smigrod: 2021 and you’re watching WGAN-TV Live at 5. Dan Smigrod: We have an awesome show for you today: Dan Smigrod: How to Custom Build a Case for Your Drone and or DSLR Camera with My Case Builder. Dan Smigrod: Here to talk to us about that today is My Case Builder President, Dan Smigrod: Founder and Dan Smigrod: Owner, Steve Holand. Dan Smigrod: Hey, Steve, good to see you. Steve Holand: - Thank you, Dan. Good to be on. Dan Smigrod: - Thanks for being back on the show. Dan Smigrod: You were with us in December. Dan Smigrod: We were doing a show on: Four Hard Cases for Dan Smigrod: Matterport Pro Camera and also How to Customize Foam. Dan Smigrod: I thought it’d be great to have you come back to talk Page 2 of 44
... if you’re going to carry [the case] on the side like a briefcase, you want your heaviest items on the bottom in the center. This way it’s not tilting you down forward or backwards. Try to get that heavy item in there and distribute the weight evenly on those sides.
Steve Holand
President, Founder and Owner, My Case Builder
WGAN-TV | How to Custom Build a Case for Your Drone + DSLR Camera | Thursday, 5 August 2021
Dan Smigrod: about a similar topic because so many of Dan Smigrod: our We Get Around Network Forum community Members are also drone pilots. Steve Holand: - Absolutely. Steve Holand: Have DSLR cameras and drones. Dan Smigrod: - DSLR, yeah. Steve Holand: - Everything, correct. Dan Smigrod: - Before we do a deep dive on how to custom build with My Case Builder, Dan Smigrod: how about giving us just an overview, Dan Smigrod: the highlights of your company, My Case Builder? Steve Holand: - Okay, great. Steve Holand: Basically, with My Case Builder, Steve Holand: you can create the custom foam exactly for your needs right on our website. Steve Holand: You could buy, let’s say, Steve Holand: a drone case or a DSLR case from pre-made cut foam, Steve Holand: but it’s only what they think you need to put it in the case, Steve Holand: it’s not what you actually really have. Steve Holand: You might actually want to put your drone and maybe your camera, Steve Holand: and maybe your iPad, Steve Holand: and so on and so forth right into the same case, Steve Holand: so you could do that on My Case Builder. Steve Holand: You could drag and drop around, Steve Holand: create the design on our website, Steve Holand: and we’ll send you either the foam only if you already have a case or a case and foam. Dan Smigrod: - Cool. Before we actually dive into doing that, Dan Smigrod: let’s still talk about the company. Dan Smigrod: I know even while you were setting up on your laptop, Dan Smigrod: and I was almost getting a factory tour. Page 3 of 44
WGAN-TV | How to Custom Build a Case for Your Drone + DSLR Camera | Thursday, 5 August 2021
Dan Smigrod: Looks like a big place. Dan Smigrod: Looks like you’ve been around for a long time. Dan Smigrod: Looks like you carry a lot of cases. Dan Smigrod: Tell us a little bit more about My Case Builder before we jump into the topic. Steve Holand: - Sure. My Case Builder, basically, Steve Holand: my father started a foam company in 1986. Steve Holand: He’d been in the foam business since 1962, Steve Holand: so however many years that is, Steve Holand: I can’t do math on a Thursday afternoon. Steve Holand: I took over in 1997. Steve Holand: We had three employees. Steve Holand: We were doing foam for packaging. Steve Holand: In 2003, we broaden our horizons to include custom case foam. Steve Holand: People kept coming up to me and they said, “Steve,
... if you’re going to carry [the case] on the side like a briefcase, you want your heaviest items on the bottom in the center. This way it’s not tilting you down forward or backwards. Try to get that heavy item in there and distribute the weight evenly on those sides.
Steve Holand
President, Founder and Owner, My Case Builder
Steve Holand: I want custom foam for my camera,” or whatever it is, Steve Holand: and I would say, “Great, send me your camera,” and they say, Steve Holand: “I’m not going to send you my camera. Steve Holand: I need my camera to make money. Steve Holand: I need my lens, my guns.” Steve Holand: Whatever it is that you’re going to put it in the case, they can’t part with it. Steve Holand: So that’s where My Case Builder came into play, Steve Holand: which is the idea where you can create your own custom foam. Steve Holand: It’s going well. Right now, Steve Holand: post-pandemic, we have about 34 employees. Steve Holand: We were 43, but we’re getting back up there now. Steve Holand: We have about 36,000 square feet of space here in New Jersey. Page 4 of 44
WGAN-TV | How to Custom Build a Case for Your Drone + DSLR Camera | Thursday, 5 August 2021
Steve Holand: Machinery, we cut our own foam, Steve Holand: we stock all the brands of cases. Steve Holand: We don’t make cases, but we do have our own brand that we bring in Steve Holand: from Italy: the DORO case line. Steve Holand: Spectacular cases, very similar to Pelican. Steve Holand: But basically, we stock the cases, Steve Holand: we stock the foam, Steve Holand: we cut it for you, Steve Holand: and we get it all out within 1 to 2 weeks. Dan Smigrod: - I recall that you have lots of brands. Steve Holand: - Yes. Steve Holand: If you’re looking for heavy-duty cases, Steve Holand: which most of the time everyone is; There’s Pelican. Steve Holand: That’s the name brand leader. Steve Holand: They’ve been doing it for 30, 40 years. Steve Holand: It’s also going to be the most expensive. Steve Holand: Then you’ve got SKB, great brand line, Steve Holand: HPRC, Seahorse, Steve Holand: Nanuk, our own brand DORO. Steve Holand: There’s probably 11 different brands that we sell online. Steve Holand: If we don’t have a brand, Steve Holand: we usually do have the foam for that brand. Steve Holand: So even if we don’t sell it, Steve Holand: you can still make the foam for it. Dan Smigrod: - Okay, cool. Dan Smigrod: Even before we do this, Dan Smigrod: how to customize the foam based on your gear, Page 5 of 44
WGAN-TV | How to Custom Build a Case for Your Drone + DSLR Camera | Thursday, 5 August 2021
Dan Smigrod: I think it would actually be helpful to talk about; you actually Dan Smigrod: have some pre-configured cases. Steve Holand: - Yes. Dan Smigrod: - How about talking about that even before we take a look about how to customize? Steve Holand: - Sure. Yeah. I was saying maybe you Steve Holand: might be able to find a pre-configured case for your drone. Steve Holand: We have them on our website, Steve Holand: so you can just buy it. Dan Smigrod: - How about taking us online? Dan Smigrod: Let’s take a look. Steve’s going to go to www. Mycasebuilder.com. Dan Smigrod: While he’s doing that, Dan Smigrod: know that our affiliate link is www. WGAN.INFO/ mycasebuilder
... if you’re going to carry [the case] on the side like a briefcase, you want your heaviest items on the bottom in the center. This way it’s not tilting you down forward or backwards. Try to get that heavy item in there and distribute the weight evenly on those sides.
