Getting ready for Origins 2007!

I'd been looking at shipping my books and gaming stuff for Origins instead of lugging them around while on vacation. While I could simply box it all up I figured now was a good time to get a new case to haul my gear. Up until now I'd been using a scrap-booking case which worked pretty well. It had a collapsable handle and wheels and did a decent job. I always wish it was a couple of inches deeper and wider so I could either put in two rows of books (side by side) or flip them so they stacked up bookshelf-style. This case was also soft-sided so it probably wouldn't fly well and definately wouldn't ship worth a damn.

Any case I choose needed to be shippable and capable of hauling all my gear with relative ease. I have a couple of binders with printed materials (HackJournals and some other stuff) so I wanted something at least 12" by 12" for two fo the dimensions. I thought I had the perfect case on ebay, but I was sniped at the last moment.

This thing was an awesome size, with retractable wheels and an inset travel handle. There was only one other bidder and he got his bid in just before the close. That is frustrating as hell.

Today I was looking at ebay again and found a case that might work. It was a Haliburton Zero case......very well made aluminum case from some time ago. These things normally go for hundreds easy. It's not the perfect case, but I figure it'll clean up well and I can arrange to have wheels put on it. On the plus side it's big enough to put some maps in without having to fold them up...a definate plus. Anyway I noticed in the ad http://cgi.ebay.com/Zero-Halliburton-Aluminum-Shipping-Case-35-5-x26-5-x-9_W0QQitemZ110136519769QQihZ001QQcategoryZ83861QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem that the seller had a local phone number. I gave them a call and was able to stop by. The ad made it sound like they only had second-rate cases, but mine was in great shape. It's 32.5" x 24.5" x 8.25" on the inside and was used (in the past) to ship one (1) laserdisc. Probably some disc with vital government secrets or lots of research data. I think it was a data disc, definately not some movie. Since the seller was selling a lot of these cases I didn't have any problem getting one directly instead of through eBay.

I need to cut up the foam insert some for my needs and I'll be ready to ship everything to Origins!