How long does it take to build a custom flight case?
3 to 14 days from signed-off specification. That is the real bespoke build window out of our Bidford workshop, and it covers the large majority of what we make.
A straightforward hexaboard storage case sits at the short end. A large multi-screen pit perch, or a hospitality unit with a fridge, power distribution and drawers on runners, sits at the long end. You are told which before you pay, in writing, not after.
Why 3 to 14 days is possible
Because the case is made here.
3D CAD design, CNC routing, fibre laser marking, CNC milling and turning, 3D printing on a Stratasys F170, frame fabrication, assembly and packing all happen at Unit 20, Bidavon Industrial Estate, Bidford-on-Avon. For those steps there is no subcontractor queue to join and no third party schedule to fit around. Once the specification is signed off, the job goes onto our own board.
That is the whole explanation. It is not a claim about working harder than anyone else. It is a consequence of where the machines are.
The genuine exception is anything we do not make ourselves. Bought-in hardware, screens, fridges, castors and finishing work such as embroidered covers depend on supplier availability, and that is quoted separately and stated on the quote before you commit.
When does the lead time clock actually start?
At signed-off specification, not at your first enquiry.
This distinction matters more than any other on this page, and it is the most common reason a project feels longer than the customer expected. The days between a first email and an agreed spec are scoping days, not build days, and how long they take depends mostly on how quickly the details come back to us.
A specification is signed off when both sides have agreed:
- What is going in the case, including make, model and weight
- Internal usable dimensions and any external size limits
- How and where it will be used, and how it will be transported
- Access and layout: lid type, drawers, shelves, foam inserts, dividers, tie-down points
- Materials, finish and hardware
- Any branding, plates or marked labelling
- Delivery address and the date you actually need it in hand
Once that is agreed and the order is confirmed, the 3 to 14 days runs. Deposit and payment terms for bespoke work are set out in your written quote before you commit.
What are your lead times by order type?
| What you are ordering | Time | Clock starts |
|---|---|---|
| In-stock distribution parts | Typically within 1 to 2 working days | Cleared order |
| Bespoke flight case, pit perch or paddock equipment | 3 to 14 days to build | Signed-off specification |
| Standalone workshop services (CNC, laser, milling, 3D print) | Quoted per job | Files received and quote accepted |
| Scoping and quoting a bespoke enquiry | We aim to come back within 1 working day | Your enquiry |
Transit time sits on top of dispatch time in every case and depends on destination. Rates and zones are on our shipping policy.
How fast do in-stock parts ship?
Stock items typically dispatch from our UK workshop within 1 to 2 working days.
That covers stocked lines from ARE, Cartek, EvoCorse, FEV, Fuel Safe, Hunsaker, SFS Performance, SuperB, Tilton and VP Racing Fuels. If something on your order is short on stock, we email you within 24 hours with the real date rather than leaving you to guess. If you have a fixed race date, say so before you order and we will check stock first.
What pushes a build towards the long end of the range?
Size and fit-out, mostly. A build sits nearer 14 days than 3 when it involves:
- Physical scale. An engine transport case such as the VME-Box47, at 800 x 800 x 950mm internally, is a different job from a small gearbox carry case like the VME-Box46 at 504 x 504 x 404mm.
- Fitted interiors. Drawers on runners, shelving, foam inserts, partitioning and tie-down points all add bench time.
- Fabricated framework. Pit perch structures are stainless steel tubular assemblies, which is more bench time than a panel-built case.
- Electrical and AV integration. Screens, HDMI, USB and coax points, splitters, power distribution and cable routing.
- Branding and marked labelling. Logo plates and control labels are marked in parallel, but they still have to be specified and approved.
- Bought-in components that have to arrive before assembly can finish.
What if I need it for a specific race weekend?
Tell us the date in your first email, not at the quote stage.
Race calendars do not move. If the date is achievable we confirm it in writing alongside the quote. If it is not, you are told straight away so you can make another plan while there is still time to make one. Bear in mind that your real deadline is usually earlier than the event date, because the case has to be in your hands in time to be loaded.
How long do standalone workshop jobs take?
Standalone CNC routing, laser etching, CNC milling and turning and 3D printing jobs are quoted with their own lead time, usually within one working day of us receiving your files.
Small jobs typically turn around quickly. Larger production runs take longer. The lead time is always confirmed before any work begins. Send STEP, IGES, DXF, DWG, STL or PDF, or photographs and a sketch if that is what you have.
What do you need from me to start the clock?
For a bespoke build, one email containing:
- What is going in the case, with dimensions and weight
- Photographs, ideally with a tape measure in shot
- How and where it will be used and transported
- Access and layout requirements
- Any branding requirements
- Delivery postcode or country
- The date you need it in hand
Send that and we can usually scope, price and give you a firm build window inside one working day.
Send your brief and required date, or contact the workshop for a stock and lead-time check.