Steve Holand
President, Founder and Owner, My Case Builder
Dan Smigrod: It’ll take you to www. Mycasebuilder.com, Dan Smigrod: but you’ll then be eligible for two special offers that we have worked out with Steve. Dan Smigrod: We’re on the website. Dan Smigrod: Again, you can get here either by going to www. Mycasebuilder.com Dan Smigrod: or the WGAN affiliate link www. WGAN.INFO/mycasebuilder Dan Smigrod: I was asking you, Steve, Dan Smigrod: about these pre-made designs specifically for drones. Steve Holand: - Correct. We could go right into pre-made designs right over here on Steve Holand: the website and you’ll see that we have them for everything including drones, Steve Holand: cameras, you name it. Steve Holand: We could go to the drone case section and basically, Steve Holand: in here you’ll see that we do have pre-made ones. Steve Holand: Some for the mini, Steve Holand: some for the Mavic, Page 6 of 44
WGAN-TV | How to Custom Build a Case for Your Drone + DSLR Camera | Thursday, 5 August 2021
Steve Holand: all different kinds of pre-made designs with all different kinds of cavities for them. Steve Holand: A customer made this one here. Steve Holand: You can either buy these as is Steve Holand: or you can use it as a starting point to then go and customize further. Steve Holand: For instance, let’s say you have this one over here that the user designed. Steve Holand: This is a really nice case. It’s got a charger, Steve Holand: it’s got the Mavic, Steve Holand: the two different ones, the CrystalSky. Steve Holand: But let’s say that you don’t have that Mavic 2 hub. Steve Holand: You need something different over there, whatever it is. Steve Holand: You can customize this foam and you just click into it and basically, Steve Holand: from there, you’d be able to get Steve Holand: a representation of all your cutouts. You can say, “You know what? Steve Holand: I don’t need this cutout,” so let’s just delete that one or Steve Holand: move this one around or add more batteries, that kind of thing. Steve Holand: I know that we’re going to get into that later. Steve Holand: I just wanted to show you that’s how you would actually start with Steve Holand: a pre-made design and then customize it further from there. Steve Holand: So you don’t have to start from scratch. Dan Smigrod: - Then if you maybe go back to the menu that shows Dan Smigrod: the different drone brands. Just on the left. Steve Holand: - Oh, yeah, sure. Dan Smigrod: - Just on the left. Dan Smigrod: I think in terms of the We Get Around Network Forum community, www. WGANForum.com Dan Smigrod: I would say probably the versions of the DJI, Dan Smigrod: the Mavic, Mavic Air, Inspire, Phantom. Dan Smigrod: In fact, I’ve heard conversations about nearly all the drones there. So that’s good. Dan Smigrod: That means that there may already be a pre-configured style. Page 7 of 44
WGAN-TV | How to Custom Build a Case for Your Drone + DSLR Camera | Thursday, 5 August 2021
Dan Smigrod: Maybe we could just pick Mavic Air maybe to start there and then it looks like it sorts, Dan Smigrod: so you have one design. Steve Holand: - We have one design for that Mavic Air right there, correct. Steve Holand: Then if you want to, let’s say, Steve Holand: the Mavic Mini, Steve Holand: so there should be another one over there for the Mavic Mini. Steve Holand: We don’t usually have too many pre-made designs because it exponentially grows. Steve Holand: Because you can really put almost anything into your case. Steve Holand: That’s why we start with a basic setting and then Steve Holand: you can add anything else you want to it from there. Steve Holand: Yes. Then if you, let’s say,
Steve Holand: then you’re going to get to some more over here with landing gear,
... if you’re going to carry [the case] on the side like a briefcase, you want your heaviest items on the bottom in the center. This way it’s not tilting you down forward or backwards. Try to get that heavy item in there and distribute the weight evenly on those sides.
Steve Holand: with travel modes,
Steve Holand
Steve Holand: go to the Inspire,
Steve Holand: the different methods for the cases. Dan Smigrod: - Okay, cool. I noticed the textures look different on some of these types of foam. Dan Smigrod: One’s blue, one’s black, Dan Smigrod: one has a different texture. Dan Smigrod: Can you speak to foam? Steve Holand: Absolutely. I’m going to stop my share right now. Steve Holand: You can see I do have some samples here for you. Steve Holand: Starting with this, this right here is an Ester foam. Steve Holand: This is the standard foam you would get in a pelican, Steve Holand: a pick and pluck, and you can see that it’s really spongy. Steve Holand: If I go like this, I can basically squeeze that down.
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President, Founder and Owner, My Case Builder
WGAN-TV | How to Custom Build a Case for Your Drone + DSLR Camera | Thursday, 5 August 2021
Steve Holand: We do sell this foam. Steve Holand: People are used to it, but we don’t really like it that Steve Holand: much because you need a lot of it to cushion. Steve Holand: Because it’s so spongy. Steve Holand: what we use as a polyethylene foam. Steve Holand: This is a really upgraded foam, we can say. Steve Holand: It’s a lot stiffer, but yet still, Steve Holand: is able to target with a camera here. Steve Holand: It’s still able to squeeze enough, Steve Holand: but not so much. Steve Holand: We have that in the standard black. Steve Holand: We have it in black and red, which is very sharp. Steve Holand: The blue is one of our favorite colors. Steve Holand: Most of our customers like that as well, Steve Holand: and then the yellow. Steve Holand: Those are the choices of our Topguard material. Steve Holand: We call our Topguard because the top is actually a higher density foam. Steve Holand: That color piece is actually higher density foam, Steve Holand: which makes it almost scratch proof. Steve Holand: It’s really going to take some beatings. Steve Holand: You can take your gear inside and out of it hundreds of times. Steve Holand: It’s really not going to cause any issues whatsoever. Steve Holand: That’s our main foams. Steve Holand: Then there’s a pro cell foam, which is right here. Steve Holand: The pro cell foam it’s like a fine cell polyethylene PE. Steve Holand: It’s really nice-looking. Steve Holand: It’s a beautiful foam, I call it.
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WGAN-TV | How to Custom Build a Case for Your Drone + DSLR Camera | Thursday, 5 August 2021
Steve Holand: It’s also more expensive. Steve Holand: For 90% of people our Topguard foam is the way to go. Steve Holand: Some people do want that image, Steve Holand: that look, that feel, that soft feel. Steve Holand: That’s where your pro cell would come in. Steve Holand: That’s our types of foam that we have, Steve Holand: and very exciting, Steve Holand: I can basically announce that coming soon, there’s some, Steve Holand: first time I’m telling anybody about this, Steve Holand: you get the exclusive scoop on WGAN. Steve Holand: We are going to be able to very shortly full-color print on your foam. Steve Holand: so you can do some amazing things, Steve Holand: like label your cavities, you put logos, Steve Holand: your logos you can put all kinds of graphics, Steve Holand: colors, you name it. Steve Holand: We’re going to be able to do it right on your foam. It’s spectacular. Steve Holand: Very excited about it,
... if you’re going to carry [the case] on the side like a briefcase, you want your heaviest items on the bottom in the center. This way it’s not tilting you down forward or backwards. Try to get that heavy item in there and distribute the weight evenly on those sides.
Steve Holand
President, Founder and Owner, My Case Builder
Steve Holand: hopefully it’s coming in about a couple of months. Steve Holand: I’m telling everybody right now. Dan Smigrod: Cool. Congratulations. Very exciting. Steve Holand: Yes. Dan Smigrod: I could imagine it’s a little bit overwhelming. Dan Smigrod: When you come to your website, Dan Smigrod: there’s a lot of options. Dan Smigrod: Do you recommend that you begin with which brand case you want; Dan Smigrod: on what you’re planning to use the case for?
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WGAN-TV | How to Custom Build a Case for Your Drone + DSLR Camera | Thursday, 5 August 2021
Dan Smigrod: What’s the best strategy for beginning this process? Steve Holand: Sure. Basically you could go onto our website. Steve Holand: You can look by brand. Steve Holand: If you know your brand that you’re looking for, Steve Holand: you can pretty much go right to the Pelican Steve Holand: or go right to SKB, DORO and find your case model, Steve Holand: or brand, or size. Steve Holand: The other thing that we do is we also have a case by size. Steve Holand: If you know approximately the size you want, Steve Holand: and I can show that to you in a second, Steve Holand: you can basically go to the size and it gives you a list of all the different cases. Steve Holand: But we’re also launching something next week, Steve Holand: which is called Suggest a Case. Steve Holand: This is brand new, and basically you can draw your design, Steve Holand: hit Suggest a Case and it’s going to find a case that fit exactly for you, Steve Holand: and give you those options. Steve Holand: I could show you that if you’d like. Dan Smigrod: Yeah, that would be great. Dan Smigrod: Why don’t you go ahead and share your screen? Dan Smigrod: I guess I can imagine if I was interested in a pre-designed case like you were showing, Dan Smigrod: you probably have already set a default recommended case and a recommended foam. Dan Smigrod: But if I want to switch my case to go up or down the spectrum, Dan Smigrod: maybe I prefer different wheels, Dan Smigrod: maybe I prefer different handle, Dan Smigrod: maybe I prefer some other feature of a particular case, Dan Smigrod: I can start with a base case that’s already been Dan Smigrod: recommended in terms of if you’re planning to do an Inspire,
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WGAN-TV | How to Custom Build a Case for Your Drone + DSLR Camera | Thursday, 5 August 2021
Dan Smigrod: then here’s the case that we’ve recommended to begin with. Dan Smigrod: Here’s the foam we’ve recommended. Dan Smigrod: Here’s a pre-configured case and now you can tweak to say, well, Dan Smigrod: I actually need more cavities for maybe my DSLR that I’d like to carry in the same case. Dan Smigrod: Or maybe I want to switch to a different brand case, Dan Smigrod: or I want to switch to different foam, Dan Smigrod: or I want to switch to even a different depth of maybe layers of a foam. Steve Holand: Absolutely. You could do all of that, Steve Holand: and I will go over that real fast here. Steve Holand: I’m just getting the setup so I can do this. Dan Smigrod: No need to go fast. Dan Smigrod: Take time to go over however long it takes to show. Dan Smigrod: I think anybody who’s actually interested in custom building a case for Dan Smigrod: their drone and/or their DSLR camera is actually going to this super-helpful.
... if you’re going to carry [the case] on the side like a briefcase, you want your heaviest items on the bottom in the center. This way it’s not tilting you down forward or backwards. Try to get that heavy item in there and distribute the weight evenly on those sides.
Steve Holand
President, Founder and Owner, My Case Builder
Dan Smigrod: I don’t even mind if it’s even at a little bit of a training level .. Dan Smigrod: to say: suggestion maybe begin here with a preconfigured case may be. Steve Holand: Absolutely. I didn’t have this setup because I was running around, Steve Holand: so the suggest mode, Steve Holand: I don’t have ready to show you. Dan Smigrod: That’s fine. You’ll tell us again in a little bit more depth of Dan Smigrod: that new feature that’s coming; of how suggests mode will work. That would be cool. Steve Holand: Exactly. Like I say, you should be able to see my screen here. Dan Smigrod: Yes. Steve Holand: Great. Yeah, let’s start with find a case. Steve Holand: Let’s go to all cases by size because basically
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WGAN-TV | How to Custom Build a Case for Your Drone + DSLR Camera | Thursday, 5 August 2021
Steve Holand: this is a great feature until we get Suggested a Case live. Steve Holand: This is a wonderful feature. Steve Holand: If you lay out your items on a table, you’d be able to, Steve Holand: let’s say, look around at the size. Steve Holand: Let me go to a popular size, Steve Holand: which is obviously the carry-on size. Steve Holand: That’s about a 20 inch by 11 inch, Steve Holand: and you’ll see it right here. Steve Holand: Airline carry-on size. Dan Smigrod: That’s actually identified ahead of time to say, Dan Smigrod: if you plan to be on a plane, Dan Smigrod: here are cases that meet the airlines’ qualifications. Steve Holand: Exactly. These are the maximum airline carry-on size. Steve Holand: Obviously, anything smaller will be able to go on. Steve Holand: But these are the ones that were made specifically to fit in the overhead bin. Steve Holand: Correct. Basically, at this point, Steve Holand: you can choose; you can see the different brands. Steve Holand: Every brand makes one basically as a size that’s around the same size to fit in there. Steve Holand: With their case of foam, Steve Holand: they vary very widely as far as what the prices on that. Steve Holand: Let’s go with, let’s say, the Pelican Air. Dan Smigrod: Sorry, I’m confused, Steve. Dan Smigrod: I think you showed us four different kinds of foam. Dan Smigrod: If it says case with foam, then you’re defaulting. Steve Holand: We’re defaulting our Topguard foam. Dan Smigrod: Topguard foam. Steve Holand: Correct. That’s our most popular and really the best foam for about 90 % of the people.
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WGAN-TV | How to Custom Build a Case for Your Drone + DSLR Camera | Thursday, 5 August 2021
Dan Smigrod: Okay. But if I start configuring and I want to go up a grade or down a grade, Dan Smigrod: I can do that? Steve Holand: You can just absolutely do it. Dan Smigrod: Okay. Steve Holand: When you come in here, you see the 1535 and then you can start building your foam. Steve Holand: (Let’s take a drink of water.) Steve Holand: What you see is an outline of your case. Steve Holand: Here’s the handle over here, here’s the hinges. Steve Holand: Here’s a wheel wells there inside the case that are protruding inside. Steve Holand: If we just take a look at our 3D right now, Steve Holand: what you’re going to see is a block of foam, Steve Holand: and here’s our wheels coming up to the bottom there, Steve Holand: and that’s just our block of foam. Steve Holand: It’s very simple, excuse me, Steve Holand: to go forward and go
... if you’re going to carry [the case] on the side like a briefcase, you want your heaviest items on the bottom in the center. This way it’s not tilting you down forward or backwards. Try to get that heavy item in there and distribute the weight evenly on those sides.
Steve Holand
President, Founder and Owner, My Case Builder
Steve Holand: into our library and search for whatever it is that you’re trying to put in. Steve Holand: You can do by category. Steve Holand: let’s just say drones. Steve Holand: We’re going to get to all those drones. Steve Holand: You can go by brand, this point, Steve Holand: let’s say, we go to DJI. Steve Holand: You’ll see that there’s all kinds of shapes. Steve Holand: Even if we didn’t have a pre-made design for the drone itself or the shapes. Steve Holand: (Sorry. I tend to talk really loud when I’m talking on the Zoom. Steve Holand: I’m going talk a little lower so that I don’t keep coughing. Excuse me.) Steve Holand: Basically with the drone, you can pick whatever shape that you want.
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WGAN-TV | How to Custom Build a Case for Your Drone + DSLR Camera | Thursday, 5 August 2021
Steve Holand: Let’s say you did have this shape. Steve Holand: we can add that in and they can drag it wherever you want it on your screen. Steve Holand: if I check my 3D now, Steve Holand: you’ll see that I have that cut out right there. Steve Holand: It couldn’t be any easier. (Excuse me.) Dan Smigrod: Now looks like that actually went through the full depth of the foam. Dan Smigrod: Do I need to worry about the safety of my DJI? Steve Holand: No. There’s actually foam on the bottom there. Steve Holand: Yeah, if it went all the way through, it would warn you, yes. Steve Holand: For instance, let’s just say that, let’s say, Steve Holand: you’re putting a rectangle in and you’re putting it Steve Holand: in by six inches deeper than the base. Steve Holand: It will tell you at this point and say, “hey, Steve Holand: your cutouts will exceed the usable base steps.” Steve Holand: You can watch a nice video with Steve Holand: me and explaining how your shapes will stick up into the lid a little bit Steve Holand: because you can cut completely through Steve Holand: the foam; is going to come in yellow because cutting through the foam, Steve Holand: and then you’ll actually see the background behind it. Dan Smigrod: Good. It’s going to help me make sure I don’t make a mistake, Dan Smigrod: like having the depth exceed the depth of the case or the depth of the foam? Steve Holand: Exactly. Steve Holand: -(Water. Dan Smigrod: -Take a moment with the water.) Dan Smigrod: I’ll talk a little bit about the two special offers that we have. Steve Holand: -Okay. Dan Smigrod: -Use the WGAN affiliate link,
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WGAN-TV | How to Custom Build a Case for Your Drone + DSLR Camera | Thursday, 5 August 2021
Dan Smigrod: www. WGAN.INFO/mycasebuilder and that’ll enable you to get two special offers. Dan Smigrod: The first is free shipping using the coupon code, WGAFREESHIP Dan Smigrod: That’s all 1 word. Dan Smigrod: WGAFREESHIP Dan Smigrod: That’ll get you free shipping. Dan Smigrod: Then second, save your receipts because you can receive 12 months of Dan Smigrod: WGAN-TV Training U in Matterport when you use Dan Smigrod: the WGAN affiliate link to buy any case for Dan Smigrod: $150 or more directly from MyCaseBuilder website, Dan Smigrod: again, using the affiliate link www. WGAN.INFO/mycasebuilder Dan Smigrod: We have those two special offers. Dan Smigrod: Steve, are you ready to give it a go? Steve Holand: -I think so. This happens sometimes when I talk too loud. Steve Holand: Again, I’m going to talk quieter. Steve Holand: Basically, at this point, Steve Holand: you can either do rectangles,
... if you’re going to carry [the case] on the side like a briefcase, you want your heaviest items on the bottom in the center. This way it’s not tilting you down forward or backwards. Try to get that heavy item in there and distribute the weight evenly on those sides.
Steve Holand
President, Founder and Owner, My Case Builder
Steve Holand: circles, you can draw your own shapes if you want. Steve Holand: You could even take a picture of anything that you want to put in your case, Steve Holand: trace the photo right from the picture. Steve Holand: If I go into here and go to, let’s say drones. Steve Holand: Here’s a Mavic. No. Let’s see. Steve Holand: There’s drones right there. Here we go. Steve Holand: Let’s say that was not in my library. Steve Holand: You can take that against a white background. Steve Holand: Drag to the left, it’s going to trace it automatically for you. Steve Holand: In the next step you just scale it with two dimensions,
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WGAN-TV | How to Custom Build a Case for Your Drone + DSLR Camera | Thursday, 5 August 2021
Steve Holand: so a length left to right. Steve Holand: Let’s say that’s 12 inches and then a depth, Steve Holand: how deep it sits in the foam. Steve Holand: Then create the shape. Dan Smigrod: -That’s crazy. Steve Holand: -Just like that. Ain’t that nice? Steve Holand: Yeah, exactly. Dan Smigrod: -Now it looks like you’re overlaying the orange where either the wheels or the handle. Dan Smigrod: Is there a warning because I’ve now went too deep related to where the wheels are? Steve Holand: -That’s a good question. The answer is we let you do what you need to do. Steve Holand: There are times that you want to maybe put some cables right Steve Holand: over the wheels and it’s okay to stick up into the wheels. Steve Holand: When you show that 3D drawing here, Steve Holand: you’re going to see where you come up into those wheels over here. Steve Holand: An engineer also checks every single design to just to make sure Steve Holand: that there is no situations Steve Holand: where you’re touching wheels where you don’t want to touch wheels, Steve Holand: but you can see that right in the 3D. Absolutely. Dan Smigrod: -I think looking at that 3D model of that particular case, Dan Smigrod: it said, well, Dan Smigrod: why might I pick one case over the other, Dan Smigrod: one brand over another? Dan Smigrod: I imagine in some cases the wheels Dan Smigrod: are deeper into the case and in some cases they’re not. Dan Smigrod: I could still have the same perhaps outer case size Dan Smigrod: but not have my wheels intrude as far into the case. Steve Holand: -Exactly. If we took this and we change this,
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Steve Holand: let’s say to the DORO case, same outer size. Steve Holand: Those wheels, I believe are thinner on there and actually they’re not doing the same. Steve Holand: But yes, it’s exactly right. Steve Holand: I pick the wrong one but that’s basically the situation there. Steve Holand: Correct that you’d be able to change Steve Holand: your case to different sizes based on what you’re looking for. Steve Holand: Something like this one doesn’t have wheels Steve Holand: so you’d be able to change around and you didn’t have to change your drawing at all, Steve Holand: just switched to the different cases, so on and so forth. Steve Holand: It’s very easy. Let me show you what you were talking about with the trays. Steve Holand: (Here comes the coughs again. That was good for a while.) Steve Holand: Let’s say that you have a bunch of batteries. Steve Holand: You can see that and you’d say, “Wow. Steve Holand: Steve, that’s a terrible design.” Steve Holand: One thing you can do is you can use Steve Holand: our automatic alignment tools like that or you can just drag everything there.
... if you’re going to carry [the case] on the side like a briefcase, you want your heaviest items on the bottom in the center. This way it’s not tilting you down forward or backwards. Try to get that heavy item in there and distribute the weight evenly on those sides.
Steve Holand
President, Founder and Owner, My Case Builder
Steve Holand: Go to Align. Align to the top and then evenly space them in the case. Steve Holand: I’ll space them evenly. That looks beautiful. Dan Smigrod: -It went a bit fast for me. Dan Smigrod: But I would just say that was magic. Dan Smigrod: But if you actually use the menus on the side to say Align and then to Space equally. Steve Holand: -Yes. Dan Smigrod: -There’s some power user tools to help make nice. Steve Holand: -Exactly. We have little videos Steve Holand: of everything that said this is going to align it to the top. Steve Holand: A little videos that will help you as well, Steve Holand: right when you hover over.
Steve Holand: This case is 6 inches on the base, Steve Holand: but my batteries are only taking 2.8 inches. Steve Holand: Actually I have a lot of space underneath here. Steve Holand: We can utilize all that space. Steve Holand: You can go into the Edit Tray and you can see a side view, Steve Holand: and you’ll see that there is a lot of space under here. Steve Holand: What we can do is split this into two trays. Steve Holand: Here’s the top tray, Steve Holand: and here’s the bottom tray. Steve Holand: The top tray has all your batteries and your bottom tray still has almost three inches. Steve Holand: You could also drag and drop to change these sizes. Steve Holand: If I go into the bottom, Steve Holand: I can add new shapes. Steve Holand: Let’s say we put in a shape for cables down here. Steve Holand: We’ll add that in over here, Steve Holand: and then we’ll take another one and we’ll do that over here. Steve Holand: Maybe we want to make this bigger for cables. Steve Holand: Basically on the top we’ve got batteries and the bottom we have cables. Just like that. Steve Holand: You’ll also notice that I’m indented along the side and Steve Holand: that’s because every case tapers inwards as you go down the case. Steve Holand: Even if you have 20.5 inches across at the top, Steve Holand: you might have at the bottom, 19.5 inches. Steve Holand: It’ll tell you what that is. Steve Holand: They all taper downwards, Steve Holand: you’ll be able to tell whether or not your shape will fit. Steve Holand: If you came too close to the edge, Steve Holand: what’s going to happen is you might actually cut a hole through the foam over here. Steve Holand: Again, that 3D tool is really good for telling you, “Hey, Steve Holand: you started out okay but you ended up in the side.”
Dan Smigrod: -When you’re designing a case with My Case Builder for a drone, Dan Smigrod: are there times where you might have two layers but Dan Smigrod: the drone is going through Dan Smigrod: both layers and then there’s batteries or other accessories on the other layers? Steve Holand: -Absolutely. There’s a couple of ways to do that. Steve Holand: Yes. Exactly. Let me go back to the Tray Builder and let me get rid of the trace here. Steve Holand: I don’t know how deep this particular case is but let’s Steve Holand: just go back to that Photo Tracer again for a second. Steve Holand: We’ll put that one back in. Steve Holand: I know I’m doing it fast, but it’s actually pretty much this fast. Steve Holand: Let’s put that in as 13 inches wide and let’s make that 5 inches deep. Steve Holand: This is now going really deep over here. Steve Holand: What a lot of times people will do though, Steve Holand: is they’ll utilize space. Steve Holand: (I didn’t turn that off. I’m all out of sorts over here. Steve Holand: Hold on a second. Let me just turn that off. I apologize.) Dan Smigrod: -That’s okay. It’s probably one of your kids calling in,
... if you’re going to carry [the case] on the side like a briefcase, you want your heaviest items on the bottom in the center. This way it’s not tilting you down forward or backwards. Try to get that heavy item in there and distribute the weight evenly on those sides.
Steve Holand
President, Founder and Owner, My Case Builder
Dan Smigrod: saying, “Dad, I’m watching you on WGAN-TV Live at 5. “ Steve Holand: -I think it was. It did say Home. Steve Holand: Yes, I think it was. A lot of times people, Steve Holand: what they’ll do is they’ll take cavities or cutouts. Steve Holand: They will, Steve Holand: let’s say do that as one inch here. Steve Holand: They’ll take some cavities like this here and they’ll put them over here like this, Steve Holand: and then they’ll put cavities within these cut outs.
Steve Holand: If I took let’s say another cut out here, Steve Holand: so lot of times they’ll do this. Steve Holand: Instead of one inches deep, Steve Holand: I’m going to make that four inches deep here, Steve Holand: and now when I look at my 3D, Steve Holand: what you’ll have is, is that cut out underneath here. Steve Holand: A lot of people use that as a way Steve Holand: to really optimize the space because let’s say you do have an iPad, Steve Holand: let’s say you do have filters for your DSLRs, Steve Holand: you don’t necessarily need to take up a whole flat space that you Steve Holand: could put a lot of things underneath it just like that. Dan Smigrod: - That’s still one tray. Steve Holand: - That’s still one tray, yes. Dan Smigrod: - How do you get to a second tray from this design? Steve Holand: - Sure. So what we can do then is, Steve Holand: you’re asking me for good advanced type stuff. Steve Holand: Let’s say you wanted this to go down to both trays. Steve Holand: First, let’s do this, Steve Holand: let’s change my depth here to be, Steve Holand: let’s say two inches, Steve Holand: and then in my tray, Steve Holand: I’m going to split the tray, Steve Holand: and then I’m going to come to the top here and what I’m going to do is Steve Holand: I’m going to take this and I’m going to copy it to my lower tray, Steve Holand: so now that’s in my lower tray as well. Steve Holand: What you can see is that I have this shape in pretty much the same exact spot. Steve Holand: It’s a little bit tight over here, Steve Holand: but then you can put different things on each tray here.
Steve Holand: So I can take that and put this battery onto this tray, Steve Holand: and then I can go over to my top tray, Steve Holand: which is basically the top, Steve Holand: and I can put a different set of objects, Steve Holand: that one’s way too big, but you understand what I’m saying. Steve Holand: Basically, the only thing though Dan, Steve Holand: this is an advanced feature that you had me do, Steve Holand: so normally when you have a tray, Steve Holand: I’m going to stop my share for a second so that you guys can see. Steve Holand: Normally when you have a tray I don’t know if you can see my case? Dan Smigrod: - Yes. Steve Holand: - This is for DSLR and lenses, Steve Holand: but when you have a tray, Steve Holand: we give you lift out straps so that you could get Steve Holand: the tray out and a nice classic piece right on the bottom, just like that. Dan Smigrod: - So that’s automatically included,
... if you’re going to carry [the case] on the side like a briefcase, you want your heaviest items on the bottom in the center. This way it’s not tilting you down forward or backwards. Try to get that heavy item in there and distribute the weight evenly on those sides.
Steve Holand
President, Founder and Owner, My Case Builder
Dan Smigrod: I don’t have to design and say add handles. Dan Smigrod: Every case is configured. Steve Holand: - Every case in the tray is going to have that nice plastic, and the handles. Steve Holand: In example that you just showed me that that drone is going to hit that plastic, Steve Holand: you would have to just email us and say, Steve Holand: or call us and say, “Hey, Steve Holand: I want that drone cut out to go all the way through both pieces like that.” Steve Holand: But this is really... Dan Smigrod: - Before you go on to the next piece, Dan Smigrod: because I think one of the features you have that’s really special is finger grips. Dan Smigrod: Can you talk about that?
Steve Holand: - Yeah. As you can see, Steve Holand: our foam is pretty dense. Steve Holand: Like I said, it’s a really nice, Steve Holand: hard but softer polyethylene foam. Steve Holand: So if you have an item that goes right inside of your cut out, Steve Holand: you’re never going to get it out of the foam. Steve Holand: You’re going to be trying to pick it out of the foam, it’s just not going to work. Steve Holand: This is where the finger holes or finger notches come in. Steve Holand: This makes it really easy to just come in and lift out your foam. Steve Holand: Let’s go back into the share for a second and show you Steve Holand: that that’s built-in all throughout our system. Steve Holand: Basically, let’s just clear this here. Steve Holand: The minute you put in, let’s say a rectangle, Steve Holand: it’s going to ask you whether you want finger notches, so top and bottom, Steve Holand: left and right custom, Steve Holand: and it’s going to add those finger notches right into your shape, Steve Holand: so really easy just like that. Steve Holand: Secondly, in our library, Steve Holand: every shape in our library is going to say, Steve Holand: flat with handles, that’s going to be a bigger finger notch, Steve Holand: this one is finger notches. Steve Holand: So you can see that right in our library you can do that. Steve Holand: This is a little deep for this tray, Steve Holand: so we’ll put that with a little bit of foam underneath it. Steve Holand: It guides you through all of that. Steve Holand: Basically, with finger notches, Steve Holand: even with our photo tracer,
Steve Holand: you could set the finger notches with a finger notch tool. Steve Holand: I also want to show you one other tool that’s really, Steve Holand: really nice, and that is our Split shape tool. Steve Holand: I’m going to give you a real life example of this. Steve Holand: I’m going to go into my Photo tracer, Steve Holand: I’m going to trace a photo and I’m going to bring in this cinema camera, the C300. Steve Holand: Again, I just drag with a white background. Steve Holand: Traces it perfectly, Steve Holand: and now let’s just say that this is 12 inches. Steve Holand: I think I’m still in a tray, Steve Holand: so let me just get rid of the trays there Dan so that I Steve Holand: can give you a real good example of this. Steve Holand: I just merged those trays. Steve Holand: Let me just get rid of these shapes here. Steve Holand: That’s not really one inch, let’s say that’s five inches deep.
... if you’re going to carry [the case] on the side like a briefcase, you want your heaviest items on the bottom in the center. This way it’s not tilting you down forward or backwards. Try to get that heavy item in there and distribute the weight evenly on those sides.
Steve Holand
President, Founder and Owner, My Case Builder
Steve Holand: As you mentioned, that’s going all the way down to the bottom, Steve Holand: but my camera lens is actually sticking up a little bit, Steve Holand: it doesn’t go all the way to the bottom and I want some foam under it so that it doesn’t Steve Holand: turn or rock inside of the foam. Steve Holand: What you can do is go into our split shape features. Steve Holand: So you select the item, Steve Holand: go into “Split shape”, Steve Holand: and then it’s going to create a movable mouse circle Steve Holand: for you to split the shape along that line. Steve Holand: Now, instead of five inches over here, Steve Holand: I’m going to set that to,
Steve Holand: let’s say three inches. Steve Holand: Now when we look at the 3D, Steve Holand: it’s going to show you that step up, Steve Holand: so now that lens is beautifully cradled inside of the foam. Steve Holand: Now with the finger notches, Steve Holand: you’re not done, you want finger notches. Steve Holand: I want to be able to go here, click finger notch. Steve Holand: I want to go to the top here, over here, Steve Holand: and probably over here and here so that I can go ahead and grab it out of Steve Holand: the foam without having to tilt it or to do Steve Holand: anything so I can just grab that right out of the form right there. Really easy to do. Dan Smigrod: - I see up in the top left it says untitled and design, Dan Smigrod: so presumably if I get called away I could Dan Smigrod: still save my work in progress and keep coming back to it? Steve Holand: - Absolutely. Let’s say this is WGAN is my project and my design, Steve Holand: this is called C300 in the middle. Steve Holand: What you can do also, Steve Holand: you can go ahead and duplicate that design, Steve Holand: so now I have a second design, Steve Holand: this is design 2. Steve Holand: I can take my shapes, Steve Holand: maybe I want to move it around, Steve Holand: see what it looks like, Steve Holand: I want to add some other things in here. Steve Holand: So you can basically try out other designs because this is like Google Docs, Steve Holand: it saves it every time. Steve Holand: This allows you to then go back to your first design or go back to your second design. Steve Holand: It even allows you to change your case,
Steve Holand: so maybe you might want to go to a different size case let’s say bigger case, Steve Holand: maybe I want to go to a really large case so now I’m going to, just like that. Steve Holand: But my first design was still in my first case, Steve Holand: so it really is very, Steve Holand: very flexible to make sure that you get the right design for your stuff. Dan Smigrod: - I’m confused. Dan Smigrod: I see that you’re using case 3. Steve Holand: - This one yes. 3I that’s SKB case. Dan Smigrod: - How did you know that that was an SKB case? Dan Smigrod: The fact that you’ve been doing this for quite some time. Steve Holand: - That’s a very good question and that is something I need to fix on my website, Steve Holand: so thank you for reminding me on that one. Steve Holand: That one is unfortunately, Steve Holand: it should say SKB there. That is correct. Dan Smigrod: - So those are the list of all the cases, Dan Smigrod: but there’s actually two different lists. Dan Smigrod: If you went back to the main website and you could sort by case and size, Dan Smigrod: and I can find the case that I want as Dan Smigrod: opposed to I need to actually know what the case number is. Steve Holand: - Yeah. Okay. Dan Smigrod: - Maybe if you come off screen share, Dan Smigrod: I think I have a 1,000 questions. Dan Smigrod: I’ll try to limit it to maybe justSteve Holand: - Perfect. Dan Smigrod: - A few as a follow-up. Dan Smigrod: Do you recommend that if I’m going to do
... if you’re going to carry [the case] on the side like a briefcase, you want your heaviest items on the bottom in the center. This way it’s not tilting you down forward or backwards. Try to get that heavy item in there and distribute the weight evenly on those sides.
Steve Holand
President, Founder and Owner, My Case Builder
Dan Smigrod: a custom-design that I start with one of the existing cases. Dan Smigrod: If I’m interested in DJI that I go find Dan Smigrod: one that’s close to what I want and begin modifying or start from scratch? Steve Holand: Yes. Look on our website, Steve Holand: try to see if there’s an existing case under that pre-made designs. Steve Holand: That’s a good place to start. Steve Holand: That’s going to give you at least some Steve Holand: of the shapes that would normally go into that case. Steve Holand: Absolutely start there. Steve Holand: Let’s say you wanted to do a Mavic case. Steve Holand: You could pick one of our designs and then from there, Steve Holand: but you really want to a Mavic case plus a carry-on size. Steve Holand: We might not have it. It might start out in a smaller case. Steve Holand: Yes, definitely start there. Steve Holand: Then switch the case like I did with Steve Holand: the little pencil to the larger case and then start moving your shapes around. Steve Holand: Absolutely. If we don’t have a case specifically that’s pre-made, Steve Holand: then you could start with just an empty case, Steve Holand: pick your size case that you want, Steve Holand: and then start dragging from our library. Dan Smigrod: You mentioned that there are videos for some training on using My Case Builder web app. Steve Holand: Yes. Dan Smigrod: I watched the videos. Dan Smigrod: I still have questions. Dan Smigrod: I feel stuck. Steve Holand: Okay. Dan Smigrod: Now what? Steve Holand: Okay. That absolutely happens a lot.
Steve Holand: What we have is a fantastic program. Steve Holand: It’s called Pro Connect. Steve Holand: With Pro Connect you could schedule Steve Holand: a half-hour free session with one of our experts who basically guide you through and, Steve Holand: whatever question you have. Steve Holand: ‘’Oh, I wanted to make that tray or I Steve Holand: want something underneath there.’’ They’ll just go through it. Steve Holand: They’ll share their screen, share your screen, Steve Holand: look at your design, Steve Holand: anything that you need, review it. Steve Holand: You could do that with Pro Connect. Steve Holand: If you still are uneasy where you would rather ask professionally design it for you, Steve Holand: then we do have Pro Design where we can then go ahead for an extra charge. Steve Holand: Starts at around a $100 for our designers to go through and design it for you. Steve Holand: That is available as well. Dan Smigrod: Okay, so there’s training. Dan Smigrod: Most of our photographers, Dan Smigrod: We Get Around Network Forum, Dan Smigrod: community, self-employed, pretty smart. Dan Smigrod: I think they could probably design it on their own, Dan Smigrod: but still get stuck. Dan Smigrod: Know that there’s a half-hour free session, Dan Smigrod: so take it as far as you can and then get some unstuck professional help. Steve Holand: Exactly. Dan Smigrod: Yeah. I went through all that. Dan Smigrod: I’ve designed my case. Dan Smigrod: I went ahead and I placed my order.
... if you’re going to carry [the case] on the side like a briefcase, you want your heaviest items on the bottom in the center. This way it’s not tilting you down forward or backwards. Try to get that heavy item in there and distribute the weight evenly on those sides.
Steve Holand
President, Founder and Owner, My Case Builder
Dan Smigrod: Case comes. I put my stuff in it, Dan Smigrod: and I have this sinking feeling. Dan Smigrod: I’ve made a mistake. Now what? Steve Holand: Okay. Let me just share my screen one more time again Steve Holand: because I’ll show you that checkout process here. Steve Holand: When you are ready to check it out and you go to “ADD TO CART”. Steve Holand: What’s going to happen is, Steve Holand: you could pick your case and foam or your foam only. Steve Holand: Some people already have their case and they just need their foam only. Steve Holand: But let’s say we’re picking our case and foam then that allows us to choose our foam, Steve Holand: right here’s our base foam. Steve Holand: Top Guard, which I mentioned, the Ester, Steve Holand: which is that soft foam, Steve Holand: and the PE pro cell foam. Steve Holand: Then you can pick your color, we had mentioned as well. Steve Holand: Let’s say you want it blue. Steve Holand: Pick your lid, Ester convoluted lid or just a solid. Steve Holand: Usually people go with the convoluted. Steve Holand: That’s why it’s defaulted there. Steve Holand: This is where your question is answered. Steve Holand: It’s in the FailSafe. What FailSafe is, Steve Holand: it’s a design protection. Steve Holand: Because we understand that sometimes you might measure Steve Holand: wrong or off a little bit or whatever it is, Steve Holand: or even decide that you might want to put Steve Holand: something else in your case that you forgot about in the first time. Steve Holand: If you do take FailSafe,
Steve Holand: it allows you for 30 days. Steve Holand: You could return your foam to us and we’ll make you a brand new Steve Holand: piece of foam with your new changes for free and ship it out under our dime. Steve Holand: It’s very reasonable. It starts at $9.99, Steve Holand: but you can see for this size, it’s $11.99. Steve Holand: For that carry-on size. Steve Holand: That’s a really good price. Steve Holand: For the really large cases. Steve Holand: It goes up sometimes to about $40. Steve Holand: But for most cases it’s around that $12, Steve Holand: $9, $10, range.
... if you’re going to carry [the case] on the side like a briefcase, you want your heaviest items on the bottom in the center. This way it’s not tilting you down forward or backwards. Try to get that heavy item in there and distribute the weight evenly on those sides.
Steve Holand
President, Founder and Owner, My Case Builder
Steve Holand: It’s really nice thing to do. Steve Holand: Now, we’d also do realize that some people Steve Holand: might decide not to take this FailSafe protection, which is fine. Steve Holand: Then they still maybe are not so happy with their foam because maybe they made a mistake. Steve Holand: We don’t want anybody to not be happy with their foam. Steve Holand: We have what’s called a Do Over protection, that comes automatically. Steve Holand: Just in case, Steve Holand: you really need to do it over, Steve Holand: we’ll do it for you for 50 percent of the original price, Steve Holand: so to help you out. Steve Holand: This way, you’re sure that you’re getting the foam that you need. Steve Holand: We don’t want you to have to necessarily take a knife out and start chopping Steve Holand: out the foam and butcher your foam. Steve Holand: We want you to have a nice clean presentation. Dan Smigrod: I got two options. Steve Holand: Yeah.
Dan Smigrod: FailSafe, which is go pay a couple extra just in case I made Dan Smigrod: a mistake and I got 30 days to make sure I’m happy with the foam. Dan Smigrod: If I’m not I can send it back to you, Dan Smigrod: and you’ll send me back replacement foam based on my new design. Steve Holand: Correct. Dan Smigrod: Or second, a Do Over, Dan Smigrod: which is, I wasn’t happy with it. Dan Smigrod: I didn’t do the FailSafe. Dan Smigrod: But you’ll do the foam at half price on the Do Over. Dan Smigrod: We started talking a little bit about, Dan Smigrod: I think Ester foam, Dan Smigrod: I think about is Pick N Pluck. Dan Smigrod: I don’t know. Is that a brand name? Steve Holand: That’s a brand name. That’s a Pelican brand name. Steve Holand: That’s the pre-cut tubes that you could pick out and get the whole part. Dan Smigrod: Yeah. Steve, before I met you and I think it Dan Smigrod: was at a PPA conference exhibit area a number of years ago. Dan Smigrod: I had only heard of Pick & Pluck. Dan Smigrod: That was the only thing I ever heard of. Dan Smigrod: My whole thinking about foam was okay, Dan Smigrod: “I buy a case and I get this stuff”. Dan Smigrod: It probably drives you nuts. Dan Smigrod: Could you please speak on the topic of if Dan Smigrod: somebody was open to using something else other than Pick & Pluck. Dan Smigrod: The downside to Pick & Pluck. Dan Smigrod: I don’t mean as a brand, Dan Smigrod: you called it Ester, Dan Smigrod: but that kind foam versus your default
Dan Smigrod: what My Case Builder default foam is and I just wanted to tee this up. Dan Smigrod: My wife would probably say over-stood. Dan Smigrod: But I just know that we have photographers in our community who will say, Dan Smigrod: ‘’No, I’ve been using this foam forever. Dan Smigrod: I know it’s got some problems, Dan Smigrod: but it’s what I’ve been using and I just Dan Smigrod: feel safe ordering the same thing and it’s worn out, Dan Smigrod: so I’m looking for getting some new Pick & Pluck foam.’’ Steve Holand: Sure. You teed it up perfectly. Steve Holand: The Pick & Pluck, or cubed foam. Steve Holand: If you don’t want to use the brand name. Steve Holand: That’s been around since the 80 ‘s. Steve Holand: That technology was great in the 80s. Steve Holand: But we’re in the 2020s now. Steve Holand: We could do a lot better with our foam.
... if you’re going to carry [the case] on the side like a briefcase, you want your heaviest items on the bottom in the center. This way it’s not tilting you down forward or backwards. Try to get that heavy item in there and distribute the weight evenly on those sides.
Steve Holand
President, Founder and Owner, My Case Builder
Steve Holand: One of the main things that was really that, Steve Holand: what I told you about before, Steve Holand: which is that squeeze ability. Steve Holand: Because it compresses so much, Steve Holand: you really need a good amount of foam around all of your items to protect them. Steve Holand: Also, that cubes are one inch by one inch. Steve Holand: If you take away and leave one inch in between, Steve Holand: that takes up a lot of foam inside of your case. Steve Holand: As also anybody who’s used Pick & Pluck knows, Steve Holand: they just break apart when it’s one inch, Steve Holand: you need 2, 3, Steve Holand: 4 cubes at a time.
Steve Holand: Then everybody who’s used Pick & Pluck knows Steve Holand: that the minute that you start putting something in, Steve Holand: it presses down and the pieces break off and fall apart. Steve Holand: I’m going to show you a case right over here. Steve Holand: This is for a Spark. Steve Holand: See how much I put inside of this case. Steve Holand: See the walls are only quarter-inch thick on here, Steve Holand: but yet still protect and it’s still strong. Steve Holand: See how I get right up to the edge right over here. Steve Holand: You would never be able to put all of this stuff and have it protected Steve Holand: in an Ester foam or Pick & Pluck or cubed foam. It just won’t happen. Steve Holand: On a drop, anytime you drop it. Steve Holand: What’s going to happen is that your items are going to continue to want to go down. Steve Holand: They’re going to push down like that. Steve Holand: They’re going to hit the bottom of the case. Steve Holand: They’re going to hit the sides, Steve Holand: they’re going to hit other objects inside and it’s going to break. Steve Holand: Yeah, if you’re ginger with it and never drop it, it might work. Steve Holand: We recommend again going with that material or using just thicker Ester, Steve Holand: putting less inside of your case will also work. Steve Holand: Ester does work, need lots of foam around it to protect Steve Holand: polyethylene PE Top Guard gets rid of all of those issues. Dan Smigrod: You still sell the squares, Dan Smigrod: you still sell Ester, why? Steve Holand: We do. Dan Smigrod: Why? Steve Holand: There are people who just, like you said, Steve Holand: that’s all they know and they’re used to it.
Steve Holand: So we do sell it, Steve Holand: not a lot of it. We do sell it. Steve Holand: Usually our engineers have to go back to the customer and say, Steve Holand: “you can’t fit all of this inside of your case with Ester because Steve Holand: your walls are too thin and it’s just going to smash together.” Steve Holand: But some people do like the Ester and we’ll sell it. Steve Holand: It’s not a bad product, Steve Holand: it’s just you have to know the limitations of it. Dan Smigrod: Okay. I complete my order. Dan Smigrod: It’s online, I paid for it. Dan Smigrod: Looking forward... When will I know there’s a problem?. Steve Holand: Sure. Number 1,
... if you’re going to carry [the case] on the side like a briefcase, you want your heaviest items on the bottom in the center. This way it’s not tilting you down forward or backwards. Try to get that heavy item in there and distribute the weight evenly on those sides.
Steve Holand
President, Founder and Owner, My Case Builder
Steve Holand: the thing we do is we have a flat rate shipping, is $8.99. Steve Holand: If you get this gigantic case behind me, Steve Holand: $8.99, that small case $8.99, easy. Dan Smigrod: Free shipping for WGAN. Dan Smigrod: For our members, WGAN-TV. Dan Smigrod: www. WGAN.INFO/mycasebuilder, and free shipping coupon code, Dan Smigrod: WGAFREESHIP, all one word. Dan Smigrod: I’m not so much concerned about when is it coming. Dan Smigrod: I’m concerned that I designed Dan Smigrod: something that the engineer is going to say is a problem, Dan Smigrod: and when am I going to get that call or email? Steve Holand: Our lead time right now is about 10 to12 business days. Steve Holand: At about 3 business days or 4 business days, Steve Holand: that’s when our engineers,
Steve Holand: after the order is processed, Steve Holand: making sure we have the cases, Steve Holand: we have the foam for you. Steve Holand: At that time, an engineer will check your design, Steve Holand: will look at it just the way we were seeing if there’s holes in it, Steve Holand: seeing if everything’s too close together, Steve Holand: if they chose Ester foam, Steve Holand: do they have enough space around it? Steve Holand: Will we be able to make this and will the customer be happy with it? Steve Holand: That’s it about 3, 4 days. Steve Holand: You will get an email from one of our engineers saying, “hey, Steve Holand: with a screenshot, with a circle around the section that’s an issue and it will say, Steve Holand: what should we do about this?” Steve Holand: “Can we move this over here?” Steve Holand: “Can we rearrange it a little bit?” Steve Holand: You’ll go through that with the engineer, Steve Holand: so it’s yeah, Steve Holand: around there 3, 4 days. Dan Smigrod: I’ll know whether I’ve designed something that’s going to put me in a pickle? Steve Holand: Exactly. Dan Smigrod: You won’t ship if it’s a problem, Dan Smigrod: meaning I’ve designed a case that you’re not confident that the equipment would be safe. Dan Smigrod: What are the some of the typical reasons that Dan Smigrod: a design gets kicked out of the queue by the engineers? Steve Holand: Sure. Yeah, there are times that people Steve Holand: really don’t understand that tapering of the case, Steve Holand: where it goes down on the side so the top is bigger than the bottom. Steve Holand: They’ll look at something and it might fit nicely on the top.
Steve Holand: By the time they get down to the bottom, Steve Holand: it’s just too close, so that’s one reason. Steve Holand: We made the software very free, Steve Holand: open so that you can overlap Steve Holand: rectangles if you want to make complex shapes your overlap shapes. Steve Holand: Some people sometimes get really too close to the edge. Steve Holand: We could go about a quarter and sometimes they’re like 1/16 inch with Steve Holand: two shapes right next to each other, like that. Steve Holand: We could barely daylight. Steve Holand: Then we’ll call or email the customer and say, Steve Holand: “hey, that’s going to kick you back.” Steve Holand: The other thing again is that material type. Steve Holand: If you use an Ester, you try to go real close like I did with this drone case.
... if you’re going to carry [the case] on the side like a briefcase, you want your heaviest items on the bottom in the center. This way it’s not tilting you down forward or backwards. Try to get that heavy item in there and distribute the weight evenly on those sides.
Steve Holand
President, Founder and Owner, My Case Builder
Steve Holand: We’re going to kick that back and say, Steve Holand: “hey, either let’s take out a couple of things. Steve Holand: Maybe we can rearrange it or maybe you want to switch Steve Holand: to a different foam, it’s the same price.” Dan Smigrod: I heard you say that if I just want to buy the foam for my case, Dan Smigrod: I have the case, I can do that? Steve Holand: Yes. That’s correct. Dan Smigrod: Can I just buy the case? Steve Holand: Yes. You could just buy the case as well. Steve Holand: If you need an empty case, Steve Holand: we can get you the empty case. Steve Holand: Even if you need a case with Pick N Pluck, Steve Holand: we do sell those as well. Steve Holand: Then you can get the foam only or the case. Correct.
Dan Smigrod: Okay. If I just need the case, I can buy a case. Dan Smigrod: If I just need the foam because I already have the case, Dan Smigrod: I can just buy the foam. Dan Smigrod: If at some point in my photography career, Dan Smigrod: the case is fine, Dan Smigrod: but I have a lot of new gear and it switched out, Dan Smigrod: then I can use my existing case, Dan Smigrod: come back to My Case Builder, Dan Smigrod: redesign to configure to the gear that I have now, and that’s okay. Dan Smigrod: You mentioned that your factory is in Paterson, New Jersey. Dan Smigrod: Actually, we have We Get Around Network Forum Members in a 150 plus countries. Steve Holand: Wow. Dan Smigrod: If I’m in Europe, Dan Smigrod: if I’m in Asia, Dan Smigrod: if I’m in Australia, Dan Smigrod: can you still help us? Steve Holand: Absolutely. About 3-4 years ago, Steve Holand: the pandemic, I don’t remember, I lost that year, Steve Holand: but it’s the 4 years ago, Steve Holand: we opened up a partnership, Steve Holand: My Case Builder opened up a branch in Europe. Steve Holand: In Amsterdam area, we will ship to all of Europe. Steve Holand: They have the software, Steve Holand: they do all of the customer service over there in any language as well. Steve Holand: We have our Europe location and factory. Steve Holand: We have our New Zealand factory, Steve Holand: which also does Australia and New Zealand.
Steve Holand: Then we have our Japan, Steve Holand: Osaka factory, which does Asia as well. Steve Holand: Yeah, we can cover you wherever you’re. Steve Holand: From here, we do Canada, Steve Holand: we do South America, Steve Holand: but you should be covered. Steve Holand: Maybe not Antarctica yet, Steve Holand: but maybe one day. Dan Smigrod: Okay. Arigatōgozaimasu. Muchas gracias. Merci beaucoup. Steve Holand: There you go. Dan Smigrod: What have we not covered today about Dan Smigrod: My Case Builder that would be helpful for a real estate photographer? Dan Smigrod: a Matterport Service Provider? Dan Smigrod: A drone photographer... to know about My Case Builder that we haven’t discussed? Steve Holand: Well, we discussed those WGAN coupons and the fact that once you go there,
... if you’re going to carry [the case] on the side like a briefcase, you want your heaviest items on the bottom in the center. This way it’s not tilting you down forward or backwards. Try to get that heavy item in there and distribute the weight evenly on those sides.
Steve Holand
President, Founder and Owner, My Case Builder
Steve Holand: we have the Matterport specifically built, that you helped us design, Steve Holand: WGAN Matterport cases, we have 4 different models now we have on there. Steve Holand: If you go through the affiliate there and go through to the Matterport section, Steve Holand: we have those pre-made cases that we discussed in Steve Holand: our previous video if you wanted to look at that as well in the archives, Steve Holand: which explains everything about that. Steve Holand: Those are really nice pre-made cases that are perfect for carrying your Matterport. Steve Holand: We have them in different price ranges and sizes. Steve Holand: That’s number 1. Then number 2, Steve Holand: the main thing to remember, Steve Holand: to take away is that we’re here to answer your questions,
Steve Holand: to help you either via email, Steve Holand: Pro Connect, Zoom calls, Steve Holand: you name it so that you get a custom foam insert solution for carrying your gear. Steve Holand: You’ve spent so much money and time. Steve Holand: It is this your business, Steve Holand: so you can’t afford to drop it, Steve Holand: lose it, all those types of things. Steve Holand: The other thing too, Dan is that by having a space for everything, Steve Holand: especially now going to be with printing on the foam and labeling it, Steve Holand: when you get out to your house to do your shoot, Steve Holand: you can make sure that when you leave there you have everything, Steve Holand: that everything’s in its space. Steve Holand: You’re not leaving a tripod, a battery, Steve Holand: anything like that because you can see where it’s missing inside of your case. Steve Holand: If you have a Pick N Pluck or just everything thrown inside a bag, Steve Holand: you might not know you left a cable or you Steve Holand: left a doorstop or whatever it is that you normally use. Steve Holand: That’s another thing that I think is a very valuable for WGAN-TV watchers. Dan Smigrod: My last question, Steve. Dan Smigrod: What kind of designs do you see that you go, “oh, Dan Smigrod: I wish I could have told them this and that would have saved them so much time, Dan Smigrod: energy and effort, and I know that they would be a lot happier?” Steve Holand: A lot of times people will over engineer their foam. Steve Holand: Foam is giving medium. Steve Holand: It moves, it’s a little bit on ... Steve Holand: What we see a lot is somebody who let’s say has a lens and they Steve Holand: want to have a taper inside of their lens,
Steve Holand: they might put concentric circles, Steve Holand: like 15 concentric circles that are millimeter apart so that it comes that... Steve Holand: We can’t make that, Steve Holand: you don’t need it, it’s overkill. Steve Holand: Just the top one and the bottom one to hold your lens, Steve Holand: and everything’s going to be beautiful. Steve Holand: That’s a basic kind of thing that I see. Steve Holand: It’s a little bit of over-engineering. Steve Holand: Sometimes a rectangle will fit a circle. Steve Holand: Sometimes it’s not going to go anywhere; a cylinder. Steve Holand: Lot of times if you have something that has something sticking out on Steve Holand: the left side and you put it in where it’s sticking on the left side, Steve Holand: sometimes it’s very good to put Steve Holand: the same exact shape on the right side so it could be universal. Steve Holand: That’s another pro tip, Steve Holand: so that you don’t have to worry about putting it in exactly the same way Steve Holand: if something can be a different direction. Those are the kinds of things. Steve Holand: Last pro tip I’ll give you, Dan, Steve Holand: is that a lot of times people Steve Holand: sometimes don’t understand weight distribution in their case. Steve Holand: Obviously, cases are flat, Steve Holand: they tip over on their sides. Steve Holand: Depending on how you’re going to carry that case,
... if you’re going to carry [the case] on the side like a briefcase, you want your heaviest items on the bottom in the center. This way it’s not tilting you down forward or backwards. Try to get that heavy item in there and distribute the weight evenly on those sides.
Steve Holand
President, Founder and Owner, My Case Builder
Steve Holand: if you’re going to carry it on the side like a briefcase, Steve Holand: you want your heaviest items on the bottom in the center. Steve Holand: This way it’s not tilting you down forward or backwards.
Steve Holand: Try to get that heavy item in there and distribute the weight evenly on those sides. Steve Holand: If you’re going to mostly take it and drag it like that valet case like that, Steve Holand: then you can put it anywhere inside the case Steve Holand: because now your wheels are distributing the weight for you as you carry it. Steve Holand: That’s the other pro tip that I have. Dan Smigrod: Awesome, Steve. Thanks for being on the show today. Steve Holand: Welcome. Thank you, Dan. Dan Smigrod: We’ve been visiting with Steve Holand. Dan Smigrod: Steve is the President, Dan Smigrod: Founder, and Owner of My Case Builder. Dan Smigrod: You can find My Case Builder at www. Mycasebuilder.com or use the WGAN affiliate link, Dan Smigrod: www. WGAN.info/mycasebuilder for the two special offers to get Dan Smigrod: free 12 months WGAN-TV Training U in Matterport Dan Smigrod: when you use that affiliate link to buy Dan Smigrod: any My Case Builder case for $150 or more directly from MyCaseBuilder, Dan Smigrod: and to get the free shipping with the coupon code WGAFREESHIP Dan Smigrod: Steve, thanks again. Dan Smigrod: Steve in Paterson, New Jersey. Dan Smigrod: I’m Dan Smigrod, Dan Smigrod: Founder of the We Get Around Network Forum, Dan Smigrod: and you’ve been watching WGAN-TV Live at 5.
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